IMPACT AND HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION PATTERNS OF AN ORTHOPEDIC TELEMEDICINE PROGRAM IN BRAZIL.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Public Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Telemedicine offers potential to reduce healthcare access barriers.
• Social vulnerability and geographic location can significantly influence healthcare utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between place of residence, social vulnerability, and telemedicine access.
• To analyze travel burdens and accessibility challenges for orthopedic patients in São Paulo, Brazil.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional, comparative study of 475 orthopedic patients using telemedicine.
• Analysis of sociodemographic, economic, and geographic data, grouped by Social Vulnerability Index (IVS).

Main Results:

• Telemedicine consultations saved an average of 211 km in travel and $44 USD.
• Higher IVS patients experienced longer travel, lower education, and more work absence for appointments.
• Telemedicine access disparities mirror existing socioeconomic and geographic inequalities.

Conclusions:

• Spatial and socioeconomic vulnerabilities significantly shape telemedicine access.
• Travel burdens and job insecurity disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
• Social support can mitigate access barriers for older adults.