Open AccessFactors associated with emergency department adoption of telemedicine: 2014 to 2018
Author(s) -
Zachrison Kori S.,
Boggs Krislyn M.,
Hayden Emily M.,
Cash Rebecca E.,
Espinola Janice A.,
SamuelsKalow Margaret E.,
Sullivan Ashley F.,
Mehrotra Ateev,
Camargo Carlos A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the american college of emergency physicians open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2688-1152
DOI - 10.1002/emp2.12233
Subject(s) - telemedicine , emergency department , medical emergency , business , medicine , health care , nursing , political science , law
Objective Telemedicine is used by emergency departments (EDs) to connect patients with specialty consultation and resources not available locally. Despite its utility, uptake of telemedicine in EDs has varied. We studied characteristics associated with telemedicine adoption during a 4‐year period. Methods We analyzed data from the 2014 National Emergency Department Inventory (NEDI)–New England survey and follow‐up data from 2016 and 2017 NEDI‐USA and 2018 NEDI‐New England surveys, with data from the Center for Connected Health Policy. Among EDs not using telemedicine in 2014, we examined characteristics associated with adoption by 2018. Results Of the 159 New England EDs with available data, 80 (50%) and 125 (79%) reported telemedicine receipt in 2014 and 2018, respectively. Among the 79 EDs without telemedicine in 2014, academic EDs were less likely to adopt by 2018 (odds ratio, 0.12; 95% confidence interval, 0.03–0.46). State policy environment was not associated with likelihood of adoption. In 2018, all 7 freestanding EDs received telemedicine, whereas only 1 of 9 academic EDs (11%) did. Conclusions Telemedicine use by EDs continues to grow rapidly and by 2018, >3 quarters of EDs in our sample were receiving telemedicine. From 2014 to 2018, the initiation of telemedicine receipt was less common among higher volume and academic EDs.