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Introduction/Objectives: With the emergence of COVID-19, the transition from in-person care to widespread use of telehealth raised many well-described challenges for primary care providers (PCP). The purpose of this study was to improve understanding of how this increased use of telehealth impacted PCPs in positive ways, and specifically focus on any “silver linings” of using telehealth. Methods: We interviewed PCPs working at a large Midwestern academic medical center between June and July 2020 and asked for perspectives about the use of telehealth during the pandemic. Verbatim transcripts were coded and analyzed using deductive dominant thematic analysis that allowed for categorization of data and identification of emergent themes. Results: PCPs noted 3 main benefits of using telehealth: (1) demonstrated remote care was feasible, (2) patients expressed gratitude; and (3) payers fully reimbursed for telehealth visits. PCPs also described “silver linings” they perceived for patients: (1) easier access to care, (2) more convenient follow-up care, and (3) ability to get quick specialty referrals. Conclusions: Study participants offered encouraging feedback regarding the potential for telehealth to offer a convenient and patient-centric alternative to in-person care. As a healthcare delivery mode, telehealth can remove personal and social barriers to care for many patients, but reimbursement parity and more evidence is needed to inform best practices for ongoing telehealth use in primary care. With the continuing use of telehealth, it will be important to monitor health outcomes as well as consider how these modalities may need to be adapted to mitigate potential care disparities.

The patient-centered medical home is an important innovation in health care delivery. There is a need to assess the scope and substance of published research on medical homes. This article reviews published evaluations of medical home care for the period 2007 to 2010. Chief findings from these evaluations as a whole include associations between the provision of medical home care and improved quality, in addition to decreased utilization associated with medical home care in high-cost areas such as emergency department use. However, fewer associations were found across evaluations between medical home care and enhanced patient or family experiences. The early medical home research appears to reflect both the wide variation in how medical homes are being designed and implemented in practice and in how researchers are choosing to evaluate patient-centered medical home design and implementation. While some aspects of medical home care show promise, continued evolution of medical home evaluative research is needed.