James P. Marcin|Ulfat Shaikh|Robin H. Steinhorn
Addressing health disparities in rural communities using telehealth
University of California, Davis|University of California, Davis|University of California, Davis
regionalization pediatric services resulted differential access care sometimes creating barriers living underserved rural communities disparities access contribute inferior healthcare outcomes among infants children review medical literature telemedicine use improve access quality care provided pediatric patients otherwise limited access pediatric subspecialty care review use telemedicine provision pediatric subspecialty consultations settings ambulatory care acute inpatient care perinatal newborn care studies demonstrate feasibility efficiencies gained models care use telemedicine providing pediatric subspecialty care convenient settings local primary care offices community hospitals pediatric patients likely receive care adheres evidencebased guidelines many cases telemedicine significantly improve provider patient family satisfaction increase measures quality care patient safety reduce overall costs care models care use telemedicine potential address pediatric specialists geographic misdistribution address disparities quality care delivered children underserved communities