Perceptions of telehealth use by PAs post-COVID-19

Use of telemedicine and remote patient monitoring can provide significant cost savings through improved disease control and reduced exacerbations. This study investigated physician associates'/assistants' (PAs') perceptions of telemedicine to inform future use and expansion of these programs.

The Telehealth Usability Questionnaire was completed by 30 PAs recruited via social media. Data were coded and analyzed through an electronic spreadsheet program.

PAs generally felt that telemedicine was a helpful tool to increase access to care (M = 4.129) but did not replace in-person visits. Variation in responses related specifically to the platform indicated PAs' varying experiences about ease of use.

Findings demonstrated that PAs from a variety of practice settings found telemedicine to be a helpful tool to reduce barriers and improve access to care. However, PAs did not feel that telemedicine replaces in-person visits.