From Department of Family and Community Medicine, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California (TKF) The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College (LBB), Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (ED), Department of Family and Community Medicine, Social Interventions Research & Evaluation Network, University of California, San Francisco (LMG), Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco (MBP).
J Am Board Fam Med. 2022 May-Jun;35(3):527-536. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210479.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented adoption and implementation of virtual primary care services, and little is known about whether and how virtual care services will be provided after the pandemic ends. We aim to identify how administrators at health care organizations perceive the future of virtual primary care services.
In March-April of 2021, we conducted semistructured qualitative phone interviews with administrators at 17 health care organizations that ranged from multi-state nonfederal delivery systems to single-site primary care practices. Organizations differed in size, structure, ownership, and geography. We explore how health care administrators anticipate their organization will offer virtual primary care services after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
All interviewed administrators expected virtual primary care services to persist after the pandemic. We categorize expected impact of future virtual services as (n = 4); to a narrow set of clinical encounters (n = 5); and a in primary care delivery (n = 8). The underlying motivation expressed by administrators for providing virtual care services was to remain financially stable and competitive. This motivation can be seen in the 3 main goals described for their anticipated use of virtual services: (1) optimizing medical services; (2) enhancing the patient experience; and (3) increasing loyalty among patients.
Health care organizations are considering how virtual primary care services can be used to improve patient outcomes, access to care, and convenience of care. To implement and sustain virtual primary care services, health care organizations will need long-term support from regulators and payers.
COVID-19 大流行导致虚拟初级保健服务的空前采用和实施，而对于大流行结束后是否以及如何提供虚拟护理服务知之甚少。我们旨在确定医疗保健组织的管理人员如何看待虚拟初级保健服务的未来。
2021 年 3 月至 4 月，我们对 17 家医疗保健组织的管理人员进行了半结构化定性电话访谈，这些组织的规模、结构、所有权和地理位置各不相同。我们探讨了医疗保健管理人员如何预测他们的组织在 COVID-19 大流行消退后将提供虚拟初级保健服务。
所有接受采访的管理人员都预计虚拟初级保健服务将在大流行后持续存在。我们将未来虚拟服务的预期影响分类为（n = 4）；到一组狭窄的临床遭遇（n = 5）；以及（n = 8）在初级保健提供中的应用。管理人员提供虚拟护理服务的潜在动机是保持财务稳定和竞争力。这种动机可以从他们预期使用虚拟服务的 3 个主要目标中看出：（1）优化医疗服务；（2）增强患者体验；（3）提高患者忠诚度。
医疗保健组织正在考虑如何利用虚拟初级保健服务来改善患者的治疗效果、获得护理的机会和护理的便利性。为了实施和维持虚拟初级保健服务，医疗保健组织将需要监管机构和支付方的长期支持。
