# Evaluation of Telemedicine for Chronic Disease Specialty Care

> **NIH AHRQ R01** · ALASKA NATIVE TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM · 2023 · $374,614

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
Chronic diseases have a significant impact on the population, disproportionately affecting rural
and minority populations. For patients with chronic diseases, access to specialist care improves
outcomes. However, there are many barriers to access to specialists, especially for rural and
minority populations. Telemedicine is a potential solution to the problem of access and the
uptake of telemedicine for clinical care has been increasing worldwide. Alaska has been a
leader in telemedicine innovation. Recently, the use of telemedicine video teleconference
(VTC) has expanded dramatically in Alaska for chronic disease specialty care. Few studies
have evaluated the outcomes or costs associated with the use of telemedicine VTC in the care
of chronic diseases. The objective of this proposal is to evaluate the impact of telemedicine
specialty care on chronic disease outcomes and costs. In order to achieve this objective, we
propose the following specific aims: 1) determine the predictors of receiving care by
telemedicine VTC for chronic disease, including patient, provider, community, and disease
characteristics; 2) investigate the relationship between telemedicine VTC care and clinical
outcomes of chronic diseases; and 3) perform a cost comparison of telemedicine VTC and in-
person visits for chronic disease specialty care. The first aim will be achieved using a mixed
methods approach. Quantitative data from the first aim will be used for propensity score
matching of cases and controls in Aims 2 and 3. Alternative analyses will include instrumental
variable analysis for Aims 2 and 3 and a difference in difference approach for Aim 3. Data for all
aims will be obtained from a variety of sources, including administrative data, quantitative
patient-reported data, qualitative patient-reported data, medical record abstraction, quantitative
data collected from providers, and cost data from health care system and payer sources. Data
will be integrated to fully inform all study aims. This study will contribute substantially to the
literature on outcomes and costs associated with the use of telemedicine in chronic disease
care. It is relevant to the mission of AHRQ to produce evidence to make health care safer,
higher quality, more accessible, equitable and affordable, and specifically relevant to the priority
area of focus on improving health care affordability, efficiency and cost transparency.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10596994
- **Project number:** 5R01HS026208-05
- **Recipient organization:** ALASKA NATIVE TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth D Ferucci
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $374,614
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10596994

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10596994, Evaluation of Telemedicine for Chronic Disease Specialty Care (5R01HS026208-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10596994. Licensed CC0.

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