Effectiveness of Telehealth versus In-Person Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Systematic Review

In their systematic review, researchers compared the effectiveness of telehealth with in-person care during the pandemic by analyzing studies from PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials between March 2020 and April 2023. They focused on English-language, U.S.-healthcare relevant studies conducted post-pandemic onset. Seventy-seven studies were identified, with 61% judged to have a serious or high risk of bias. Findings indicated small and non-clinically significant differences in healthcare utilization and clinical outcomes between telehealth and in-person care, varying by outcome and clinical area. Two independent reviewers screened results, extracted data, and assessed bias and evidence strength.