Comparing Veterans Preferences and Barriers for Video Visit Utilization Versus In-Person Visits: a Survey of Two VA Centers.

This letter published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine presents the findings of a survey conducted among veterans to compare their preferences and barriers for video visits versus in-person visits during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey included 400 veterans, with 41% of them preferring video visits over in-person visits. The study found that consistent internet access and younger age were associated with a preference for video visits. The document also discusses the characteristics of the participants and factors associated with their visit preferences. The study highlights the need for digital health literacy and access to technology to improve veterans' experiences with video telehealth. However, there are limitations to the study, and further qualitative research is needed to explore preferences and concerns about telemedicine. The study was funded by the Veterans Affairs Office of Connected Care, and the de-identified data are available upon request from the corresponding author. [Extracted from the article]