Assessing Telemedicine Unreadiness Among Older Adults in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

There has been a massive shift to telemedicine during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to protect medical personnel and patients, with the Department of Health and Human Services and others promoting video visits to reach patients at home.^1,2 Video visits require patients to have the knowledge and capacity to get online, operate and troubleshoot audiovisual equipment, and communicate without the cues available in person. Many older adults may be unable to do this because of disabilities or inexperience with technology. This study estimated how many older adults may be left behind in the United States in the migration to telemedicine.