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almost two-thirds of health-care providers believe telehealth is ‘dangerous’ for older adults

a similar portion of health-care providers think telehealth is not a realistic option for seniors with physical or mental challenges.

by dave yasvinski

dec 22 2022
read time 3 minute read
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telehealth has been seen as a positive development for individuals with mobility concerns or who live in remote areas. getty
a new survey has found that almost 60 per cent of health-care providers believe it’s dangerous to provide telehealth services to older adults because they are “medically complex” patients.

according to the national survey, published in the journal telemedicine and e-health , a similar percentage of doctors, nurses and other providers think telehealth is not a realistic option for seniors with physical or mental challenges. the unexpected findings, gleaned from the responses of 7,246 clinicians who provide telehealth services in the u.s., come as the industry seeks guidance on how to best serve an aging population.

“i was shocked that so many clinicians believe it’s not safe to use remote care with seniors who have complex medical histories or disabilities,” said liane wardlow , lead author of the study and a senior director of clinical research and telehealth at   west health. “our telehealth infrastructures must be designed to account for these factors. the greatest danger of all would be to exclude older patients from remote care.”

the researcher said she was also surprised that the majority of survey respondents felt that people “over a certain age” were poor candidates for telehealth services.

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“to agree with such a general statement about older people is a red flag that may indicate some level of age bias,” wardlow said. “these findings tell us loud and clear that health-care providers need better support, more education and specialized guidelines to provide effective and equitable telehealth to older patients.”
the use of telehealth has progressed rapidly since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, effectively reducing costs and improving accessibility for people with mobility issues during a time when it wasn’t considered safe to visit a clinic in person. the survey, which was funded by west health, was designed to provide a better understanding of the perceived costs and benefits of remote care and ensure that all patients, older adults included, are well-served going forward.

despite the negative perception of telehealth as a way to treat seniors, the majority of clinicians (68 per cent) said they “often” or “always” strive to ensure older adults and their caregivers are prepared in advance of a remote appointment. the survey also revealed that 62 per cent of respondents “often” or “always” make sure they take into account any physical or cognitive differences a particular patient may be experiencing. fifty-five per cent of respondents also agreed that “ telehealth improves health care for older adults by enhancing engagement between stakeholders.”

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canada’s health-care system, like many others, was slow to adopt telehealth prior to the pandemic but early adopters believe its integration is the way of the future . “i think going forward the best care will be a combination of bricks and clicks,” said hamed shahbazi, founder of virtualclinic+ and ceo of well health, b.c.’s largest clinic owner and operator.

although there are some conditions that doctors need to diagnose and treat in person, many more appointments can be handled online. “(covid-19) has been a major catalyst for the growth of telehealth,” shahbazi said. “i believe it has fundamentally changed the adoption curve for digital services.”
shahbazi anticipates telehealth services will slow slightly after the pandemic but remain a key part of the health-care system because doctors have come to realize its many benefits.

dave yasvinski is a writer with  healthing.ca

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