Background: Telemedicine (TM) is increasingly integrated into health care delivery; however, its safe and effective implementation depends on the competency of the nursing workforce. Although previous research has examined TM utilization among nurses, evidence regarding TM competency levels remains limited. Purpose: To assess TM-related competencies across four domains: awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skills among nurses in the United Arab Emirates, and identify factors associated with each domain. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 434 nurses working in governmental health care facilities. TM competencies were measured using a structured online questionnaire incorporating demographic characteristics and the validated TM Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills instrument. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate competency levels and their predictors. Results: Nurses demonstrated high TM knowledge (81.44 ± 22.27) and positive attitudes (81.42 ± 10.27), with 77.0% and 92.4% of participants scoring high in these domains, respectively. Awareness (55.89 ± 26.17) and skills (57.11 ± 23.01) were more moderate, with only 28.6% and 24.4% of nurses scoring high in these domains, respectively. Interest in TM was a positive predictor of competency across all domains ( p < 0.001). Postgraduate education and TM training were associated with higher awareness, while male gender, postgraduate qualification, and higher interest predicted improved skill scores. Regression models explained 8–16% of variance across competency domains. Conclusions: Although nurses demonstrated strong knowledge and positive attitudes toward TM, gaps remain in awareness and practical skills. Competency-based, skill-focused TM training is needed to support safe and sustainable integration into nursing practice.

Telehealth access is integral to digestive healthcare. This study examined demographic, insurance, and social determinants of health associated with missed telehealth appointments, with secondary comparisons to missed in-person visits. A single-center cohort study of adult digestive health patients at the University of Virginia (2019-2024) was conducted. A total of 2,047 encounters were analyzed, including 1,356 telehealth visits (662 no-shows, 694 completed visits) and 691 in-person no-shows. Patient-level data were obtained from the electronic health record, and county-level broadband and socioeconomic data were derived from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s Mapping Broadband Health in America platform. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for factors associated with nonattendance. Younger age (aOR 0.97 per year increase, 95% CI 0.93-0.98), Black race (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.02-2.19), and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (aOR 2.32, 95% CI 1.14-6.20) were independently associated with telehealth nonattendance, whereas Medicare coverage was associated with lower odds of missed telehealth visits (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.26-0.88). Patients new to the tertiary care center and those presenting for an initial subspecialty visit had higher odds of telehealth nonattendance. Nonattendance varied by clinic section, with higher odds observed in Fellow's, inflammatory bowel disease, and Nutrition clinics and lower odds in Hepatology and Transplant clinics. In secondary analyses comparing telehealth and in-person no-shows, Black patients had lower odds of telehealth nonattendance relative to in-person nonattendance (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.84). County-level broadband access and socioeconomic measures did not differ significantly between cohorts. Disparities in digestive health appointment attendance persist across both telehealth and in-person care. Telehealth nonattendance was associated with patient demographic and health system factors, suggesting that telehealth expansion alone may not eliminate disparities in healthcare delivery. These findings highlight the importance of patient-level interventions and stable telehealth policies to support equitable access to digestive healthcare.

Telemedicine (TM) offers opportunities for disease management; however, patient-centered expectations, priorities, and barriers remain insufficiently characterized. A questionnaire assessed TM desire, expected benefits, topic preferences, and perceived barriers among women with osteoporosis. A telemedicine need score (TNS) was constructed based on living alone, inability to drive, and the presence of chronic illness. Associations were examined using chi-square and nonparametric tests and logistic regression. Among 197 women (mean age 65.2 years), the most frequently reported health-care-system challenges were difficulty obtaining appointments and limited time with physicians. More than half of the participants wanted to use TM, and most believed it could improve quality of life. The most frequently requested topics were medication-related information overall, and fracture prevention and risk factors for older ones (p = 0.040; odds ratio [OR] = 2.30). Older adults reported more barriers (limited internet/device access (p < 0.001; OR = 3.96) and difficulty using devices (p = 0.003; OR = 2.61)), and they were less ready/confident to engage in TM services (p < 0.001). A high TNS was more common among older adults (p < 0.001; OR = 2.91). In multivariable analysis, age ≥ 65 years (OR = 2.79) and unmarried status (OR = 1.86) were independently associated with higher odds of high TM need. TM may address key gaps in osteoporosis care by supporting medication-related counseling and fracture-prevention education; however, age-related digital barriers may limit uptake. Osteoporosis-oriented TM programs should prioritize usability support and targeted education, particularly for adults aged ≥65 years.

Telehealth has emerged as an alternative health care delivery in primary clinical settings. We have investigated the comparative effectiveness of telehealth and in-person primary care for the individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and obesity. This study utilized the administrative database of the accountable care organization and the Nevada Medicaid program between January 1 and December 31, 2021. A total of 73 individuals with obese ID were chosen. Subsequently, a computer-assisted demographics (age, gender, race) and type of ID paired matching process was carried out for the in-person primary care visits of obese ID individuals (n = 146). The outcome measurements were (1) behavioral counseling for obesity, (2) number of hospitalizations, and (3) transitional care management (TCM) after hospital discharge between telehealth and in-person visit groups. Telehealth visit (21.9%, 16/73) was more likely to have obesity counseling than in-person visit (9.6%, 14/146; χ2 = 6.25, p = 0.01). There was no difference in the number of hospitalizations between telehealth visit and in-person visit groups (mean ± standard deviation, 0.53 ± 0.94 vs. 0.57 ± 0.95; t = -0.30, p = 0.76). Telehealth visit (45.5%, 10/22) was more likely to have TCM after hospital discharge than in-person visit (17.4%, 8/46; χ2 = 6.28, p = 0.01). Findings suggest that telehealth primary care for individuals with obese adults with ID was associated with increasing odds of obesity counseling and timely communication after hospital discharge. The association between increased access to TCM and telehealth might generate more clinical revenues that can motivate providers to assure the care sustainability to these individuals. Both IDD and telehealth workforce training curriculum development and implementation are warranted for primary care providers who are not familiar with both IDD care and telehealth.

Although the recent proliferation of telemental health care has transformed delivery of outpatient mental health care for many patients, little is known about population-level access to telehealth, hybrid, and in-person outpatient mental health care in the US. The objective of this report is to characterize patterns of all telehealth, hybrid, and all in-person outpatient mental health care by US adults. An analysis is presented of 2021-2022 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (n=39,561) focusing on annual percentages of adults receiving all telehealth, hybrid, and all in-person outpatient mental health care. Results are presented overall and stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. Differences are reported in average marginal estimates from logistic regressions for each sociodemographic characteristic controlling for age group, sex, and psychological distress (Kessler-6). Approximately 12.0% of adults annually received outpatient mental health care, including 3.3% all telemental health care, 2.6% hybrid, and 6.1% all in-person mental health care. After controlling for age, sex, and distress, unemployed adults 65 years of age or younger were less likely than employed adults to receive all mental health care (-1.0 percentage points, 95% CI: -1.6 to -0.4), and uninsured individuals were less likely than those with private insurance (-2.8 percentage points, 95% CI: -3.6 to -1.9). By contrast, college graduates were 3.2 percentage points (95% CI: 2.3-4.0) more likely than those with less than a high school diploma, higher-income individuals were 1.6 percentage points (95% CI: 0.8-2.30) more likely than those below the poverty level, and urban residents were 1.9 percentage points (95% CI: 1.1-2.7) more likely than rural residents to receive all telemental health care. These national patterns highlight differences in US telemental health care access across employment, education, income, insurance, and geographic groups.

The aim of this paper is to synthesize the available evidence on the prevalence of heart disease and associated outcomes, risk factors, and healthcare disparities between rural and metropolitan populations in Australia. The review utilises 5 original studies with 74385 total participants (topic deduplicated ΣN). Across the mapped evidence, rural and regional Australians show a consistent signal of higher cardiovascular burden and worse outcomes than metropolitan populations, with modelling suggesting that about 1461 CVD deaths per year could be delayed if rural risk-factor profiles matched metropolitan levels. Outcome disparities were also evident in linked administrative data for heart failure, where rural residence was associated with higher 30-day mortality (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.48) and higher 1-year mortality (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.27). Mechanistically relevant correlates were highlighted by distinct rural dietary patterns and strong associations between a dietary pattern and ischaemic heart disease risk (OR 13.90, 95% CI 2.29 to 84.3), alongside practice-focused signals emphasizing access gaps and the potential role of telehealth and regional cardiac care models for acute presentations. Taken together, the evidence map indicates that addressing modifiable risk factors and improving timely access to specialist cardiac assessment are practical levers to reduce rural–metropolitan inequities, while acknowledging that heterogeneity in definitions and limited study breadth temper certainty. Future research should prioritize standardized rurality classifications and prospective evaluations of regionally tailored prevention and care-delivery models (including telehealth) to determine which interventions most effectively narrow outcome gaps.

Therapeutic hypothermia within 6hours of birth is critical for newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) but is often delayed by transfers to appropriate facilities. Telemedicine (TM) based hypothermia evaluation could expedite these assessments. There is limited evidence on the efficacy of TM compared with the in-person (IP) Sarnat examination. In this study, we aim to compare the TM with the IP examination in infants with suspected HIE. Newborns were enrolled from March 2022 to December 2023. All infants underwent IP and TM assessments using the modified Sarnat examination within 6hours after birth. Data included neurologic examination scores for both IP and TM, decisions for hypothermia qualification, and TM technology metrics. Cohen's kappa statistic (κ) was used to measure the interrater agreement between IP and TM examination findings. 170 Sarnat assessments (IP and TM) were performed on 85 enrolled infants. The results show almost perfect agreement between IP and TM regarding signs of moderate or severe HIE (κ = 0.82) and the decision for hypothermia intervention (κ = 0.82). We report fair to moderate agreement (κ = 0.33-0.58) for individual categories of the neurologic examination. 93% of TM examinations were completed within 15minutes, and 79% of the TM encounters had no technology issues. This study compares IP and TM assessments in infants requiring hypothermia evaluation. Findings show that TM is feasible and not significantly different from IP for making hypothermia decisions in suspected HIE. This could enhance remote Sarnat evaluations and initiate earlier therapeutic interventions.

Leveraging telehealth and collaborative care models to improve rural cancer survivorship

71. Pass the Phone vs. Put down the Phone: Adolescent engagement and shared decision-making in telehealth vs. in-person primary care visits

Telehealth services for contraception expanded significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but continued coverage for these services is uncertain. This study assessed providers' recent experiences delivering contraceptive care via telehealth to improve these services. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with healthcare practitioners in the U.S. providing contraceptive services (N = 41) from August 2022 to August 2024 to investigate telehealth practices for contraceptive care. We used thematic analysis to code the data and identify barriers and facilitators of telehealth use by providers. We identified themes using a modified Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to assess factors that affected provision of telehealth contraceptive care. We identified and mapped three main themes across CFIR domains: the incompatibility of telehealth with clinic systems and need for additional clinic support; varying preferences for in-person versus telehealth care; and the mixed impact of telehealth on patient privacy, agency, and rapport. Overall, participants enthusiastically discussed telehealth benefits for contraceptive care delivery. Some, however, limited their use of telehealth due to clinic requirements for Pap tests or onsite blood pressure readings for hormonal contraceptives. Many participants noted that judgment is needed to ensure privacy and caution in situations such as intimate partner violence and with certain patients such as adolescents. Results reflected the enduring benefits of telehealth for contraceptive care. The reported barriers highlight changes needed to efficiently expand the scope of telehealth services. Our findings point to the importance of prioritizing and investing in telehealth services to reach patients who otherwise face challenges completing in-person care. Additionally, these findings may inform ongoing policy debates about continued coverage for this innovative method of service delivery.

Coverage for telehealth services was expanded during the COVID-19 public health emergency for traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries. It is unclear how increased provision of telehealth services is associated with primary care service volume, healthcare spending, or patient outcomes. To examine the impact of a practice's level of primary care telehealth delivery on healthcare utilization, spending, and patient outcomes. Using a difference-in-differences design, this retrospective cohort study compared changes in outcomes from the pre-pandemic period (1/1/2019-12/31/2019) to the post-telehealth expansion period (7/1/2020-12/31/2022) between TM beneficiaries attributed to primary care practices delivering the highest versus lowest quartile of telehealth evaluation and management (E&M) visits during the early-pandemic period (January-June 2020). A nationally representative 20% random sample of TM beneficiaries between 2019 and 2022. Outcomes included total and in-person E&M visits; total hospitalizations and ambulatory care-sensitive admissions (ASCAs); total and preventable emergency department (ED) visits; and inpatient, outpatient, and total healthcare spending. The study included 1,238,734 patients (60% attributed to high-telehealth practices). In adjusted analyses, high-telehealth practice attribution was associated with a decrease in in-person E&M visits (-0.86 visits per patient per year; 95% CI, -0.94 to -0.78), an increase in total E&M visits (0.10 visits per patient per year; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.18), and a modest increase in total ED visits (0.02 visits per patient per year; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.03) and preventable ED visits (0.01 visits per patient per year; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.02). There were no significant changes in total hospitalizations, ambulatory care-sensitive admissions, or healthcare spending. Greater telehealth delivery by primary care practices was associated with a decline in in-person E&M visits and a small net increase in total E&M visits. These changes were not associated with differences in hospitalizations or overall healthcare spending. Not applicable.

ABSTRACT As telehealth becomes increasingly central to cancer care, many patients still report low confidence navigating digital communication with providers. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study investigates how patient-centered communication (PCC) in clinical settings can foster patient activation, thereby enhancing patients’ efficacy in using telehealth tools. Using a sample of 495 Chinese cancer patients with telehealth experience, we conducted path analysis to examine how six PCC functions relate to four progressive stages of patient activation (role importance, confidence, action, and endurance), and how these, in turn, predict telehealth efficacy. PCC functions such as shared decision-making and support for self-management significantly predicted higher levels of patient activation. Activation stages, particularly role importance and action, were associated with stronger telehealth efficacy. PCC effects on efficacy were fully mediated by activation stages, suggesting an internalization pathway where clinical communication transforms into patients’ self-confidence and competence in telehealth contexts. By linking PCC to telehealth efficacy through motivation dynamics, this study advances both theoretical and practical understandings of telehealth care. To support confident use of telehealth among cancer patients, providers should adapt communication strategies that go beyond information delivery to build patients’ autonomy and competence, especially among vulnerable populations with low digital confidence.

The objective of this review is to explore the experiences of people with diabetes mellitus who utilized telehealth for diabetes management due to COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 intensified globally from January 2020, eliciting a multinational response to infection control for health preservation, including social distancing in public areas and health. The outcome had significant impact on the health care system, where persons with chronic diseases such as diabetes were required to transition a majority of their care to telehealth to align with social restrictions. To date, research has not addressed a synthesis or critical analysis in systematic reviews addressing the experiences of people with diabetes mellitus receiving care, and what effect this rapid shift to telehealth had compared to traditional in-person consultations. This review will include primary qualitative studies of any research design that examine the experiences of adult with diabetes transitioning from in-person consultations to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exclusions include quantitative studies, secondary, tertiary, and gray literature, and literature pre-COVID-19. This review was conducted according to JBI guidance on qualitative systematic reviews. A search of 12 databases was conducted. Studies from January 2020 onwards in any language were assessed for eligibility. This review included qualitative and mixed methods studies. Two independent reviewers screened studies and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies utilizing the JBI Qualitative Critical Appraisal Tool. The included studies were synthesized utilizing JBI meta-aggregation, and the certainty of the findings were assessed with ConQual. The review considered 1491 title and abstracts and, ultimately, 9 studies were selected for inclusion. Three synthesized findings were identified: i) The provision of care and diabetes self-management capabilities utilizing telehealth was based on the awareness and acceptance of services, the perceived quality of communication and ability for patients to access safe and quality health assessments and care; ii) Telehealth was seen as logistically convenient, saving, effort, money and time through reduced travel for patients; and iii) Telehealth requires user-friendly infrastructure, which considers accessibility, connectivity, compatibility, and digital health literacy. The review validates the existing utilization of telehealth for diabetes care, further suggesting implementation of formalized telehealth as a hybrid model service for diabetes care delivery beyond the pandemic. PROSPERO CRD4202342466.

Abstract COVID-19 and the associated epidemics have rapidly spread globally. Due to the contagiousness of the disease, the effort to stop the spread proves abortive. As a result, physical appointments with healthcare practitioners become a challenge. To address this challenge, Telemedicine (TM) is widely employed to provide healthcare services to infected individuals. Thus, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive literature review of TM applications based on machine learning (ML) for managing individuals infected with COVID-19 and related epidemics. The SLR methodology of this research considered published papers between 2015 and 2022. Out of 733 papers that were initially retrieved from six bibliographic databases, 24 primary studies were selected after passing the election criteria and quality assessment test. Analysis was carried out on the selected papers by answering six research questions related to the research topic. However, the findings from the SLR reveals that remote monitoring of patients during the pandemic outbreak is made easy through the application of TM and ML technique. The study also reveals different types of pandemic outbreaks, health data used by telemedicine programs, different types of ML, performance measures, and functionality of TM. Open research challenges and future research directions are also provided in this research domain. Therefore, this SLR can help researchers in future research and medical practitioners with ML-based TM applications in subsequence epidemic outbreaks.

To assess clinicians' travel burden in home-based palliative care (PC), identify factors improving the telemedicine (TM) applicability and assess its perceived feasibility. This prospective, multicentre, real-world study analysed outpatient visits with oncological patients. It assessed travel and time burden, patient and visit characteristics, perception of both patients and clinicians regarding TM. Statistical analyses were performed to describe the data and evaluate associations between variables. Based on 311 recorded visits in July 2025, travel time reaching patients' home was 7071 min, visit time was 14 177 min, distance travelled was 4411.85 km. The agreement between clinicians and patients on TM feasibility had a concordance rate of 76.20% (κ=0.55). In these cases, the potential savings were 1493 min on travel time, 2353 min of visit time and 984.6 km in distance. First-time and unscheduled visits were significantly longer than follow-up (p<0.001). Visit time was also significantly longer with uncontrolled symptoms (p=0.0419), higher median PERSONS score or significant therapeutic changes (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that expected clinical complexity, type of visit, presence of significant symptoms and target symptom (only for clinicians) were the strongest predictors of TM practicability. TM could reduce travel burden, but it is feasible in selected cases. Future efforts should focus on identifying patient subgroups for whom TM could safely and effectively replace in-person home visits. Stratifying patients may help optimise resource allocation and guide personalised care models in home-based PC.

BackgroundReliance on telehealth increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, introducing new opportunities to consider the use of telehealth across the cancer control continuum. However, patient, clinician, and staff perspectives about the types of cancer care appointments that are considered appropriate and the clinical care needs to support expanded remote care services are limited. Understanding older adults’ diverse technology needs and perspectives is especially important given that they comprise a large and growing proportion of patients with cancer.ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the perceptions and experiences of older patients with cancer and their clinical care team members regarding the expansion of telehealth use across the cancer control continuum and to solicit suggestions about how to support telehealth use for cancer care delivery.MethodsUsing a convergent mixed methods design, we surveyed and interviewed patients aged ≥60 years, clinicians, and staff at a comprehensive cancer center in the southern United States between December 2020 and November 2021. Interview questions were rooted in the sociotechnical model, which proposes 8 interrelated dimensions representing factors influencing the design, use, and outcomes associated with health information technologies. Patient survey domains included telehealth experience and satisfaction and factors affecting telehealth perceptions and use; clinician survey domains included contexts of telehealth appropriateness, training, and barriers and facilitators to telehealth service provision. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed using a combined deductive and inductive approach.ResultsWe received completed surveys from 128 patients (567 invited) and 106 clinicians and staff (146 invited). We completed 14 patient (29 invited) and 20 clinician and staff (22 invited) interviews. Across all participants, most agreed or strongly agreed that multiple cancer care appointment types should be offered via telehealth, including discussing treatment side effects (75/102, 73.5% of patients and 66/94, 70.2% of clinicians and staff), results communication (71/102, 69.6% of patients and 65/94, 69.1% of clinicians and staff), and treatment follow-up (67/102, 65.7% of patients and 52/93, 55.9% of clinicians and staff). In interviews, participants elaborated on factors influencing the appropriateness of telehealth versus in-person appointments, including symptom severity, type of cancer, and purpose of the appointment. Many patient and staff suggestions focused on ways to address digital literacy gaps, while clinicians recommended improving clinic workflows, infrastructure, and training.ConclusionsOverall, clinicians, staff, and older patients with cancer all responded positively toward expanding telehealth use across multiple cancer and appointment types across the cancer control continuum. Older adults with cancer are generally interested in telehealth for cancer care, especially if strategies to address digital literacy gaps are incorporated. Clinicians and staff members expressed specialized training and infrastructure needs to optimize telehealth uptake and service delivery.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the integration of telehealth into routine health care, especially within Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Few studies have compared patient experiences and/or comments about telehealth versus in-person visits. We compared patient comments about primary care telehealth versus in-person visits. We examined 3,795 comments from patient experience surveys (1,457 telehealth and 2,338 in-person) collected electronically between April 2023 and March 2024 by a large Southern California FQHC. We coded comment valence, content, and actionability. Patient comments about telehealth visits were shorter (mean = 13 words) than comments about in-person visits (mean = 30 words) and more positive (85% versus 81%, respectively). Comments about telehealth visits were also less likely to mention specific provider or staff behaviors, resulting in fewer actionable comments: 7% of comments about telehealth and 12% about in-person visits were deemed actionable. Most comments about telehealth and in-person visits focused on overall visit experience, rather than specific aspects of care. References to care setting and staff roles were minimal, particularly in telehealth comments. While telehealth visits are generally well-received, patient comments about telehealth provide less detail and contain less actionable information compared to comments about in-person visits. The proportion of actionable comments was considerably lower than prior studies (∼30%). This may pose challenges to using comments to improve telehealth. Understanding differences in how patients respond to the same open-ended patient experience survey question about their telehealth versus in-person visit is critical for optimizing telehealth care delivery and addressing patient needs in under-resourced settings.

Variation in Telehealth Reimbursement After Hospital Discharge: Evidence Across Payers, Providers, and Market Characteristics.

Abstract Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic relapsing condition with significant morbidity. Canada has one of the highest global prevalence rates, projected to reach 1.1% by 2035. The post-discharge period is a vulnerable transition for IBD patients, who face challenges with medication, diet, and psychological distress (IBD-PD). Poorly coordinated care can lead to readmissions and mental health decline. Community-based supports such as structured follow-up, telehealth, and access to nutrition or mental health services may improve outcomes, but their effectiveness has not been systematically reviewed. Aims To evaluate the effectiveness of community-based post-discharge interventions for adults with IBD in reducing readmissions, improving disease control, and enhancing quality of life and psychological well-being. Methods This review followed PRISMA guidelines. We included studies of adults (≥18 years) discharged after an IBD-related hospitalization who received community-based post-discharge supports, including structured follow-up, telehealth, dietitian, mental health, or peer support. Usual care without structured follow-up served as the comparator. Outcomes were readmission, disease control, quality of life, and IBD-PD. Eligible designs were randomized, cohort, and qualitative studies in English. Five databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL) were searched. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted data, and assessed bias using Covidence and ROB-2. Certainty of evidence was rated with GRADE, and findings summarized narratively due to heterogeneity. Results Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria, including randomized, cohort, and mixed-method designs. Interventions involved structured outpatient programs, telehealth follow-up, and multidisciplinary care with dietitian or psychological support. Follow-up ranged from 30 days to 12 months. Compared with usual care, structured post-discharge programs were linked to lower readmission rates and improved disease control. Most also showed better quality of life and satisfaction, particularly with telemonitoring and multidisciplinary models. Qualitative data highlighted improved confidence, continuity of care, and reduced anxiety. Risk of bias was moderate, mainly due to small samples and lack of blinding. Certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate. Conclusions Community-based post-discharge interventions for IBD may reduce readmissions and improve patient-reported outcomes. Structured follow-up, especially telehealth and multidisciplinary care, strengthens continuity of care during this transition. Evidence remains limited by heterogeneity and moderate bias, underscoring the need for larger, high-quality trials with standardized outcomes. Funding Agencies None

Telehealth can facilitate continuity of behavioral health treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Use of telehealth significantly changed during COVID-19, but it is unknown how implementation differed across payors nationally. Adults with OUD and a behavioral health treatment claim for OUD between January 2019 and February 2020, separated by commercial (N = 23,048), Medicaid (N = 87,303), or Veterans Health Administration (N = 84,597), were included. We performed descriptive analysis using longitudinal claims and electronic health record data from 2019 to 2021 and logistic regressions to evaluate associations between patient characteristics and utilization of telehealth visits in the pandemic period. Prior to the pandemic, 0.26%, 1.16%, and 2.67% of adults covered by commercial, Medicaid, or Veterans Health Administration had a telebehavioral health visit each month, respectively. Between April 2020 and March 2021, these averages increased to 12.7%, 18.8%, and 15.8%, respectively. Rates of in-person treatment dropped at pandemic onset but remained the primary modality. Age, sex, health plan type, co-occurring conditions, and comorbidity were all associated with telehealth use, and these variables differed between payors. Although in-person care for OUD decreased dramatically postpandemic onset, it remained the primary modality for adults with OUD. Despite swift increases in the rate of telehealth care, it was not widely adopted for OUD treatment and uptake differed significantly across payors and patient demographics (e.g., older individuals and veterans). Telehealth was used less for medication management overall, despite regulatory exceptions expanding on this option, also with notable differences across payors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).