Rapid Increase in Use of Commercial Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine for Children

Users of these services were less likely to receive recommended preventive care and more likely to use urgent care services, raising concern for fragmentation of care.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine is an on-demand service in which physicians (usually outside the medical home) treat common, acute complaints through telephone or video conferencing. Access to such services for children is increasing, as most large U.S. companies provide DTC telemedicine through their health plans; however, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has cautioned that DTC telemedicine outside the medical home can lead to fragmentation and lower quality of care.

To examine use of these services by children, researchers analyzed claims from a large national health plan for acute care visits to DTC telemedicine and primary care providers (PCPs). From 2011 to 2016, DTC telemedicine visits increased from 38 to 24,409 per year…

Reviewing Author

Jenny Radesky, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMelissa & Doug Toys (Consultant and Board of Directors)

Grant/Research SupportNational Institute for Child Health and Development; National Institutes of Health

Jenny Radesky, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMelissa & Doug Toys (Consultant and Board of Directors)

Grant/Research SupportNational Institute for Child Health and Development; National Institutes of Health

Rapid Increase in Use of Commercial Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine for Children

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Reviewing Author