Primary Care Telemedicine Use among Assisted Living Residents with Dementia during COVID-19: Race and Dual Enrollment Status

In 2023-03-01 12:00:00 2020, restrictions on telemedicine were waived, allowing services to be delivered through video-conferencing or telephone.1,2 Telemedicine offered a way to stay connected with primary care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic,3 which may be particularly suitable for assisted living facility (AL) residents with dementia who have high care needs. Expansion, however, raised concerns about racial and socioeconomic disparities in use. For example, racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to reside in ALs with fewer licensed and skilled care staff, and fewer resources, which may hinder telemedicine use among its residents.4, 5, 6 We examined primary care telemedicine use among Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) who resided in ALs during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on possible racial and socioeconomic differences.