Investigating the Association Between Telemedicine Use and Timely Follow-Up Care After Acute Cardiovascular...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Health Services Research
• Digital Health

Background:

• Telemedicine adoption surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The impact of widespread telemedicine on patient care quality remains under investigation.
• Cardiovascular care continuity and outcomes are key areas of concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between increased telemedicine use and post-hospitalization follow-up rates.
• To evaluate the effect of telemedicine on unplanned readmission rates for acute cardiovascular conditions.
• To compare outcomes during the pandemic's high-telemedicine period with pre-pandemic data.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 6,026 cardiovascular hospital encounters (acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, heart failure, valvular heart disease).
• Comparison of 14-day follow-up and 30-day readmission rates between May-December 2020 (high telemedicine) and May-December 2019 (pre-pandemic).
• Statistical adjustment for patient and encounter characteristics.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine constituted 40% of follow-ups in 2020 vs. 0% in 2019.
• Overall 14-day follow-up rates increased slightly (41.7% to 44.9%).
• Heart failure (HF) follow-up rates showed significant improvement (50.1% to 55.5%, P=0.03).
• 30-day unplanned readmission rates decreased slightly (18.3% to 16.9%).

Conclusions:

• Increased telemedicine use was linked to improved timely follow-up post-cardiovascular hospitalization.
• The shift to telemedicine did not negatively impact readmission rates.
• Telemedicine appears to be a safe and effective modality for maintaining cardiovascular care quality.