Telehealth Raises Visit Completion Rate by 20 Percent for Rural Residents

mHealth Intelligence: Telehealth Raises Visit Completion Rate by 20 Percent for Rural Residents

A study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that telemedicine is an effective alternative to in-person care for rural residents, helping to drive up appointment completion rates. Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study, using the data to determine any correlation between the rate of visit completion and the setting in which a visit occurred. The study suggests that telemedicine may facilitate access to care for difficult-to-reach patients, such as those in rural areas, as well as those who have rigid work schedules, live longer distances from the clinic, have complex health problems, and are from areas of higher poverty and/or lower education.