Improving Emergency Room Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Telemedicine Social Determinants of Health Outreach Approach

High-risk patients over the age of 65, who had chronic medical conditions, and had not yet had a primary care visit within 2020 were identified. A subgroup of patients participated in a survey to assess social determinants of health (SDOH) in the setting of a pandemic. Outcomes of those who participated in the survey, and those who did not participate were compared. Notably, those who were surveyed and lived within zip codes with low socioeconomic status had significantly decreased emergency department visits, which we defined as a discharge from the emergency department without hospitalization, as compared to those who did not receive outreach. Rates of inpatient hospitalization did not differ significantly. These findings suggest that patient outreach to evaluate SDOH during a pandemic leads to more appropriate emergency department and hospital resource utilization. This finding is particularly impactful given the current pandemic, which may place a strain on emergency department, and healthcare resources.