Downstream Utilization Similar for In-Person, Virtual Neurology Visits

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By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

FRIDAY, April 24, 2026 -- Virtual neurology new outpatient visits are associated with similar downstream utilization as in-person visits, according to a study published online April 22 in Neurology.

Chloé E. Hill, M.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults with a new outpatient neurology visit from September 2020 through December 2021 to compare subsequent health care utilization after virtual versus in-person new patient neurology visits. Using propensity scores, virtual and in-person patients were matched in a 1:1 ratio (8,202 virtual and 8,202 in-person visits).

The researchers observed no difference in neurology follow-up within 90 days between virtual and in-person visits (24.6 versus 23.7 percent). After virtual visits, 30-day neurology clinic follow-up was slightly lower, while follow-up at six months and one year was similar between the groups. Neurologic emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations within 90 days were similar between the groups. In addition, all-cause ED visits and hospitalizations within 90 days were comparable. Ninety-day follow-up was higher after in-person visits for dementia, while higher 30- and 90-day follow-up was seen after virtual visits for Parkinson disease and multiple sclerosis. Ninety-day follow-up was also higher after virtual visits for headache.

"Our results suggest that virtual visits are appropriate for an initial neurologic evaluation across a range of conditions," Hill said in a statement. "We found that neurology patients with initial virtual visits do not typically experience higher rates of trips to the emergency department or hospitalizations."

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-04-25 09:02

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