%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I JMIR Publications
%V 22
%N 12
%P e22727
%T Where Virtual Care Was Already a Reality: Experiences of a Nationwide Telehealth Service Provider During the COVID-19 Pandemic
%A Uscher-Pines,Lori
%A Thompson,James
%A Taylor,Prentiss
%A Dean,Kristin
%A Yuan,Tony
%A Tong,Ian
%A Mehrotra,Ateev
%+ RAND Corporation, Health Care Division, 1200 S Hayes St, Arlington, VA, 22202, United States, 1 7034131100, luscherp@rand.org
%K telehealth
%K telemedicine
%K COVID-19
%K pandemic
%K infectious disease
%K virus
%K United States
%D 2020
%7 15.12.2020
%9 Viewpoint
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the use of and demand for telehealth services. Objective: Here, we describe the utilization of telehealth services provided by Doctor On Demand, Inc., a well-known telehealth company in the United States, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explore how the number of virtual visits, reasons for visits, and patients served changed over time. Methods: We reported data as a percentage change from the baseline week during 2 distinct time periods: February-June 2019 and February-June 2020 based on 4 categories of visits: respiratory illness, unscheduled behavioral health, scheduled behavioral health, and chronic illness. Results: In 2020, the total visit volume increased considerably from March through April 7, 2020 (59% above the baseline) and then declined through the week of June 2 (15% above the baseline). Visits for respiratory illnesses increased through the week of March 24 (30% above the baseline) and then steadily declined through the week of June 2 (65% below the baseline). Higher relative increases were observed for unscheduled behavioral health and chronic illness visits through April (109% and 131% above the baseline, respectively) before a decline through the week of June 2 (69% and 37% above the baseline, respectively). Increases in visit volume among rural residents were slightly higher than those among urban residents (peak at 64% vs 58% above the baseline, respectively). Conclusions: Although this telehealth service provider observed a substantial increase in the volume of visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is interesting to note that this growth was not fueled by COVID-19 concerns but by visits for behavioral health and chronic illness. Telehealth services may play a role as a “safety valve” for patients who have difficulty accessing care during a public health emergency. 
%M 33112761
%R 10.2196/22727
%U https://www.jmir.org/2020/12/e22727
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/22727
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33112761