Evaluating the Efficiency and Equity of Autism Diagnoses via Telehealth During COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis
• Telehealth in Healthcare

Background:

• Timely autism diagnosis is crucial but faces existing barriers.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth services.
• Developmental behavioral pediatrics settings are exploring diagnostic modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficiency and equity of in-person versus telehealth autism diagnoses.
• To identify potential disparities in diagnosis times across different patient groups.
• To assess the feasibility of telehealth for autism evaluations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records for children diagnosed with autism.
• Comparison of in-person (N=71) versus telehealth (N=45) diagnostic visits.
• Evaluation of time to diagnosis, patient demographics, and deferred diagnoses.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in time to autism diagnosis, demographics, or deferred diagnoses between in-person and telehealth visits.
• Privately insured patients experienced longer telehealth diagnosis times compared to in-person.
• Families residing farther from the clinic also faced longer telehealth diagnosis times.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth evaluations for autism are feasible and comparable to in-person visits in many aspects.
• Certain patient groups, including privately insured and geographically distant families, may require additional support for timely telehealth diagnosis.
• This study underscores the need for equitable access to autism diagnostic services through various modalities.