Telehealth Encourages Patients with Diabetes in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups to Return for in-Person Ophthalmic Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

DovePress: Telehealth Encourages Patients with Diabetes in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups to Return for in-Person Ophthalmic Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study evaluates the role telehealth visits played in helping patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) return for subsequent, in-person eye examinations after the outbreak of COVID-19. The study found that patients from racial and/or ethnic minority groups completed fewer in-person eye examinations compared with White patients. However, both groups accessed telehealth services at a similar rate during this period. Patients who received telehealth services returned for subsequent, in-person eye examinations at substantially higher rates, regardless of race. The findings suggest that telehealth initiatives benefited patients from racial and/or ethnic minority groups by reducing disparities in access to eye care during the COVID-19 pandemic.