Obstetrician-Gynecologists' Telehealth Provision at the Beginning, During, and Latter Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

Mandar Bodas, Department of Health Policy and Management, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Yoon Hong Park, Department of Health Policy and Management, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Qian Luo, Department of Health Policy and Management, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Clese Erikson, Department of Health Policy and Management, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Anushree Vichare, Department of Health Policy and Management, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-14-2024

Journal

Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association

DOI

10.1089/tmj.2024.0391

Keywords

COVID-19; health workforce; prenatal care; private insurance; telehealth; telehealth payment parity; telemedicine

Abstract

: This study aims to determine how obstetrician-gynecologists provided telehealth from January 2020 to December 2022 in the United States, using de-identified commercial insurance data from FAIR Health. It also explores the trends in telehealth provision by physicians' age, gender, and by state policies on telehealth payment parity. : Aggregated, de-identified data derived from medical claims containing 450,588 physician-quarter observations during 2020 to 2022 were analyzed using descriptive methods to examine the total number of telehealth services to pregnant individuals provided, the number of obstetrician-gynecologists that provided telehealth, and the mean number of telehealth services provided per quarter. : Obstetrician-gynecologists' telehealth provision increased rapidly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching its peak during the winter 2020 wave (fourth quarter) during which 4,663 obstetrician-gynecologists provided 13,846 telehealth visits. This was followed by a drop in subsequent quarters and during the fourth quarter of 2022, about 9,500 visits were provided by 2,800 obstetrician-gynecologists. Mean number of telehealth visits per physician was higher among older obstetrician-gynecologists and among those that practiced in states that adapted telehealth payment parity policies. : Physician sex, age, and the state of practice location impacted their telehealth provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future policies aimed at ensuring telehealth access for pregnant people should consider these factors.

APA Citation

Bodas, Mandar; Park, Yoon Hong; Luo, Qian; Erikson, Clese; and Vichare, Anushree, "Obstetrician-Gynecologists' Telehealth Provision at the Beginning, During, and Latter Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic" (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 5841.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/5841

Department

Health Policy and Management