Association between broadband capacity and telehealth utilization among Medicare Fee-for-service beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Telehealth is a rapidly growing modality for expanding healthcare access, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. However, telehealth requires high-quality broadband, thus making broadband a social determinant of health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between broadband access and telehealth utilization across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional, ecological study design, we merged county-level data on broadband capacity (Microsoft's Rural Broadband Initiative), telehealth utilization among Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries from January through September 2020 (CareJourney), and county-level socioeconomic characteristics (Area Health Resources Files). Multivariable linear regression was used t

SUBMITTER: Pandit AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10076155 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature