Nurse Practitioners (NP) have generally embraced telehealth since the start of the pandemic, though they have some reservations about quality of care and its accessibility to all patients, a survey found.

A survey of 75 advanced practice registered nurses (APRN), 90 percent of whom were NPs, found that most believed their patients were satisfied with their teleheatlh visits, although a third believed new patients received somewhat worse case, as did a quarter of existing patients, compared to face-to-face visits.

Deborah Adelman, a professor of graduate nursing at Purdue Global, Purdue University’s online university, said her survey showed APRNs were comfortable using telehealth now and in the future, especially those working in rural areas.

“They are now seeing patients who would have hesitated to come into a medical office,” Adelman said.

However, Adelman, whose study was published in The Nurse Practitioner, is concerned that some hospitals and clinics are beginning to charge additional fees for telehealth visits and other basics services that are free to in-person patients.

“This is a permanent part of the future of health care delivery, as it could help with the provider shortage,” Adelman said. “However, I am concerned that we may be moving too fast, and we should move more deliberately with use and policies.”

Survey respondents also expressed some concern about patients’ internet access and technology literacy.

“There’s an awakening to the fact there is an inequity to internet access, as well as what is happening off camera or behind the scenes and patient privacy issues,” Adelman said. “This study gave a voice to nurse practitioners. There are all types of areas that we have to think about now, especially as we have so much data and comments to review.”