Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents enormous challenges to healthcare systems globally. Optimizing access to healthcare while minimizing face-to-face patient encounters is critical to limiting exposures, conserving resources, and preserving health.

Objectives:

We aimed to evaluate the utility of a COVID-focused telehealth system in triaging potential cases while maintaining patient satisfaction.

Methods:

All patients with COVID-related virtual visits at our center between March and May 2020 were included. Demographic, satisfaction, and clinical information were gathered using a modified, validated telehealth satisfaction questionnaire disseminated via email or telephone. Data were analyzed using Stata.

Results:

Of 580 eligible patients, 179 (31%) responded to the survey. Symptoms (73%) and possible exposure (22%) were the main reasons cited for pursuing a virtual visit; cough (44%) and fever (36%) were the most common presenting symptoms. For each patient satisfaction question on the survey, a majority of patients rated the experience as “very good” or “excellent," and 94% of respondents said they would recommend telehealth to others. Over 81% of patients indicated that, if telehealth was not an option, they would have sought an in-person encounter. Ultimately, only 27% of patients pursued a face-to-face encounter after participating in the virtual visit, representing a 67% reduction in the number of in-person visits for our cohort.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that telemedicine is an effective method for forward triage during the pandemic. Patients expressed satisfaction with the virtual process and were less likely to pursue in-patient visits. These findings can potentially reduce exposures, conserve resources, and preserve health.