Study: Doctors are overprescribing medicine to kids through telemedicine visits

Children with acute respiratory infections who visited doctors using telemedicine services were prescribed antibiotics more often than patients who visited a doctor in person, a study published Monday suggests.

The study from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found kids during telemedicine visits – an approach where patients can talk to a doctor through their smartphone or other device – received antibiotics for ailments such as ear infections or viral colds 52% of the time.

By comparison, 42% of urgent care visits resulted in an antibiotic prescription, and in 31% of visit to primary care providers, said the study, which analyzed data from a national health plan covering 4 million children along with contracts from a telemedicine vendor.

"As a general pediatrician, I’m interested in making care easier and less burdensome for families, and I think there are many technological innovations that aim to do this, but I think it also is important to make sure the quality of the care that children receive remains high," said lead author Kristin Ray, a pediatrician with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital, in a statement.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics.

Antibiotics received during telemedicine visits for children were less likely to follow clinical guidelines compared to those issued during urgent care or primary provider visits, said the study.

In a statement Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics said it discourages telemedicine visits for kids because of limitations on physical exams and medical records. It also cites the importance of an ongoing relationship between kids and their doctors "all of which are especially important when children are too young to describe their symptoms well."

Telemedicine has surfaced as a convenient option for parents who can't get an immediate appointment for their child's primary doctor or want to avoid visiting an urgent care center.

Telemedicine seems to be catching on, especially among employers who believe it can save money, said Jason Doctor, a University of Southern California health policy and economics researcher. "Telemedicine is going to grow. It’s going to become a more routine part of people’s medical care."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.