Posthospitalization telemedicine follow-up and 30-day readmission across the COVID-19 era: A multiphase analysis in a large integrated healthcare system.

Publication date: Jul 03, 2025

Timely postdischarge visits reduce readmissions, but the impact of telemedicine follow-up remains unclear. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly expanded telemedicine, offering a unique opportunity to assess its impact on outcomes. Evaluate the association between telemedicine versus in-person follow-up and 30-day outcomes before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrospective cohort study of adults discharged from the Medicine Service across 21 hospitals (2017-2023). Telemedicine (video/telephone) versus in-person visits within 7 days of discharge were compared. The primary outcome was 30-day nonelective readmission. Secondary outcomes included 30-day all-cause readmission, emergency department (ED) visits, and mortality. Competing risk and Cox regression models were used, with inverse probability of treatment weighting to address differences. Among 137,765 patients (mean age 67. 5 years, 49. 1% female), 59. 2% received telemedicine follow-up. Pre-pandemic, 28. 2% had telemedicine visits, associated with higher 30-day nonelective readmission risk (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1. 23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1. 19-1. 28, p 

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