Telemedicine Improves Access to Care for Spine Patients With Low Socioeconomic Status

Abstract

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare the likelihood of missing a scheduled telemedicine and in-person appointments for spine patients. The secondary objective is to assess the impact of socioeconomic status on missed telemedicine and in-person appointments. Methods: Patients with scheduled outpatient appointments with orthopedic spine faculty between 2019 and 2021 were divided by appointment type: telemedicine (N = 4,387) and in-person (N = 3810). Socioeconomic status was assessed using Area Deprivation Index (ADI) stratified based on percentile: low (<25), medium (25–75), and high (>75) levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. The primary outcome measure was missed clinic appointments, which was defined as having at least one appointment that was cancelled or labeled “no show.” Results: Patients with in-person appointments missed appointments more often than patients with telemedicine visits (51.3% vs 24.7%, P