Primary care telehealth in a dynamic healthcare environment from digital divide to healthcare outcomes.

Zhang, Yunxi; Lal, Lincy S; Chandra, Saurabh; Swint, John Michael · NPJ Digit Med · 2025

retrospective_cohort · Level III

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Abstract

With expanded telehealth availability in primary care, its impact on quality of care and associated costs remains debated. Analyzing 199,829 Medicare beneficiaries in Mississippi (2019-2021), we found telehealth utilization associated with significant sociodemographic disparities, reduced inpatient admissions, and lower 30-day readmissions. By accounting for primary care utilization, our findings suggest that the higher absolute costs observed among telehealth users may reflect underlying healthcare needs rather than telehealth utilization.