Ensuring contact: calling rural Appalachian older adults during the COVID-19 epidemic

Congratulations to Robert Walker, MD, and Michael Grome, PA-C, for leading this work, published in Rural and Remote Health. To view the article abstract published early online, visit the following: https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/early_abstract/6122

As noted in the abstract, "...telephone interviews were conducted with 124 community-dwelling residents in four counties in rural Appalachia between April 1 and April 22, 2020." "Telephone contact was the preferred method of contact among all but four participants (96.8%). Seventeen (17) calls (13.7%) resulted in some form of intervention, including arranging for emergent home repairs, treatment of severe hypertension, scheduling urgent laboratory testing, arranging for terminal care, treating acute conditions, and providing durable medical equipment."