Low-value care—medical tests and procedures with little to no patient benefit—drives up healthcare costs and exposes patients to potential harm. A new study from Mass General Brigham finds telemedicine may help reduce these unnecessary tests.
Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the research explores how virtual care influences low-value testing.
TELEMEDICINE’S ROLE IN REDUCING LOW-VALUE CARE
Telemedicine surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting researchers to analyze its impact on unnecessary tests. Dr. Ishani Ganguli, lead author and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, explains the significance.
“With telemedicine’s widespread adoption, we wanted to examine its effect. We focused on low-value tests like Pap smears and prostate cancer screenings in older adults,” said Ganguli. “There is an ongoing policy debate on whether Medicare should continue telemedicine coverage based on its impact on care quality and spending.”
KEY FINDINGS
The research team studied 2019–2022 Medicare claims data from over 2 million patients across U.S. health systems. They compared high-telemedicine and low-telemedicine adopters to assess differences in testing and spending patterns.
- Patients in high-telemedicine systems had slightly more total visits (virtual and in-person) but underwent fewer unnecessary tests.
- Telemedicine reduced 7 of 20 low-value tests. These include cervical cancer screenings, electrocardiograms, preoperative blood work, and imaging for uncomplicated low back pain.
- Spending on visits per patient and certain tests was lower in high-telemedicine systems, though overall low-value spending remained unchanged.
HOW VIRTUAL CARE REDUCES UNNECESSARY TESTING
Telemedicine removes logistical barriers to care but may also discourage unnecessary in-office procedures. Tests like electrocardiograms and blood counts, often conducted on-site, were ordered less frequently in telemedicine settings.
“These findings reassure policymakers that expanding telemedicine coverage could reduce unnecessary tests and related costs,” said Ganguli.
FUTURE OF VIRTUAL HEALTHCARE
With Medicare’s telemedicine policies under review, these findings highlight the potential benefits of continued coverage. Telemedicine’s ability to streamline patient care while minimizing unnecessary testing could shape future healthcare policies and spending strategies.
As virtual healthcare evolves, policymakers must balance accessibility, cost efficiency, and care quality to maximize patient benefits.
