Telehealth Availability in US Hospitals in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Telehealth is likely to play a crucial role in treating COVID-19 patients. However, not all US hospitals possess telehealth capabilities. This brief report was designed to explore US hospitals’ readiness with respect to telehealth availability. We hope to gain deeper insight into the factors affecting possession of these valuable capabilities, and how this varies between rural and urban areas. Methods: Based on 2017 data from the American Hospital Association survey, Area Health Resource Files and Medicare cost reports, we used logistic regression models to identify predictors of telehealth and eICU capabilities in US hospitals. Results: We found that larger hospitals (OR(telehealth) = 1.013; P