Economic evaluations and financial consequences related to the use of telehealth services in older adults seeking unplanned care: a scoping review

This study aimed to identify, map and provide an overview of the current state of literature on economic evaluations and financial consequences related to the use of telehealth services by older adults seeking unplanned care. A scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Quantitative articles published between 2014 and 2024 were searched using PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database. Search terms included MeSH terms and keywords related to “financial aspects” (economic evaluations financial consequences), “telehealth methods”, “unplanned care” and “older adults.” Descriptive analyses were used alongside a narrative approach to collate, summarize, and report on our findings. Out of 22,485 initial records identified, 8 studies were included for analysis. Four studies were conducted in the USA, two in Australia, one in France, and one in China. Two studies conducted full economic evaluations; the remaining six focused on cost-savings analyses of telehealth interventions. Five studies included reports from a payer perspective, five from a service provider perspective, and one from a patient perspective. All but one study found the use of telehealth services to be cost-effective or reduce costs related to care of older adults. This review suggests that telehealth services have the potential to reduce costs or achieve cost-savings while maintaining quality of care for older adults. However, robust evidence on their cost-effectiveness remains limited. Further research is therefore imperative to identify best practices for delivering economically viable telehealth solutions to older adults. Additionally, clear policy frameworks are essential to support the sustainable integration of telehealth into comprehensive care strategies.