Characteristics of Patients Utilizing Telemedicine in Hand and Upper-Extremity Surgery

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Health Services Research
• Digital Health

Background:

• Social determinants of health significantly impact medical care access and outcomes.
• The widespread adoption of telemedicine has transformed healthcare delivery.
• This study examines telemedicine use in hand surgery independent of COVID-19 restrictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize patients utilizing telemedicine for hand surgery.
• To assess the relationship between patient demographics, geographic location, and socioeconomic status (Area Deprivation Index) and telemedicine use in hand surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of telemedicine encounters for 4 hand surgeons over one year.
• Data collected included patient demographics, encounter type, residential distance, and Area Deprivation Index (ADI).

Main Results:

• Sixty telemedicine encounters were analyzed.
• The majority of patients were established (73.3%), resided in high ADI areas (72%), and lived a median of 18 miles from the clinic.
• No significant differences were found in demographics or encounter types between low and high ADI patient groups.

Conclusions:

• Telemedicine in hand surgery is predominantly used for follow-up visits by patients in high ADI communities, often located far from the clinic.
• Telemedicine may enhance access to hand surgery follow-up care, especially for patients facing socioeconomic and geographic challenges.
• Area Deprivation Index did not correlate with seasonal telemedicine use, encounter type, or patient demographics.