TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2019//
TI  - Health care utilization and costs of veterans evaluated for traumatic brain injury through telehealth
JO  - Telemedicine journal and e-health
A1  - Stroupe, Kevin T.
A1  - Martinez, Rachael
A1  - Hogan, Timothy P.
A1  - Evans, Charlesnika T.
A1  - Scholten, Joel
A1  - Bidelspach, Douglas
A1  - Osteen, Chad
A1  - Taylor, Brent C.
A1  - Smith, Bridget M.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent among Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]) Veterans. With clinical video telehealth (CVT), Veterans screening positive for potential deployment-related TBI can receive comprehensive TBI evaluations by providers at specialized centers through interactive video communication. <br><br>INTRODUCTION: We examined health care utilization and costs for Veterans during the 12 months before and after being evaluated through CVT versus in-person. <br><br>MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined OEF/OIF Veterans receiving comprehensive evaluations at specialized Veterans Affairs facilities from October 2012 to September 2014. Veterans evaluated through CVT and in-person at the same facilities were included. We used a difference-in-difference analysis with propensity score weighted regression models to examine health care utilization and costs between TBI evaluation groups. <br><br>RESULTS: There were 554 Veterans with comprehensive evaluations through CVT (380 with and 174 without confirmed TBI) and 7,159 with in-person evaluations (4,899 with and 2,260 without confirmed TBI). Veterans in the in-person group with confirmed TBI had similar increases in outpatient, inpatient, and total health care costs as Veterans who had TBI confirmed through CVT. However, Veterans with a confirmed TBI evaluated in-person had greater increases in rehabilitation and other specialty costs. <br><br>DISCUSSION: When visits are in-person, Veterans may have opportunities to discuss more issues and concerns, whether TBI-related or not. Thus, providers might make more referrals to rehabilitation and specialty care after in-person visits. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Veterans receiving in-person evaluations who were diagnosed with TBI had similar increases in health care costs as Veterans with TBI confirmed through evaluations through CVT.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1530-5627
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2018.0182
ID  - ref1
ER  -