Kaiser Permanente: Telehealth Primary Care Outcomes Remained Steady Well Into 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaiser Permanente patients became much more likely to visit their primary care doctor by video or phone. A study found these patients had similar medical outcomes whether they saw their doctor in-person or virtually. These findings, on top of our previous research, suggest that telemedicine looks like it’s addressing a need, without generating major signs of safety concerns. Telehealth was used more often than in-person visits for certain health concerns, such as mental health (80% of visits were virtual), followed by general gastrointestinal issues (70%), back pain (58%), and abdominal pain (57%).