Visit Type Research Articles

Persistence of Unequal Access to Classical Hematology Telemedicine Visits by Race and Other Demographics During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Unequal access to telemedicine services exacerbates health inequities and was evident at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to explore whether unequal access persisted within a classical hematology division beyond the peak of COVID-19. Methods: Patient demographics by virtual visit type (telephone only [TO] or video only [VO]) between March 2020 and December 2021 were analyzed using adjusted odds ratio (aOR). Results: Of 8,207 patients, 18.4% had TO and 28.4% had VO visits. Fewer Black (21.8%; aOR 0.5 [0.4-0.62]), Hispanic or Latino (18.8%; 0.45 [0.34-0.59]), Spanish-speaking (7.6%; 0.32 [0.19-0.54]), high school (21.2%; 0.64 [0.52-0.78]), and older (24.2%) patients used VO compared with White (30.6%), English-speaking (29.5%), college (31%), postgraduate (34.9%), and younger (35.4%) patients. Conclusions: Groups that historically experience health inequities had fewer VO visits during and beyond the pandemic peak. Thus, there is a need to continue digital inclusion efforts to promote video access equity.

Trajectories of medical service use among girls and boys with and without early-onset conduct problems.

Children with conduct problems (CP) have been found to be heavy and costly medical service users in adulthood. However, there is little knowledge on how medical service use develops during childhood and adolescence among youth with and without childhood CP. Knowing whether differences in developmental trajectories of medical service use for specific types of problems (e.g., injuries) are predicted by childhood CP would help clinicians identify developmental periods during which they might intensify interventions for young people with CP in order to prevent later problems and associated increased service use. Participants were drawn from an ongoing longitudinal study of boys and girls with and without childhood CP as rated by parents and teachers. Medical service use was assessed using administrative data from a public single payer health plan. Latent growth modeling was used to estimate the mean trajectory of four types of medical visits (psychiatric, injury-related, preventative, total visits) across time and evaluate the effect of CP and other covariates. Support the hypothesis that early CP predicts higher medical service use at nine years old, and that this difference persists in a chronic manner over time, even when controlling the effects of ADHD and family income. Girls had fewer medical visits for psychiatric reasons than boys at baseline, but this difference diminished over time. Clinicians should be aware that childhood CP already predicts increased medical service use in elementary school. Issues specific to different contexts in which injuries might occur and sex differences are discussed.

Trends in Pediatric Primary Care Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the volume and nature of pediatric primary care visits nationwide. Objective: This study aimed to identify trends in pediatric visits during COVID-19 at our institution to reveal challenges and opportunities to improve care. Study Design: Retrospective chart review of all pediatric visits from January 1, 2019 through September 30, 2021 using the electronic health record (EHR). Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Setting or Dataset: Single family medicine clinic within a large academic medical center in Northern California. Data collected for each pediatric primary care visit included age, sex, type of visit (preventive or problem-focused), reason for visit (if problem-focused), and mode of visit (in-person or video). Population Studied: Pediatric patients (<18 years old). Intervention/Instrument: N/A Outcome Measures: Volume and nature of pediatric primary care visits. Results: A total of 4,846 pediatric visits occurred during the study period. Visit volume dropped 9% from 2019- 2020, mostly during April-May 2020, and recovered afterward to pre-pandemic baseline through 2021. There were no significant changes to age, sex, or type of visit during the study period with one exception: the proportion of problem-focused visits increased 23% (p=0.004) from 2019-2021 in adolescents aged 12-<18, driven largely by a 107% increase (p<0.001) in the proportion of behavioral health visits (14% in 2019, 18% in 2020, and 29% in 2021). Video visits accounted for 4% of all visits in 2019, 39% in 2020, and 35% in 2021. Video visit volume decreased from 2020-2021 in all age categories except for adolescents aged 12-<18, which remained stable at 43% of all visits. Conclusions: A sharp increase in behavioral health concerns among adolescents stands out as the most notable impact of COVID-19 on pediatric care at our institution. Our findings raise questions about how behavioral health care can be optimized for children and adolescents now and in the post-pandemic era.

Assessing Differences in Social Determinants of Health Screening Rates in a Large, Urban Safety-Net Health System.

Previous studies have evaluated the implementation of standardized social determinants of health (SDOH) screening within healthcare settings, however, less is known about where screening gaps may exist following initial implementation based on facility characteristics. The objective of this study is to assess differences in screening rates for SDOH at a large, urban healthcare system. We used electronic health record data obtained from NYC Health + Hospitals primary care sites from 2019 to 2022. We calculated the mean number of visits that were SDOH screened by visit type, facility size, and the percentages of community characteristics. We conducted 4 logistic regression models predicting the odds of screening for any SDOH and for specific SDOH needs (housing, food, and medical cost assistance) based on facility type, facility size, and the socioeconomic characteristics of the surrounding community. Among the 3 212 650 visits included, 16.90% were SDOH screened. Across all 4 multivariate logistic regression models predicting SDOH screening, a visit had significantly lower odds of being screened if based at a midsize or small facility, if it was a telemedicine visit, or based at a facility located in a zip-code with a higher percentage of SDOH needs. Our study found important differences in SDOH screening rates at a large, NYC-based health system based on size, visit type, and community level characteristics. In particular, our findings point to barriers related to facility size and telemedicine workflow that should be addressed to increase uptake of SDOH screening within different visits and facility types.

Racial and Socioeconomic Characteristics Associated with the use of Telehealth Services Among Adults With Ambulatory Sensitive Conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a major transition for patients from routine ambulatory-care-based in-person primary care visits to telehealth visits to manage chronic diseases. However, it remains unclear the extent to which individuals access telehealth services and whether such utilization varies along neighborhood characteristics, especially among racial minorities. This study aims to examine the association of outpatient telehealth utilization with sociodemographic, clinical, and neighborhood characteristics among adults with ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We included adults treated for an ACSC between March 5, 2020, and December 31, 2020, at a single ambulatory-care-based healthcare system, which serves a large population of low-income patients in the South region of the United States (i.e., Memphis, TN, Metropolitan Statistical Area). Telehealth utilization was defined by outpatient procedural codes and providers' notes on the type of visits. Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the association of sociodemographic, clinical, and neighborhood factors with telehealth utilization in the overall cohort and the racial subpopulations. Among the 13,962 adults with ACSCs, 8583 (62.5%) used outpatient telehealth services. Patients who were older, female, with mental disorders, and who had more comorbidities had higher rates of telehealth services (p < .05). Controlling for covariates, we observed 75.2% and 23.1% increased use of telehealth services among Hispanics and other race groups, respectively, compared to Whites. Patients who commuted more than 30 minutes to health facilities were slightly less likely to use telehealth services [OR: 0.994 (0.991,0.998)]. Racial minorities (Blacks and Hispanics) with mental disorders were more likely to use telehealth service when compared to Whites. We found that among patients being treated for ACSCs, the use of telehealth services was highly prevalent in Hispanic patients in general and were more pronounced among both Hispanics and Black patients who have mental disorders.

Impact of Socio-demographic Characteristics on Time in Outpatient Cardiology Clinics: A Retrospective Analysis.

Inequitable access to health services influences health outcomes. Some studies have found patients of lower socio-economic status (SES) wait longer for surgery, but little data exist on access to outpatient services. This study analyzed patient-level data from outpatient public cardiology clinics and assessed whether low SES patients spend longer accessing ambulatory services. Retrospective analysis of cardiology clinic encounters across 3 public hospitals between 2014 and 2019 was undertaken. Data were linked to age, gender, Indigenous status, country of birth, language spoken at home, number of comorbidities, and postcode. A cox proportional hazards model was applied adjusting for visit type (new/follow up), clinic, and referral source. Higher hazard ratio (HR) indicates shorter clinic time. Overall, 22 367 patients were included (mean [SD] age 61.4 [15.2], 14 925 (66.7%) male). Only 7823 (35.0%) were born in Australia and 8452 (37.8%) were in the lowest SES quintile. Median total clinic time was 84 min (IQR 58-130). Visit type, clinic, and referral source were associated with clinic time (R2 = 0.23, 0.35, 0.20). After adjusting for these variables, older patients spent longer in clinic (HR 0.94 [0.90-0.97]), though there was no difference according to SES (HR 1.02 [0.99-1.06]) or other variables of interest. Time spent attending an outpatient clinic is substantial, amplifying an already significant time burden faced by patients with chronic health conditions. SES was not associated with longer clinic time in our analysis. Time spent in clinics could be used more productively to optimize care, improve health outcomes and patient experience.

Twelve months antiretroviral therapy retention among clients newly enrolled to care and treatment services in Geita Regin, Tanzania: does universal test and treat matter?

sustaining high rates of retention is critical for management of HIV clients, newly initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART). In low resource settings including Tanzania, retention among clients on ART was challenging due to inaccessible infrastructure, gender-based violence, inadequate skilled staff and socio-economic disparities. Low retention leads to increased morbidity and mortality. Tanzania adopted universal test and treat (UTT) strategy in mid of 2016 as recommended by Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAID) that set goals for HIV epidemic control globally. Studies demonstrated controversial findings on whether UTT strategy improves retention, until now there is limited information on the effect of UTT on retaining HIV patients in our settings. a retrospective cohort study was conducted between July 2014 to June 2015 and July 2017 to June 2018 to determine 12 months ART retention among clients newly initiated ART prior and during universal test and treat (UTT) strategy in Geita Region, Tanzania. A total of 13,649 newly clients-initiated ART were extracted from the National AIDS control care and treatment database (CTC2 database). Among these clients 4,624 initiated ART prior the UTT strategy and clients 9,025 start ART after the rollout of UTT strategy. Chi-square test was deployed to determine the significant difference of proportion within categories for each UTT group. Kaplan-Meier curve and long rank test were used to determine significant differences of retention rate prior and during UTT program. Cox regression models were used to estimate the association between exposure variables and ART retention with 95% confidence intervals and p-value of p<0.05. the overall mean age at ART initiation was 38 years (SD=11.6) with observed significant mean difference between two cohorts (prior UTT, mean=41, SD=11.7 Vs during UTT, mean=37, SD=11.3). The cumulative retention was 83.1% among newly initiated ART clients in both cohorts with significant difference observed between two cohorts (69.7% for prior UTT and 89.9% during UTT, p-value<0.001). The overall person year of follow up was 127,209.3 with an incidence rate of ART retention of 86 per 1000 person-year. It was significantly higher among clients enrolled during UTT strategy than clients enrolled prior UTT strategy (95.1 per 1000 PY Vs 69.6 per 1000 PY, p-value<0.001). The log rank test and Kaplan-Meier survival curve demonstrated clients enrolled in the UTT program had greater probability of retention than clients enrolled prior UTT treatment program (log rank X2 test = 599.2, p value < 0.001). Newly HIV clients who initiated ART after the rollout of UTT strategy had 27% higher likelihood to be retained in care and treatment as compared to clients who were enrolled prior UTT strategy, (HR=1.27; 95% CI [1.21 -1.33], p value < 0.001). Sex, District councils, World health Organisation (WHO) stage and client's visit type were significant factors associated with retention among clients newly initiated to care for both arms. this results, showed that probability of ART retention increased after the rollout of UTT strategy. There is a need to promote universal test and treat strategy in line with other intervention to control HIV epidemic in Geita, Tanzania.

Associations Between Physical Activity Vital Sign in Patients and Health Care Utilization in a Health Care System, 2018-2020.

Physical inactivity is a risk factor for many chronic conditions. This retrospective cohort study examined associations between physical activity (PA) with health care utilization (HU). A PA vital sign was recorded in clinicsfrom January 2018 to December 2020. Patients were categorized as inactive, insufficiently active, or sufficiently active by US PA aerobic guidelines. Associations between PA vital sign and visits (inpatient admissions, emergency department, urgent care, and primary care) were estimated using population average regression by visit type. 23,721 patients had at least one PA vital sign recorded, with a mean age of 47.3 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 28; 52% were female and 63% were White. Sufficiently active patients were younger, male, White, and had lower BMI than insufficiently active patients. Achieving 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous PA per 1000 patient years was associated with 34 fewer emergency department visits (P < .001), 19 fewer inpatient admissions (P < .001), and 38 fewer primary care visits (P < .001) compared with inactive patients. Stronger associations betweenlower PA and higher HU were present among those who were older or had a higher comorbidity. BMI, sex, ethnicity, and race did not modify the association between PA and HU. Meeting aerobic guidelines was associated with reduced HU for inpatient, primary care, and emergency department visits.

Trends in Timing and Provision of Pediatric Cochlear Implant Care During COVID-19.

To identify trends in timing of pediatric cochlear implant (CI) care during COVID-19. Retrospective cohort. Tertiary care center. Patients under 18 years of age who underwent CI between 1/1/2016 and 2/29/2020 were included in the pre-COVID-19 group, and patients implanted between 3/1/2020 and 12/31/2021 comprised the COVID-19 group. Revision and sequential surgeries were excluded. Time intervals between care milestones including severe-to-profound hearing loss diagnosis, initial CI candidacy evaluation, and surgery were compared among groups, as were the number and type of postoperative visits. A total of 98 patients met criteria; 70 were implanted pre-COVID-19 and 28 during COVID-19. A significant increase in the interval between CI candidacy evaluation and surgery was seen among patients with prelingual deafness during COVID-19 compared with pre-COVID-19 (µ = 47.3 weeks, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 34.8-59.9 vs µ = 20.5 weeks, 95% CI: 13.1-27.9; p < .001). Patients in the COVID-19 group attended fewer in-person rehabilitation visits in the 12 months after surgery (µ = 14.9 visits, 95% CI: 9.7-20.1 vs µ = 20.9, 95% CI: 18.1-23.7; p = .04). Average age at implantation in the COVID-19 group was 5.7 years (95% CI: 4.0-7.5) versus 3.7 years in the pre-COVID-19 group (95% CI: 2.9-4.6; p = .05). The time interval between hearing loss confirmation and CI surgery was on average 99.7 weeks for patients implanted during COVID-19 (95% CI: 48.8-150) versus 54.2 weeks for patients implanted pre-COVID (95% CI: 39.6-68.8), which was not a statistically significant difference (p = .1). During the COVID-19 pandemic patients with prelingual deafness experienced delays in care relative to patients implanted before the pandemic.

The Covid-19 Pandemic Accelerates Changes in Delivery of Primary Health Care Started in 2019: Face-To-Face, Telehealth and Physician Workload after 12 Months

Objective: To assess the changes in Catalan General Practitioners practices a year after the outbreak of the pandemic by analysing the schedule and the types and complexity of consultations. Methods: This is a multicentre descriptive study with General Practitioners from 27 primary care centres in the province of Barcelona, serving a population area of ​​more than 400,000 inhabitants. The physicians volunteered to take part in the study. For the study, records of clinical activity were analysed prospectively and in real time, to compare the type of visit, reasons for consultation, adequacy and complexity of the consultation during a week of May 2019 versus a week of May 2021. Results: During 2019 and 2021, a total of 88 General Practitioners participated in the study, collecting information of a total of 579 working days. We found statistically significant differences (p&lt;0.001) in the number of face-to-face consultations (from 67.6% to 27.6%), phone consultations (from 8.31% to 35.4%) and remote consultation (from 0 to 11.3%), in 2019 and 2021, respectively. Clinical complexity, number of visits per day and number of reasons for consultation did not change significantly. The adequacy of the reasons for consultation decreased from 88.1% in 2019 to 83.8% in 2021 (p&lt;0.001). Time to check medical tests, for reports and referrals increased significantly. The delay at 2 hours from the start of the consultation did not vary, but toward the end of the shift there was a significant increase of more than 6 minutes. Whereas fatigue at the beginning of the shift was higher in 2021 than in 2019, fatigue at the end of the day did not vary. Conclusions: In May 2021 doctors start the shift already tired, face-to-face visits decreased by more than half, phone consultations increased and the remote consultation was established in primary care services in Catalonia. The number of visits increased slightly, whereas the number of reasons for consultation and their adequacy did not substantially change. Clinical work without a patient and the delay at the end of the shift increased. A break of ten minutes per day was maintained. Further studies are needed to verify if this new pattern persists over time.

Stop the Divide: Facilitators and Barriers to Uptake of Digital Health Interventions Among Socially Disadvantaged Populations

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic ushered in rapid adoption of telehealth services. This study examines patient and provider experience and provides recommendations for facilitating the use of digital health interventions among socially disadvantaged populations. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from May to July 2021 via semistructured interviews. Forty patients and 30 primary care providers (PCPs) in Louisiana were recruited within an integrated delivery health system and a rural health center. Technology acceptance models were used to develop a thematic coding scheme. Results: Most patients self-identified as Black (67.5%) and female (72.5%), had a mean age of 51 years, lived in an urban area (76.9%), and had Medicaid (57.9%). Most PCPs were White (79.3%) and male (51.7%), had a mean age of 39 years, and reported Medicaid as the predominant insurer (58.6%). Patient use of smartphones for internet access to health and nonhealth activities was common. PCPs noted the need to address misinformation or misinterpretation of information on the internet. Most patients had used a patient portal (72.5%) and noted the convenience of messaging. PCPs reported large increases in messaging workloads. Most patients had had telemedicine visits (65.6%); however, Wi-Fi/broadband problems limited video visits. PCPs expressed concerns regarding the types of chief complaints that are appropriate for telemedicine visits and reported workflow inefficiencies when clinic sessions had mixed visit types. Patients and PCPs valued remote telemonitoring as adjuncts to care; however, limited service availability and insurance coverage were barriers. Conclusion: Infrastructure barriers (broadband, insurance) and workload imbalance temper enthusiasm for using digital health solutions. Health systems should implement complementary patient and provider user-centric strategies for facilitating uptake of technology.

Exploring Patient Perspectives Surrounding Telemedicine Versus In-Person Preoperative Visits.

Telemedicine was increasingly used to provide patients with an alternative to in-office visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. While previous studies have described the role of telemedicine for preoperative visits for other surgical specialties, the role of this modality in preoperative visits for gynecologic surgery has not been thoroughly explored. The aims of the study are to explore and compare patient experience, decision making, and satisfaction among women undergoing telemedicine or in-person preoperative visits. This was a qualitative study of women who underwent a preoperative appointment with a urogynecologic surgeon or minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon at a single academic institution from April to May of 2021. Data were collected using semistructured phone interviews, which focused on visit content, visit type decision making, surgical preparedness/confidence, and past surgical experiences. Interviews were thematically analyzed until theoretical saturation was achieved in accordance with grounded theory. Theoretical saturation occurred with 20 interviews. Participants were evenly divided between in-person and telemedicine visits. Major themes included visit content, experience/quality, surgeon perception, and surgical preparedness. Advantages of telemedicine visits were convenience and safety. Advantages of in-person visits were social factors, perceived medical or surgical severity, and preoperative physical examination. Disadvantages for telemedicine visits included technology concerns and difficulty accessing preoperative materials. The disadvantage of an in-person visit was the inability to have family present because of COVID hospital policy restrictions. Participants in both groups felt prepared for surgery and reported high satisfaction with their care. Decision making for selecting an in-person or telemedicine visit is complex and involves balancing multiple advantages and disadvantages. Participant experience was similar for both visit types with high satisfaction.

Understanding Hispanic Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth During COVID-19

BackgroundRecent studies have described the use of telehealth for pediatric surgical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate equity in telehealth use by comparing rates of utilization and satisfaction with pediatric surgical telemedicine among Hispanic patients. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients seen by a surgical subspecialty provider in the outpatient setting at a quaternary pediatric hospital between April 1 and June 30, 2020. Patients evaluated in the same three-month period in 2019 were analyzed as a historic control. Differences in Family Experience Survey (FES) responses based on race and ethnicity and preferred language of care were assessed using univariable and multivariable generalized linear modeling. ResultsThe pandemic cohort included fewer patients of Hispanic ethnicity and fewer Spanish-speakers. After controlling for visit type, comparison of Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients revealed that Spanish-speaking families had significantly lower scores for FES items that evaluated healthcare provider explaining (IRR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61–0.90), listening (IRR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63–0.92), and time spent with the family (IRR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60–0.89). There were no differences in FES responses based on insurance status or degree of medical complexity. ConclusionsTelehealth services were less commonly used among Hispanic and Spanish-speaking patients. Language may differentially affect family satisfaction with healthcare and telehealth solutions. Strategies to mitigate these inequities are needed and may include strengthening interpreter services and providing language-concordant care. Level of evidenceLevel IV.

Effect of Telerehabilitation Versus In-Clinic Rehabilitation Delivery on Self-Efficacy in Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema

Background: Individuals with breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL) require self-management strategies to reduce risk of infection, exacerbation, and/or progression of lymphedema. The coronavirus pandemic thrust the medical field into the world of telehealth; both patients and providers were forced to reduce in-person treatments and engage in this new platform of rehabilitation delivery. The role of telehealth in promotion of self-management for BCRL is unknown. Purpose: This study examines self-efficacy during cancer rehabilitation for in-clinic versus telehealth visits among individuals with BCRL during the pandemic quarantine April to November 2020. Methods: Forty women who recently completed oncology rehabilitation for BCRL were asked to complete demographics and 2 Likert surveys, including the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) and the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale (SCSE), to compare the efficacy of telehealth versus in-person treatment modalities. Results: Thirty-two participants completed the survey and indicated that the percentage of telehealth visits was less than face-to-face visits. Despite this, the participants indicated numerous positive moderately strong correlations between self-care self-efficacy and exercise self-efficacy for both types of visits (P &lt; .05). Limitations: Self-report surveys by a convenience sample, multifactorial characteristics of rehabilitation treatment across modes, and varying severity of lymphedema may limit study findings. Conclusion: Telehealth provided safe and effective care to participants and bolstered confidence in self-care and self-management of BCRL. Data support that telehealth visits can be considered an essential part of comprehensive cancer rehabilitation care. Future research is needed to establish and optimize practice guidelines in both health delivery systems.

Telehealth Care in a Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Clinic During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems have increased their telehealth services to meet the changing public health needs. Prior to the pandemic, telehealth was used primarily in surgical specialties for post-op visits and rural medicine. However, out of necessity, nearly all medical and surgical subspecialties incorporated this virtual technology to improve patient access in healthcare access limited time. Few studies have addressed telehealth in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (PAG) to date. To describe the large-scale utilization of telehealth visits and assess patient experience and improve access to care in a large academic ambulatory gynecology PAG clinic. This retrospective, cross-sectional quality improvement study was performed by administering patient surveys and compiling aggregate data from the EPIC electronic health record (EHR) in the Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (PAG) clinics at a single children's hospital between March 2020 and March 2021. Patient demographics, payer characteristics, visit type and purpose, and patient experience were reviewed. Wider expansion of telehealth in PAG clinics at a single institution RESULTS: : A total of 6,159 telehealth appointments were performed, involving 6 clinic sites and 9 providers. Telehealth visits comprised 50% of the total ambulatory volume (12,527). Most patients were located within the institution's state (99.5%), and the remaining called into their telehealth visits from a neighboring state. Most patients were 18 years of age or younger (73%). Video visits lasted 15-30 minutes and included routine follow-up (66.3%), new/consult (28.4%), post-op (1.6%), and urgent follow-up (0.2%). The patient population was ethnically diverse by self-identification: 61.4% White, 38.4% Hispanic, 16% Black, 4.4% Asian, 0.40% Native Hawaiian/American Indian/Alaska Native. Payor mix included self-pay (45.5%), private payer (32.2%), and Medicaid/CHIP (22.3%). Conditions seen ranged from menstrual management (71%) and routine preventative or acute gynecologic concerns (21%) to surgical evaluation for congenital anomalies, endometriosis, fertility preservation, genital concerns or pelvic masses (8%). Telehealth visits met patient expectations in 87.3% of respondents. Patient-reported opportunities for improvement included: improving set-up instructions and more consistent audio/video connections. Challenges identified by providers included: difficulty utilizing interpreters, technology limitations, and privacy constraints during HEADSS examination. This study demonstrates how a large, diverse volume of patients with PAG needs received appropriate care through a telehealth format during the COVID pandemic. Patients were satisfied with the services, but opportunities for improvement were elicited to allow for continued refining of this healthcare delivery tool in the future.

Oral vitamin D supplemental therapy to attain a desired serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in essential healthcare teams

BackgroundThe study objectives were to ascertain the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in rapidly increasing serum vitamin D and of implementation of a hybrid (virtual and in-person) trial.MethodsIn a randomized triple-blind controlled trial, healthcare workers were allocated to receive an oral bolus of 100,000 IU with 10,000 IU/week of vitamin D3 or placebo. The co-primary outcomes were the change from baseline in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [(Δ) 25(OH)D] and proportion with vitamin D sufficiency (25(OH)D ≥ 75 nmol/L), at endpoint. Adherence to supplements and procedures as well as adverse event rates were documented.ResultsThirty-four (19 intervention, 15 control) subjects were randomized, with 28 (41%) virtual visits. After 44.78 ± 11.00 days from baseline, a significant adjusted group difference of 44.2 (34.7, 53.8) nmol/L was observed in the Δ 25(OH)D (95% CI) in favor of supplementation; 77.8% of intervention, and 13.3% of control, patients were vitamin D sufficient (OR:6.11, 95% CI:1.6, 22.9). The adherence to intervention was 94.7% in the intervention and 100% in the control groups. Irrespective of visit type, high adherence was observed in sampling procedures and completion of fortnightly online questionnaire. No adverse events attributable to vitamin D were reported.ConclusionThe vitamin D supplementation rapidly and safely raised 25(OH)D levels to sufficient levels for a biological effect. Similarly high adherence to study procedures was observed with virtual and in-person participation.Trial registrationThis trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov on July 23, 2020 (#NCT04483635).

1286. Telehealth Utilization and 2-year Outcomes among People with HIV at a Midwestern Clinic

Abstract Background Telehealth platforms such as video and telephone visits serve as mechanisms for HIV care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. While telehealth may be instrumental in HIV care, its utilization, sustainability, and impact on patients’ outcomes remain an area for further research. Hence, we compared people with HIV (PWH) utilizing telehealth services to those receiving in-person clinic services at Nebraska's largest HIV clinic in Omaha. Methods HIV Care visits were classified into telehealth and in-person visits. We defined telehealth users as PWH who have utilized telephone or video visits at least once between April 2020 to March 2022. Clinical and demographic comparisons between both groups were made. We conducted bivariate analyses and descriptive statistics for associations and proportions of visit type, viral loads (VL), and completed visits. Results A total of 4,473 visits were completed among 1,308 unique patients (172 telehealth users versus 1136 in-person). Telehealth utilization was significantly higher among patients from cities other than Omaha (&amp;lt; 0.001) and those with income levels above the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) (0.001). Telehealth users made up 73.3% of missed appointments and 50% of canceled visits. Telehealth users were significantly more likely to have undetectable VL than in-person visit users (0.018). In addition, patients who were ≥ 45 years were significantly more likely to have undetectable VL than younger patients (&amp;lt; 0.001). There was no association between gender, race, or year of HIV diagnosis and visit type. Notably, transgender patients (n = 18) did not use telehealth. Overall telehealth utilization dropped from 64% of our total visits in April 2020 to 5% in March 2022. Conclusion In our patient population, telehealth users were more likely to have undetectable VL, live far from the clinic, and have income levels above the FPL than in-person visit users. However, telehealth users were more likely to cancel or miss their medical appointments. Our data also suggest a low preference for telehealth among transgender people. Future studies should develop strategies to improve rates of completed visits among telehealth users, promote telehealth use among transgender men, and sustain the utilization of telehealth beyond the pandemic. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

2215. Pre-pregnancy STI Counseling and HIV Testing Among Married Women: PRAMS 2016-2019

Abstract Background Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are one of the most reported and curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US, but rates continue to rise. STI during pregnancy can lead to perinatal infections. The best time to address this is at pre-conception. This study aims to examine health care visit practices among women before pregnancy and compare pre-pregnancy STI counseling and HIV testing rates among married women. Methods We utilized the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 2016-2019, a population-based survey of postpartum women. Mothers self-reported if any health care worker talked to them about STIs or tested for HIV during any health care visit in the 12 months before pregnancy. Marital status was obtained from birth certificate records. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed adjusting for age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education, insurance, income, and previous live birth. Results Of the the162,558 surveyed women, only 66.1% had any health care visit within 12 months pre-pregnancy (Figure1). Among those with a health care visit and STI screening response (n=104,256), approximately 70% of women reported never receiving pre-pregnancy STI counseling or HIV testing. Puerto Rico and D.C. had the highest pre-pregnancy screening rates while Utah had the lowest (Figure 2). Married women were less likely to receive pre-pregnancy STI counseling (OR 0.6: 95% CI 0.56, 0.64) or HIV testing (OR 0.65: 95% CI 0.61, 0.69) compared to unmarried women (Figure 3). Other risk factors for missing pre-pregnancy STI screening were older age, having more education, private insurance, higher income, and previous live birth. Black and Hispanic women were 2-3 times more likely to receive STI screening compared to White women. Figure 1:Any health care visit and visit type within 12 months before pregnancy (n=162,558)Figure 2:Pre-pregnancy STI counseling and HIV testing across 43 states, DC, NYC, and PR (n=104,256)Figure 3:Adjusted odds of receiving pre-pregnancy STI counseling and HIV testing among recent mothers, PRAMS 2016-2019 (n=104,256) Conclusion Married women were less likely to receive pre-pregnancy STI counseling and HIV testing. Our study highlights the lack of preconception care among women who recently gave birth. Marital status, demographics, and socioeconomic factors continue to affect a woman’s likelihood of receiving STI screening. Risk-based, selective STI screening creates gaps and missed opportunities to address STIs before pregnancy. Universal screening should be adopted for all women regardless of their preconceived risk or assumptions. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

A transnational practice between fractured homes: Second‐generation Turkish–German migrants’ experiences of visiting and being visited

AbstractThe paper explores the multiple ways in which visits affect the understanding of home for the Turkish–German second generation who have relocated to Turkey. Based on thematic–narrative analysis of 116 life‐story interviews with second‐generation ‘returnees’ in five regions of Turkey, three types of visits are identified: (i) family visits to Turkey whilst growing up in Germany; (ii) visits to Germany after the second generation has ‘returned’ to Turkey; (iii) visits to Turkey by the second generation's Germany‐residing relatives and friends. Each type has different meanings for the visitors and the visited, creating fluid reflections on the meaning of home, which, especially for the second‐generation ‘returnees’, tends to become fractured. Constantly comparing their two home(‐land)s since childhood, they often simultaneously feel both ‘here’ and ‘there’ as a result of changing attachments and a mix of positive and negative experiences in both locales with their families, friends and the dominant others.

Experience of Telemedicine Visits in Radiation Oncology During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A US National Survey and Lessons Learned for Incorporating Telemedicine Post-COVID-19

PurposeWe sought to survey the attitudes and perceptions of US radiation oncologists toward the adoption of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and offer suggestions for its integration in the postpandemic era. Methods and MaterialsA 25-question, anonymous online survey was distributed nationwide to radiation oncologists. ResultsOne hundred and twenty-one respondents completed the survey, with 92% from academia. Overall, 79% worked at institutions that had implemented a work-from-home policy, with which 74% were satisfied. Despite nearly all visit types being conducted in-person before COVID-19, 25%, 41%, and 5% of the respondents used telemedicine for more than half of their new consultations, follow-up, and on-treatment visits, respectively, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most (83%) reported being comfortable integrating telemedicine. Although telemedicine was appreciated as being more convenient for patients (97%) and reducing transmission of infectious agents (83%), the most commonly perceived disadvantages were difficulty in performing physical examinations (90%), patients’ inability to use technology adequately (74%), and technical malfunctions (72%). Compared with in-person visits, telemedicine was felt to be inferior in establishing a personal connection during consultation (90%) and assessing for toxicity while on-treatment (88%) and during follow-up (70%). For follow-up visits, genitourinary and thoracic were perceived as most appropriate for telemedicine while gynecologic and head and neck were considered the least appropriate. Overall, 70% were in favor of more telemedicine, even after pandemic is over. ConclusionsTelemedicine will likely remain part of the radiation oncology workflow in most clinics after the pandemic. It should be used in conjunction with in-person visits, and may be best used for conducting follow-up visits in certain disease sites such as genitourinary and thoracic malignancies.