To identify factors influencing resource use in health care facilities in the U.S. and compare patterns across telehealth and office visits, focusing on patient-to-provider ratios and appointment durations.
Key Findings:
Telehealth visits were associated with lower patient-to-provider ratios and shorter appointment durations compared to office visits.
Patient- and facility-related factors significantly impacted resource use across care settings.
Clusters of health care facilities exhibited meaningful differences in telehealth adoption and performance metrics over time.
Interpretation:
The findings suggest that telehealth can enhance resource efficiency, with implications for improving care delivery and planning in health care systems.
Limitations:
The study focused on specific specialties, which may limit generalizability to other areas of health care.
Data were sourced from a single platform, potentially introducing bias based on the patient population represented.
Conclusion:
The study provides insights into telehealth adoption and resource utilization, informing stakeholders for sustainable integration of telehealth services.
