TY - JOUR
AU - Y. Kim
AU - J. J. Shen
AU - J. Reeves
AU - I. Choe
AU - M. Kang
AU - D. Byun
AU - I. Ioanitoaia-Chaudhry
AU - M. T. Chong
AU - M. Tabrizi
AU - I. Kwak
AU - J. W. Yoo
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Telehealth has emerged as an alternative health care delivery in primary clinical settings. We have investigated the comparative effectiveness of telehealth and in-person primary care for the individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and obesity. METHODS: This study utilized the administrative database of the accountable care organization and the Nevada Medicaid program between January 1 and December 31, 2021. A total of 73 individuals with obese ID were chosen. Subsequently, a computer-assisted demographics (age, gender, race) and type of ID paired matching process was carried out for the in-person primary care visits of obese ID individuals (n = 146). The outcome measurements were (1) behavioral counseling for obesity, (2) number of hospitalizations, and (3) transitional care management (TCM) after hospital discharge between telehealth and in-person visit groups. RESULTS: Telehealth visit (21.9%, 16/73) was more likely to have obesity counseling than in-person visit (9.6%, 14/146; χ(2) = 6.25, p = 0.01). There was no difference in the number of hospitalizations between telehealth visit and in-person visit groups (mean ± standard deviation, 0.53 ± 0.94 vs. 0.57 ± 0.95; t = -0.30, p = 0.76). Telehealth visit (45.5%, 10/22) was more likely to have TCM after hospital discharge than in-person visit (17.4%, 8/46; χ(2) = 6.28, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that telehealth primary care for individuals with obese adults with ID was associated with increasing odds of obesity counseling and timely communication after hospital discharge. The association between increased access to TCM and telehealth might generate more clinical revenues that can motivate providers to assure the care sustainability to these individuals. Both IDD and telehealth workforce training curriculum development and implementation are warranted for primary care providers who are not familiar with both IDD care and telehealth.
AD - Department of Healthcare Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Comagine Health, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Telehealth Division, Optum Care Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Department of Computer Science, Howard Hughes College of Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Department of Medicine, William Bee Ririe Rural Health Hospital and Clinic, Ely, Nevada, USA.; Geriatric Education Center, VA Southern Nevada Health Care, North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Department of Family Medicine, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Connection Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
AN - 41355775
BT - Telemed J E Health
C5 - HIT & Telehealth
CP - 4
DA - 04/2026
DO - 10.1177/15305627251405059
DP - NLM
ET - 20251202
IS - 4
JF - Telemed J E Health
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Telehealth has emerged as an alternative health care delivery in primary clinical settings. We have investigated the comparative effectiveness of telehealth and in-person primary care for the individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and obesity. METHODS: This study utilized the administrative database of the accountable care organization and the Nevada Medicaid program between January 1 and December 31, 2021. A total of 73 individuals with obese ID were chosen. Subsequently, a computer-assisted demographics (age, gender, race) and type of ID paired matching process was carried out for the in-person primary care visits of obese ID individuals (n = 146). The outcome measurements were (1) behavioral counseling for obesity, (2) number of hospitalizations, and (3) transitional care management (TCM) after hospital discharge between telehealth and in-person visit groups. RESULTS: Telehealth visit (21.9%, 16/73) was more likely to have obesity counseling than in-person visit (9.6%, 14/146; χ(2) = 6.25, p = 0.01). There was no difference in the number of hospitalizations between telehealth visit and in-person visit groups (mean ± standard deviation, 0.53 ± 0.94 vs. 0.57 ± 0.95; t = -0.30, p = 0.76). Telehealth visit (45.5%, 10/22) was more likely to have TCM after hospital discharge than in-person visit (17.4%, 8/46; χ(2) = 6.28, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that telehealth primary care for individuals with obese adults with ID was associated with increasing odds of obesity counseling and timely communication after hospital discharge. The association between increased access to TCM and telehealth might generate more clinical revenues that can motivate providers to assure the care sustainability to these individuals. Both IDD and telehealth workforce training curriculum development and implementation are warranted for primary care providers who are not familiar with both IDD care and telehealth.
PY - 2026
SN - 1530-5627
SP - 409
EP - 414+
ST - Comparative Effectiveness of Telehealth Versus In-Person Primary Care for the Adults Living with Intellectual Disabilities and Obesity: Insights of a Provider Shortage State in the United States
T1 - Comparative Effectiveness of Telehealth Versus In-Person Primary Care for the Adults Living with Intellectual Disabilities and Obesity: Insights of a Provider Shortage State in the United States
T2 - Telemed J E Health
TI - Comparative Effectiveness of Telehealth Versus In-Person Primary Care for the Adults Living with Intellectual Disabilities and Obesity: Insights of a Provider Shortage State in the United States
U1 - HIT & Telehealth
U3 - 10.1177/15305627251405059
VL - 32
VO - 1530-5627
Y1 - 2026
ER -