A study, published in Journal of ISAKOS, examined telemedicine adoption rates in pediatric sports medicine clinics.
Researchers measured clinical visit and wait times as well as cost of telemedicine and inpatient visits. They also collected patient-reported outcomes.
Here's what they found.
1. Both visit and wait times were shorter for telemedicine visits. The average visit time was 15 minutes and average wait time was two minutes for telemedicine patients. Inperson times were 68 minutes and 33 minutes, respectively.
2. Families saved 85 miles of driving on average and $50 in cost per telemedicine visit.
3. Labor costs were also lower for telemedicine patients by $24 per patient.
4. More than 90 percent of patients were "satisfied" with telemedicine service.
Researchers concluded, "Telemedicine can be used in a sports medicine setting to provide care that reduces costs while maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction."