The Effect of Telehealth on Autism Diagnosis and Evaluation Seen Through Patient Satisfaction

The onset of COVID-19 caused healthcare providers across the nation to incorporate telehealth measures into their daily practices. Many providers who worked in the realm of children with developmental disorders saw the implementation of telehealth as a means to tackle long waitlists and broaden access to care in their field. This study analyzes the use and feasibility of telehealth-based evaluations for autism diagnoses within the scope of patient satisfaction. A 14-item survey was developed and administered through REDCap in both English and Spanish. The survey was piloted from November 2020 to August 2022. The overall response rate was 17.3% and the feedback was largely positive. In addition to this study, an extensive literature review also provided supporting evidence for the feasibility of telehealth use in autism diagnosis and evaluations.Plan II Honors Progra