American College of Rheumatology: Telehealth Conversion: A Strategy for Optimizing Ambulatory Access
Converting late cancellations and no-show appointments to telemedicine visits increases access to care without the need for rescheduling. Investigators identified adult rheumatology patients with late cancellations (within 24 hours of appointment) or impending no-show appointments from September 2020 to March 2023. Of 624 eligible visits, 516 (83 percent) were converted to telehealth visits. Phone visits were slightly more popular than video visits (54 percent vs 46 percent, respectively). Patients who were older, who lived in a rural area, or who were on Medicare and Medicaid were more likely to opt for phone visits. The intervention resulted in an additional 258 hours of patient care. The reduction in lost revenue for phone vs video telemedicine visits was $7298 ($39.19 per appointment).