SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians has released the findings of a new telehealth study done in partnership with Connected Nation Michigan (CN Michigan) with support from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The research provides new insights into how the tribal members use telehealth, what barriers exist, and attitudes toward telehealth.
“We want to improve health equity among all tribe members ensuring they have access to the critical healthcare resources that can help improve their quality of life,” said Larry Jacques, Director of Strategic Planning for the Sault Tribe. “Telehealth can save tribe members time and money, connect them with high-quality health services, and ensure continued access to healthcare practitioners when weather or health concerns makes it difficult to travel.”
The study was conducted using a series of surveys and virtual conversations with tribe members. The purpose was to identify ways tribal health clinics can expand their telehealth efforts, identify unmet demand, and address concerns that may prevent some tribe members from adopting telehealth services.
Some of the surveys’ key takeaways include:
- Nearly two out of five surveyed households (38.1%) reported having used telehealth services.
- A similar share of telehealth non-adopters (41%) expressed interest in using telehealth despite not having used it in the past.
- Nearly one quarter of respondents (23.7%) said that telehealth visits are comparable to in-person visits.
- More than two out of five survey respondents (41.8%) said that telehealth visits are good for initial consultations or basic care, while 34.5% believed it would never match in-person quality of care.
- In general, young populations (age 18 to 34) had a more favorable view of telehealth visits.
