J Am Board Fam Med
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With the emergence of COVID-19, many primary care offices closed their physical space to limit exposure. Despite decades of telemedicine in clinical practice, it is rare to find it used in small-metro and academic settings. Following the decision to limit face-to-face care, we tracked our practice's transition to telemedicine. ⋯ Early use of the PDSA cycle allows for informed quality improvement at the local level. Our findings highlight factors to consider when implementing telemedicine such as need for physical examination and type or length of encounter. In addition, physician satisfaction can encourage use of telemedicine, and tools for learning and practicing telemedicine should be available.
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The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) caused a global pandemic that forced medical providers to rapidly alter methods of health care delivery. One month into this pandemic, we surveyed providers and patients to assess satisfaction or concerns with the change from in-person visits. ⋯ Patients are open to the expanded use of telemedicine, and providers and hospital systems should be prepared to embrace it for the benefit of patient care.
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The threat to the public health of the United States from the COVID-19 pandemic is causing rapid, unprecedented shifts in the health care landscape. Community health centers serve the patient populations most vulnerable to the disease yet often have inadequate resources to combat it. Academic medical centers do not always have the community connections needed for the most effective population health approaches. ⋯ Second, we developed and distributed evidence-based resources to these same communities via a large community health navigator team. Third, as telemedicine became the norm for medical consultation, the 2 institutions began to research how reducing the digital divide could help improve access to care. We continue to think about how best to create enduring partnerships forged through ongoing deeper relationships beyond the pandemic.
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Because of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic, many primary care practices have transitioned to telehealth visits to keep patients at home and decrease the transmission of the disease. Yet, little is known about the nationwide capacity for delivering primary care services via telehealth. ⋯ This study provides an estimate of the primary care capacity to deliver telehealth and can guide practices and payers as care delivery models change in a post-COVID 19 environment.
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Advance care planning (ACP) is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously identified barriers to ACP include lack of time during patient visits, billing, clinician and patient discomfort and lack of resources, and difficulties with documenting and accessing ACP documents. ⋯ The shared risk for COVID-19 that all people face brings urgency to institutional policy changes to ACP form completion. However, research should assess acceptability and effectiveness of these strategies.