“Can you see my screen?” Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Telehealth

Abstract

Purpose of Review: Telehealth is an innovative approach with great potential to bridge the healthcare delivery gap, especially for underserved communities. While minority populations represent a target audience that could benefit significantly from this modern solution, little of the existing literature speaks to its acceptability, accessibility, and overall effectiveness in underserved populations. Here, we review the various challenges and achievements of contemporary telehealth and explore its impact on care delivery as an alternative or adjunct to traditional healthcare delivery systems. Recent Findings: Given the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid acceleration in telemedicine adoption. Recent studies of telemedicine utilization during the pandemic reveal stark disparities in telemedicine modality use based on race, socioeconomic status, geography, and age. Summary: While telehealth has great potential to overcome healthcare obstacles, the digital divide stands as a challenge to equitable telehealth and telemedicine adoption. Achieving health equity in telehealth will require the mobilization of resources, financial incentives, and political will among hospital systems, insurance companies, and government officials.