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On the Demand for Telemedicine: Evidence from the Covid-19 Pandemic

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  • Busso, Matías
  • González, María P.
  • Scartascini, Carlos

Abstract

Telemedicine can expand access to health care at relatively low cost. Historically, however, demand for telemedicine has remained low. Using administrative records and a difference-in-differences methodology, we estimate the change in demand for telemedicine experienced after the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic and the imposition of mobility restrictions. We find a 233 percent increase in the number of telemedicine calls and a 342 percent increase in calls resulting in a medication being prescribed. The effects were mostly driven by older individuals with pre-existing conditions who used the service for internal medicine consultations. The demand for telemedicine remains high even after mobility restrictions were relaxed, which is consistent with telemedicine being an experience good. These results are a proof of concept for policymakers willing to expand access to healthcare using advances in technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Busso, Matías & González, María P. & Scartascini, Carlos, 2021. "On the Demand for Telemedicine: Evidence from the Covid-19 Pandemic," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 11204, Inter-American Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:brikps:11204
    DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0003225
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    1. Fu, Hongqiao & Cheng, Terence C. & Zhan, Jiajia & Xu, Duo & Yip, Winnie, 2024. "Dynamic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand for telemedicine services: Evidence from China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 531-557.
    2. Cobelli, Nicola & Cassia, Fabio & Donvito, Raffaele, 2023. "Pharmacists' attitudes and intention to adopt telemedicine: Integrating the market-orientation paradigm and the UTAUT," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    3. Olga Bureneva & Nikolay Safyannikov & Zoya Aleksanyan, 2022. "Singular Spectrum Analysis of Tremorograms for Human Neuromotor Reaction Estimation," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Giulio Nittari & Demetris Savva & Daniele Tomassoni & Seyed Khosrow Tayebati & Francesco Amenta, 2022. "Telemedicine in the COVID-19 Era: A Narrative Review Based on Current Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-15, April.
    5. González, María P. & Scartascini, Carlos, 2023. "Increasing the Use of Telemedicine: A Field Experiment," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12850, Inter-American Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Argentina; Coronavirus; COVID-19; COVID-19; COVID-19; COVID-19; COVID-19; Health care demand; Telemedicine;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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