Health and healthcare disparities associated with the digital divide

Abstract

The prioritization of telehealth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic may accelerate progress to virtual integrated care at scale. However, disparities in healthcare and health outcomes may widen if telehealth is not accessible to the underserved communities that are most in need. Providers faced with practical constraints have already defaulted into a two-tiered system of telehealth: technology-driven, integrated care for those with the requisite resources; and phone-based, ad-hoc care, possibly less effective, for those without. Insights based on data from federal organizations offer a starting point for primary care providers to understand common structural barriers to telehealth access, identify interventions they can implement to increase equity in their virtual care practice, and advocate for their patients.