JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In rural communities, there are gaps in describing the design and effectiveness of technology interventions for treating diseases and determinants of health.

Objective:

Therefore, we evaluated literature on current application, therapeutic area, and outcomes of telehealth interventions in rural communities in the United States.

Methods:

A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed from January 2017 – December 2020. Key search terms included telehealth, telemedicine, rural, and outcomes.

Results:

Among 15 included studies, nine studies analyzed telehealth interventions in patients, three in health care professionals and three in both patients and health care professionals. The included studies reported positive outcomes and experiences of telehealth use in rural populations including acceptability and increased satisfaction as well as noting that technology is convenient and efficient. Other notable benefits included decreased direct and indirect costs to the patient (travel cost and time) and healthcare service provider (staffing), lower onsite healthcare resource utilization, improved physician recruitment and retention, improved access to care and increased education and training to patients and healthcare professionals.

Conclusions:

Telehealth models were associated with positive outcomes for patients and health care professionals, suggesting these models are feasible and can be effective. Future telehealth interventions and studies examining these programs are warranted, especially in rural communities, and future research should evaluate the outcomes of the recent impact of telehealth use as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.