Category
Poster - Applied
Description
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of telemedicine, which has reduced barriers to accessing healthcare. Nevertheless, concerns persist regarding the diagnostic processes conducted remotely without a proper physical examination, potentially leading to instances of inadequate healthcare provision. Otitis media is a common childhood infection requiring a proper physical examination to determine whether the child might benefit from antibiotics. The excessive use of antibiotics is recognized to result in several adverse outcomes, including antimicrobial resistance, side effects, increased healthcare expenses, and alterations to the microbiome, associated with the development of chronic diseases. To evaluate the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing rates for the management of otitis media in telemedicine visits compared to in-person visits, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. We used Medicaid claims data between January 2021 and December 2021 to identify children under 18 years of age who had a diagnosis of otitis media in telehealth or in-person visits. A total of 456,308 children were included in this study, of whom 402 were evaluated exclusively by telemedicine and 455,906 were evaluated exclusively with an in-person visit. Antibiotic prescribing in telemedicine visits was 59.5%, compared to 52.5% for in-person visits (p=0.005). Children evaluated by telemedicine visits were more likely to be prescribed an antibiotic than children evaluated in in-person visits (OR=1.3 CI: (1.1-1.6)). Among children who were prescribed an antibiotic, 80% met the appropriateness criteria (telemedicine=192, in-person=191,376, p=0.91). Our study found a higher rate of antibiotic use in telemedicine visits compared to in-person visits. This finding holds the potential to inform the medical professions and the general public regarding the prudent utilization of antibiotics.
Antibiotic Prescribing Appropriateness in Telemedicine versus In-person Visits
Poster - Applied
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of telemedicine, which has reduced barriers to accessing healthcare. Nevertheless, concerns persist regarding the diagnostic processes conducted remotely without a proper physical examination, potentially leading to instances of inadequate healthcare provision. Otitis media is a common childhood infection requiring a proper physical examination to determine whether the child might benefit from antibiotics. The excessive use of antibiotics is recognized to result in several adverse outcomes, including antimicrobial resistance, side effects, increased healthcare expenses, and alterations to the microbiome, associated with the development of chronic diseases. To evaluate the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing rates for the management of otitis media in telemedicine visits compared to in-person visits, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. We used Medicaid claims data between January 2021 and December 2021 to identify children under 18 years of age who had a diagnosis of otitis media in telehealth or in-person visits. A total of 456,308 children were included in this study, of whom 402 were evaluated exclusively by telemedicine and 455,906 were evaluated exclusively with an in-person visit. Antibiotic prescribing in telemedicine visits was 59.5%, compared to 52.5% for in-person visits (p=0.005). Children evaluated by telemedicine visits were more likely to be prescribed an antibiotic than children evaluated in in-person visits (OR=1.3 CI: (1.1-1.6)). Among children who were prescribed an antibiotic, 80% met the appropriateness criteria (telemedicine=192, in-person=191,376, p=0.91). Our study found a higher rate of antibiotic use in telemedicine visits compared to in-person visits. This finding holds the potential to inform the medical professions and the general public regarding the prudent utilization of antibiotics.
Comments
Graduate