Telemedicine has emerged as a vital healthcare delivery model, especially pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study uniquely focuses on an institutional lens, examining US hospitals to offer targeted policy implications. 

Telemedicine encounters saw a 75% increase, growing from approximately 111.4 million in 2020 to nearly 194.4 million in 2021. The percentage of hospitals offering at least one form of telemedicine service went from 46% in 2017 to 72% in 2021. Larger, nonprofit, and teaching hospitals were more prone to telehealth adoption, without notable urban-rural disparities. While over 90% of hospitals allow patients to view and download medical records, only 41% permit online data submission. Importantly, 25% of hospitals identified Certified Health IT Developers such as EHR vendor as frequent culprits in information blocking, with cost being the primary obstacle. The findings underscore the rapid yet uneven adoption of telemedicine services in U.S. hospitals. The results point to the need for comprehensive policy interventions to address the challenges identified and realize telemedicine's full potential in healthcare delivery and resilience.

Jiang JX, Ross JS, Bai G. Unveiling the Adoption and Barriers of Telemedicine in US Hospitals: A Comprehensive Analysis (2017-2022). J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Jul 10. doi: 10.1007/s11606-024-08853-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38985409.