Telehealth use and Models for Geriatric Patients Since the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: The gaps in geriatric care provision has become prominent with the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 pandemic). Despite the potential capability of the telehealth model to address the specific needs of geriatric patients, only a few geriatric guidelines have focused on the telehealth model during the pandemic. The following systematic review explores the current evidence of telehealth use and applications in geriatric care, which emerged post the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Three databases, including PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, were searched by three independent reviewers to identify relevant studies. Results: Seven studies were included in this review; two focused on the effectiveness of telehealth, three focused on the experiences of patients and providers, and two focused on the use of telehealth. Telehealth did not underperform compared to traditional care models in terms of self-efficacy, patient convenience, reduction in deferred care, increased efficiency of healthcare delivery, reduced travel issues, and improved health education. However, common challenges were disparities in access in favor of urban, cognitively sound, and younger geriatric patients. Conclusion: The current systematic review reported the latest evidence on telehealth use and access across geriatric care since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine is gaining support from literature for being non-inferior to traditional healthcare methods, as observed in our findings.