Even so, 1 in 10 respondents who had been taking psoriasis medication before the pandemic stopped taking it because of COVID-19. Always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment regimen. Patients, too, turned to telehealth, but some skipped visits altogether. According to the Everyday Health survey, about 1 in 5 people with psoriasis canceled or postponed a doctor’s appointment during the pandemic. Despite its recent widespread adoption, telehealth isn’t new. In fact, it’s been on the rise in the United States for at least a decade, according to a study published in August 2020 in the journal Family Medicine and Community Health. The percentage of hospitals that have used video and other digital technology jumped from 35 percent in 2010 to 76 percent in 2017. Insurance claims for telehealth also increased by 53 percent from 2016 to 2017. There are many benefits, according to the study, including convenience and an increased access to care, particularly for those living in rural areas. What’s more, telemedicine appointments can provide the same quality of care as in-person appointments. Virtual dermatology appointments may be especially successful, according to the study, since doctors can examine a patient’s skin via video. Of the respondents to the Everyday Health survey, 21 percent have had a telemedicine appointment for psoriasis since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and 50 percent have had an in-person appointment. Many of the lockdowns across the country have been lifted, but the virus is still mutating. Most recently, the Delta variant has been on the rise, which has many people — including 71 percent of Everyday Health survey respondents — concerned.
