COVID-19 Telehealth Service Can Increase Access to the Health Care System and Become a Cost-Saving Strategy.
Telemed J E Health
; 2022 Nov 23.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2134763
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Data addressing the economic aspects of telehealth initiatives are incipient. This study aimed to evaluate the labor costs for running a COVID-19 telehealth system and its potential incremental access to health care service.Methods:
From July 2020 to July 2021, data from a Brazilian teleconsultation service were analyzed. Labor costs were estimated by time-driven activity-based costing. A Generalized Reduced Gradient solving method was coded to maximize the mean incremental access rate and two scenarios were considered to compare the teleconsultation with the in-person consultation (1) only the length of time that patients spent with a clinician in an in-person consultation was accounted and (2) in addition to the medical consultation, nursing screening was accounted. The mean incremental access rate of the teleconsultation service was defined as a maximization objective in the model.Results:
Mean labor costs per medical and nursing teleconsultations are Int$ 24 and Int$ 10, based on data analyses from 25,258 patients. Telemonitoring a patient with a daily call for 7 days costs, on average, Int$ 14. COVID-19 teleconsultation service represents, on average, an incremental access to medical consultation rate of 35% to 52% (min 23% max 63%) for the scenarios (1) and (2), respectively, and considering the current consumed budget for this service.Discussion:
A COVID-19 telehealth service contributes to increasing access to the health care system without increasing costs. These services can be included in the bundle of care strategies offered in a national public health care system that looks for more sustainable strategies to provide care.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Language:
English
Journal subject:
Medical Informatics
/
Health Services
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Tmj.2022.0240
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