TY - JOUR
T1 - Teleophthalmology in the Era of COVID-19
T2 - Characteristics of Early Adopters at a Large Academic Institution
AU - Aguwa, Ugochi T.
AU - Aguwa, Chibuzo J.
AU - Repka, Michael
AU - Srikumaran, Uma
AU - Woreta, Fasika
AU - Singman, Eric L.
AU - Jenkins, Sabrina G.
AU - Srikumaran, Divya
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2021.
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Introduction: COVID-19 led to rapid policy changes to expand telemedicine adoption. We examined rates of early telemedicine adoption among surgical departments at a large academic institution and compared provider characteristics associated with teleophthalmology. Methods: With data from departmental and electronic medical records across surgical departments at Johns Hopkins Medicine, we performed a retrospective analysis using the Fisher test and binomial logistic regression. Results: Telemedicine adoption in ophthalmology was disproportionately lower than other surgical departments. Providers who were female [odds ratio, OR, 2.42 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.03-5.67)], clinical assistants, clinical associates, or instructors [OR 12.5 (95% CI 2.63-59.47)], associate professors [OR 4.38 (95% CI 1.42-13.52)], practiced for ≥36 years [OR 0.20 (95% CI 0.06-0.66)], cornea [OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.04-0.47)], glaucoma [OR 0.18 (95% CI 0.04-0.93)] or retina [OR 0.04 (95% CI 0.01-0.17)] specialists, or had a MD/MBBCh/MBBS [OR 0.30 (95% CI 0.10-0.94)] or second degree [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.08-0.99)] were significantly more or less likely to adopt. When adjusted, cornea [adjusted OR 0.10 (95% CI 0.02-0.57)] or retina [adjusted OR 0.01 (95% CI 0.002-0.12)] specialists or providers who practiced for 12-18 years [adjusted OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.05-0.91)] or ≥36 years [adjusted OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.03-0.68)] were significantly more or less likely to adopt. Discussion: Subspecialty among other provider characteristics influences the likelihood of teleophthalmology adoption. As the pandemic continues, strategies to reduce adoption barriers are needed to ensure the provision of health care services.
AB - Introduction: COVID-19 led to rapid policy changes to expand telemedicine adoption. We examined rates of early telemedicine adoption among surgical departments at a large academic institution and compared provider characteristics associated with teleophthalmology. Methods: With data from departmental and electronic medical records across surgical departments at Johns Hopkins Medicine, we performed a retrospective analysis using the Fisher test and binomial logistic regression. Results: Telemedicine adoption in ophthalmology was disproportionately lower than other surgical departments. Providers who were female [odds ratio, OR, 2.42 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.03-5.67)], clinical assistants, clinical associates, or instructors [OR 12.5 (95% CI 2.63-59.47)], associate professors [OR 4.38 (95% CI 1.42-13.52)], practiced for ≥36 years [OR 0.20 (95% CI 0.06-0.66)], cornea [OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.04-0.47)], glaucoma [OR 0.18 (95% CI 0.04-0.93)] or retina [OR 0.04 (95% CI 0.01-0.17)] specialists, or had a MD/MBBCh/MBBS [OR 0.30 (95% CI 0.10-0.94)] or second degree [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.08-0.99)] were significantly more or less likely to adopt. When adjusted, cornea [adjusted OR 0.10 (95% CI 0.02-0.57)] or retina [adjusted OR 0.01 (95% CI 0.002-0.12)] specialists or providers who practiced for 12-18 years [adjusted OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.05-0.91)] or ≥36 years [adjusted OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.03-0.68)] were significantly more or less likely to adopt. Discussion: Subspecialty among other provider characteristics influences the likelihood of teleophthalmology adoption. As the pandemic continues, strategies to reduce adoption barriers are needed to ensure the provision of health care services.
KW - COVID-19
KW - ophthalmology
KW - telemedicine
KW - teleophthalmology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102559395&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1089/tmj.2020.0372
DO - 10.1089/tmj.2020.0372
M3 - Article
C2 - 33074795
AN - SCOPUS:85102559395
SN - 1530-5627
VL - 27
SP - 739
EP - 746
JO - Telemedicine and e-Health
JF - Telemedicine and e-Health
IS - 7
ER -