Telemedicine Fails to Counter Healthcare Disparities During the Pandemic

Telemedicine, where healthcare is delivered via “virtual” routes such as phone or video calls, has soared in use and popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is largely due to healthcare providers trying to keep their patients safe by reducing any non-essential in-person visits and has also been aided by emergency waivers to allow providers to provide telehealth visits.

Telemedicine has often been touted as an advance which will help reduce disparities in access to care, but a new study led by researchers at the University of Houston (UH) College of Medicine suggests that this has not been the case throughout the pandemic so far.

The study concluded a few factors were responsible for these disparities, including lack of access to technologies which are required for telehealth appointments.