Telemedicine Trends and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic-World Trade Center Health Program, 2020-2021.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Telemedicine

Background:

• The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program provides healthcare to individuals exposed to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adaptation of healthcare delivery, including the expansion of telemedicine services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze telemedicine service utilization trends within the WTC Health Program from January 2020 to December 2021.
• To understand the implementation of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify factors influencing its use.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of WTC Health Program service use data from January 2020 to December 2021.
• Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to examine telemedicine visit trends and disparities.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine visits surged in Q2 2020, with 75% for mental health services, exceeding in-person visits.
• Telemedicine constituted 38% of total visits by end of 2021, with overall visit rates remaining stable.
• Telemedicine use was lower among survivor members, non-Hispanic Other races, non-English speakers, and those outside the New York metropolitan area.

Conclusions:

• The WTC Health Program's telemedicine expansion demonstrated the importance of collaboration, technical capacity, and regulatory flexibility.
• Lessons learned can inform other healthcare providers facing service disruptions and implementing telemedicine.