Can telemedicine help integrate the referral-based healthcare system? An economic and operational analysis

The introduction of telemedicine mainly contributes to the patients' service accessibility, particularly for patients in remote areas, and can foster closer collaboration between generalists and specialists. However, in hospitals where medical resources are already strained, it may worsen specialist overuse and lead to lower service quality. These findings highlight that telemedicine is not universally beneficial. The policymaker should consider regional coverage conditions and use targeted financial incentives to improve its effectiveness within referral-based healthcare systems.