Telehealth after the pandemic: Will the inverse care law apply? (Commentary)

Rebecca J Calthorpe; Alan R Smyth

doi:10.1016/j.jcf.2021.08.023

Telehealth after the pandemic: Will the inverse care law apply? (Commentary)

J Cyst Fibros. 2021 Dec:20 Suppl 3:47-48. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.08.023. Epub 2021 Sep 11.

Authors

Rebecca J Calthorpe¹, Alan R Smyth²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Child Health, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Nottingham, Queens Medical Centre, UK. Electronic address: Rebecca.calthorpe@nottingham.ac.uk.
² Division of Child Health, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Nottingham, Queens Medical Centre, UK.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of telehealth within the cystic fibrosis (CF) community to deliver CF care. The article by Solomon and colleagues exploring the patient and family experiences of telehealth care delivery, as part of the CF chronic care model in the US, is therefore timely. In this commentary, we discuss how the US experience of telehealth care compares with reports from CF centres in other parts of the world. We highlight the potential challenges, including whether the inverse care law will apply in this new era of CF telehealth.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cystic fibrosis; Telehealth; Telemedicine.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Cystic Fibrosis* / epidemiology
Cystic Fibrosis* / therapy
Humans
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2
Telemedicine*