Factors Associated with Using Telemedicine in the Primary Care Clinics during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Israel.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic generated an extraordinary need for telemedicine.

Objective

To identify the factors and multi-way interactions associated with telemedicine use in primary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This population-based study included all members (2,722,773) aged ≥18 years of the largest healthcare organization in Israel who used primary care clinic services between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2021. Individuals were classified as telemedicine users (≥1 phone/video visits or asynchronous encounters) or non-telemedicine users (only in-person encounter/s).

Results

Ethnicity was the most discriminative variable associated with telemedicine use, with 85% and 52% users among Jews and Arabs, respectively. Higher odds for telemed

SUBMITTER: Reges O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9603207 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature