Provider Perspectives of Providing Clinically Appropriate Care with Telemedicine

Background: Following the initial resurgence of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, higher levels of virtual ambulatory care utilization continue. This study aimed to identify factors that contribute to providers' perspectives about the utility of telemedicine across various medical and surgical clinical contexts within a single academic health system. Methods: A cross-sectional survey including an open-response question about the clinical appropriateness of telemedicine was distributed to Johns Hopkins Medicine clinical sites, including 6 hospitals and 40 ambulatory clinics in Maryland, the Washington, D.C., Capital Region, and Florida. Modified grounded theory was used to code responses about the clinical appropriateness of telemedicine. Responses from providers who perform >50% of both new patient and follow-up care via telemedicine were evaluated. Results: Analysis of 567 comments revealed domains of advantage/disadvantages to telemedicine including clinical factors (e.g., physical exam, interventions, testing), process factors (e.g., logistics, technology), information-sharing (teaching, history-taking), communication (e.g., rapport), patient factors (e.g., patient preference, child attention), clinician factors (e.g., clinician preference, reimbursement), and overall appropriateness. Domains of clinical and process factors were most commonly discussed. Conclusion: This study identifies features of telemedicine that may affect the provision of clinically appropriate care across medical and surgical fields. As health care spending continues to be assessed, traditional delivery models may adapt. Proactive identification of opportunities for additional virtual care implementation may assist systems in nimble responsiveness to changing landscapes.