Telehealth News and Market Developments
Health Affairs: Audio-Only Telemedicine Visits: Flaws in The Underlying Data Make It Hard To Assess Their Use And Impact (7/15) – In the ongoing debate about the future of telemedicine reimbursement, the role of audio-only visits has been particularly contentious. Proponents of permanent reimbursement of audio-only telemedicine argue that these visits represent a critical means of accessing care, particularly for patients with digital and other barriers to video visits. However, some have raised concerns that audio-only telemedicine visits can be of lower quality, may be overused, and are more susceptible to fraud. Ideally, this policy debate would be informed by an accurate picture of how audio-only telemedicine is used in the US. Unfortunately, there are reasons to be concerned with the data currently available.
American Hospital Association – Four Ways to Improve Digital Health Equity (7/15) – Over the past few years, there has been an increase in tech-based approaches to improving maternal outcomes and the birthing journey. While most women still have in-person visits to check the progress of their pregnancy, delivery or check-in following delivery, technology can expand the reach of health care services. Digital solutions, including remote patient monitoring, mobile health apps, and telehealth visits, has helped facilitate continuous communication between expecting and new moms and their care teams. To ensure that all moms and their families have access to digital solutions, hospitals can partner with community-based organizations to assess whether these digital solutions are easily accessible and understandable by all types of patients and communities.
mHealth Intelligence: Penn Medicine Receives Grants to Further Virtual Care Innovation (7/14) – Three Penn Medicine projects, including one that aims to improve access to buprenorphine through telehealth, received $200,000 each from Independence Blue Cross. Penn Medicine is an academic medical center that focuses on medical education, patient care, and research advancements. It includes the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first medical school, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
Politico Pro: Amwell CEO on Telehealth’s ‘Biggest War’ Ahead (7/13) – In this Politico Pro interview, Roy Schoenberg, president and co-CEO of Amwell, an Alliance for Connected Care board member, discussed the state of telehealth. Schoenberg noted state licensure as the biggest challenge for telehealth. He stated that health care should be distributed around the country through technology and should not be stopped at one state. For additional coverage, see Becker’s Hospital Review.
Arizona Telemedicine Program: How AI Helps Health Care Providers Improve Telehealth Patient Care in Real-Time (7/12) – Physicians and nurse practitioners provide a vital role in the nation’s health care. Teams can use telehealth services to improve the quality and accessibility of health care services. Additionally, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) can help providers improve telehealth patient care in real-time.
Healthcare IT News: The Key Relationship Between Health Equity and Telemedicine (7/12) – In this interview with Toni Land, head of clinical health care experience at patient and customer experience management company Medallia, Healthcare IT News covers the relationship between telehealth and health equity. Land highlights that telehealth has the ability to increase access to care, especially in rural areas where there often are increased wait times and limited clinician services. By allowing patients to engage with health care providers in their preferred method, there is an opportunity to more actively and intentionally engage patients, families and team members in health practices and disease-targeted telehealth sessions.
American Urological Association: AUA Language on Telehealth Included in LHHS Appropriations Bill Report
(7/12) - On June 29, the House Appropriations Committee released the Report for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS), and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations, which included Alliance Advisory Board member the American Urological Association’s (AUA) requested language on telehealth. The AUA drafted several telehealth provisions that, if enacted, would help ensure patients can continue to access care through telehealth. Data about telehealth usage can also be adequately collected to shape future policy.
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