Understanding the Impact of Teledermatology on No-Show Rates and Healthcare Accessibility: A Retrospective Chart Review

Abstract

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency legislation expanding coverage of telehealth service 38 swept across the nation to allow for continued access to medical care despite strict shelter-in-place guidelines. In the wake of this, telehealth usage has increased dramatically. Dermatology, in particular, is uniquely amenable to virtual visits and teledermatology has the potential to become a permanent platform from which we provide specialty care. As telehealth expands, additional data is needed on the impact of telehealth on health equity. Missed appointments, or no-shows, are a measure of health disparity, with low-income, Medicaid, and minority patients traditionally having the highest no-show rates. Given the ability of teledermatology to theoretically improve patient convenience and eliminate potential barriers to care, we sought to investigate the impact of telehealth on no-show rates and patient access at a large academic medical center.