Telemedicine raised preventive care rates
An AJMC study reported that telemedicine use in a rural population was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving preventive services. The analysis did not focus on ADHD specifically but linked remote care with improved uptake of basic preventive care. The finding was presented as evidence that telehealth can increase engagement, not just convenience. (ajmc.com)
A study in *The American Journal of Managed Care* found rural patients who used telemedicine were more likely to get preventive care later. (ajmc.com) The analysis used administrative claims for 2,012,290 people living in rural areas from January 2019 through December 2023. Researchers compared telemedicine users with nonusers using propensity score matching and logistic regression. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) Among matched patients, telemedicine use in 2020 was linked to higher odds of completing a preventive visit or service in 2021, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.01 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.93 to 2.09. Telemedicine use between 2021 and 2023 was linked to higher odds of preventive care in 2023, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.88 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.79 to 1.96. (ajmc.com) Preventive care means routine checkups, screenings, and other services meant to catch problems early instead of waiting for an emergency. The paper did not study attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder specifically; it looked at basic preventive services across a rural population. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) The study lands as telehealth remains far more common than it was before the coronavirus pandemic, even after the 2020 spike faded. The Department of Health and Human Services says 25% of Medicare fee-for-service users had a telehealth service in 2024, unchanged from 2023 to 2024. (telehealth.hhs.gov) Rural patients have long had lower use of some preventive services than urban patients. The University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center says research has shown rural residents are less likely to obtain certain recommended preventive services. (rhrc.umn.edu) The authors point to a simple mechanism: remote visits can cut travel time, transportation problems, and out-of-pocket costs tied to reaching care. The paper also says the size of the association differed by sex, region, and underlying health conditions. (ajmc.com) This was an observational study, not a randomized trial, so it shows an association rather than proving telemedicine caused the increase in preventive care. Even with matching, patients who choose telemedicine may differ from nonusers in ways claims data cannot fully capture. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) Telehealth policy is still shifting while researchers measure what remote care changes beyond convenience. Federal telehealth policy updates posted by Health and Human Services say Medicare patients can receive telehealth services for non-behavioral care in their home through December 31, 2027. (telehealth.hhs.gov) The new paper adds one concrete data point to that policy fight: in a rural sample of more than 2 million people, telemedicine use tracked with more follow-through on routine care. (ajmc.com)
