Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Special Statement: Telemedicine in obstetrics- quality and safety considerations

The frequency of telemedicine encounters has increased dramatically in recent years. This review summarizes the literature regarding the safety and quality of telemedicine for pregnancy-related ser-vices, including prenatal care, postpartum care, diabetes mellitus management, medication abortion, lactation support, hypertension management, genetic counseling, ultrasound examination, contra-ception, and mental health services. For many of these, telemedicine has several potential or proven benefits, including expanded patient access, improved patient satisfaction, decreased disparities in care delivery, and health outcomes at least comparable to those of traditional in-person encounters. Considering these benefits, it is suggested that payers should reimburse providers at least as much for telemedicine as for in-person services. Areas for future research are considered.

Automated summary

The frequency of telemedicine encounters has increased significantly. This review summarizes the literature regarding the safety and quality of telemedicine for various pregnancy-related services. Telemedicine has numerous potential benefits, such as expanded patient access and improved patient satisfaction, and its health outcomes are comparable to traditional in-person encounters. It is suggested that payers should reimburse providers for telemedicine services at least as much as for in-person services. Areas for future research are also considered.