The study aimed to investigate whether television-delivered outpatient care impacts hospitalization rates for such complex conditions as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A case-control study involving 534 hospitalized IBD patients and 534 matched controls without hospitalization found that a higher percentage of television use was associated with a lower likelihood of hospitalization.
Overall, the study suggests that television care did not increase IBD-related hospitalizations, indicating that it is a viable alternative to in-person visits.
The findings reassure us that telehealth can effectively manage IBD without adversely affecting hospitalization rates.
The study recommends that future research focus on determining the optimal frequency of television care and identifying which patient populations are most likely to benefit.
Cohen-Mekelburg, Shirley MD, MS1,2,3; Valicevic, Autumn MSc1; Lin, Lewei (Allison) MD, MSc1,3,4; Saini, Sameer D. MD, MS1,2,3; Kim, Hyungjin Myra ScD1,5; Adams, Megan A. MD, JD, MSc1,2,3. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Hospitalizations Are Similar for Patients Receiving Televisit-Delivered Outpatient Care and Those Receiving Traditional In-Person Care. The American Journal of Gastroenterology 119(8):p 1555-1562, August 2024. | DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002703