The Impact of Increased Access to Telemedicine

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Zeltzer, Dan; Einav, Liran; Rashba, Joseph; Balicer, Ran D.
• 署名单位: Tel Aviv University; Stanford University; Clalit Health Services; Clalit Health Services; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1542-4766
• DOI: 10.1093/jeea/jvad035
• 发表日期: 2023
• 关键词: acute respiratory-infections; visits; care; telehealth; state

摘要

We estimate the impact of increased access to telemedicine following widespread adoption during the March-April 2020 COVID-19 lockdown period. We focus on the post-lockdown period, which was characterized by near-complete reopening. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we compare primary care episodes before and after the lockdown between patients with high and low access to telemedicine, as defined by their primary care physician adoption. Our results show that access to telemedicine leads to slightly more primary care visits but lower spending. Visits involve fewer prescriptions and more follow-ups, but we find no evidence of missed diagnoses or adverse outcomes. Results suggest that telemedicine does not compromise care quality or raise costs.