Virtually Serving the Underserved: Resident Perceptions of Telemedicine Use While Training During Coronavirus Disease 2019

Background: To adapt during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a large safety-net hospital in Atlanta, Georgia and other hospitals across the United Sates, increased telemedicine (TM) for outpatient visits. The impact on resident physicians, including minority providers, had not yet been reported. We aimed to assess how primary care residents perceived increased TM in clinics during the pandemic, and assess resident burnout. Materials and Methods: An online survey was sent to 60 internal medicine (IM) and 18 family medicine (FM) residents who used TM to treat underserved patients, from March to May 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire included questions on resident demographics, satisfaction with TM, screening capability for COVID-19, effectiveness for patient education on COVID-19, impact on patient interactions and time management. Burnout was assessed with the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results: A majority (62 of 78) eligible residents (79.5%) responded to the survey. Ninety-one percent of residents agreed that TM was a secure alternative to face-to-face encounters. Seventy-nine percent used it to screen for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 and 93% provided patient education on COVID-19. Average visit length decreased by 10-20 min with TM. Post-TM, scores for overall burnout were decreased (p = 0.0003) and less residents in total exhibited burnout (p = 0.0156). Discussion and Conclusions: IM and FM residents viewed TM as an efficient way to screen for and provide education on COVID-19, as well as a secure alternative to face-to-face encounters. With increased used of TM during COVID-19, there was decreased burnout among primary care residents.