Disclosures: Jennifer G. Goldman, MD, MS: Acadia (Products/Services: No) (Research Grant includes principal investigator, collaborator or consultant and pending grants as well as grants already received)International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (Products/Services: No) (Honorarium)Medscape (Products/Services: No) (Honorarium)Michael J. Fox Foundation (Products/Services: No) (Research Grant includes principal investigator, collaborator or consultant and pending grants as well as grants already received)Parkinson Study Group (Products/Services: No) (Honorarium)Parkinson’s Foundation (Products/Services: No) (Honorarium)Parkinson’s Foundation (Products/Services: No) (Research Grant includes principal investigator, collaborator or consultant and pending grants as well as grants already received)

Objective: Use of telehealth rapidly increased in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic public health emergency. On March 30, 2020, our rehabilitation hospital launched a HIPAA-compliant telehealth program for rehabilitation therapies and physician practices, held in virtual outpatient and day rehabilitation settings. Virtual interdisciplinary clinics (i.e., physician, PT, OT, and SLP together) occurred for Parkinson’s/Movement Disorders, Pain Management, and day rehabilitation programs. Our study objective was to examine patients’ experiences and satisfaction with telehealth in the physician practice, including novel virtual interdisciplinary evaluations.

Design: REDCap survey emailed to patientsSetting : Rehabilitation hospital’s outpatient and day rehabilitation physician clinicsParticipants : Patients receiving telehealth services from 3/30/20 to 3/11/21, with survey administration between 12/17/20-3/11/21.

Interventions: N/A

Main Outcome Measures: Survey responses: telehealth logistics, ease, quality, effectiveness, satisfaction (Likert scales)

Results: Data is presented for 101 survey responses from 2869 encounters by 1889 unique patients from outpatient and day rehabilitation physician practices, of whom 67.4% were ages 50-79 years, 58.4% female, 83.3% Caucasian and 6.1% African American. Ninety-five respondents completed a telehealth visit (14.6% after initial visit, 85.4% after follow-up appointments) with 88.5% using videoconference. Videoconference use was rated “fairly to very easy” by 90.6%, with ratings of “somewhat to very satisfied” with telehealth’s effectiveness (90.6%), comfort (87.2%), safety (94.8%), privacy (94.8%), provider attention (97.9%), and provider recommendations (92.7%). Benefits included no need, less cost, or less time for travel. Of 95 telehealth patients, 14 participated in a virtual interdisciplinary team clinic; 78.5% “strongly” agreed this format worked well, and the majority “strongly” agreed that it provided multiple perspectives, integrated care, effective communication, and addressed physical and mental health symptoms.Conclusions: Telehealth in rehabilitation settings as provided by physicians and interdisciplinary teams was well received by survey respondents. Innovative care delivery and additional understanding of successes and barriers are needed for continued telehealth services.

Level of Evidence: Level III

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/delivering-physiatry-and-interdisciplinary-care-via-telehealth-survey-of-patient-experiences/