Adopting a Telemedicine Model of Asthma Care during the Covid-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Purpose of study The IMPACT DC Asthma Clinic is an intervention program designed to transition children who are heavily dependent on the emergency department for episodic care to more effective longitudinal asthma care in their primary medical homes. We sought to study the implementation of a telemedicine model for IMPACT DC during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to address barriers to care. Methods used A telemedicine model of IMPACT DC was implemented using rapid-cycle improvements and process mapping. Measures for adoption of services including visit completion, show rates, primary language, and patient satisfaction were collected for six months. Healthcare utilization data for the six months prior to the IMPACT DC clinical intervention was collected. This data was compared to in- person clinic visits over the same six-month period the previous year. Summary of results 360 patients successfully completed a telemedicine visit between April 2020 and September 2020 with an average visit show rate of 52%. Primary language was English in 89%. These patients were most frequently classified as having mild-persistent asthma and were assessed as well-controlled. Satisfaction survey response rate was 33%;overall average satisfaction was high. In the comparison group, 701 patients successfully completed an in-person clinic visit between April 2019 and September 2019 with a visit show rate of 39%. Primary language was English in 84%. These patients were most frequently classified as having mild-persistent asthma, not well-controlled. Healthcare utilization data for both groups six months prior to their visit are displayed Conclusions The use of telemedicine provides IMPACT DC a feasible and adoptable model to continue caring for children with asthma, with overall high patient satisfaction. This model addresses access barriers during the pandemic, and promises to be an adjunctive tool for reaching families with low show rates and high healthcare utilization. (Table Presented).