Telehealth News and Market Developments
Forbes: Why SMS Messaging Provides a Reliable Future for Telehealth (4/21) - The future of health care will have to be patient-centered, which is why it’s crucial that health care providers invest in and comply with communication systems that can streamline processes for patients. A simple text message can go a long way in building trust with patients and promoting continuity of care. As technology advances, providers should continue to consider new innovative ways to conduct telehealth, while maintaining communication between patients through text messages.
Forbes: Telehealth Goes Mainstream: The Role Of Real-Time Communications (RTC) In Bridging The Health Care Gap (4/20) - As technology continues to evolve, so does its impact on the health care industry. Real-time communication (RTC), namely audio or video remote communication technologies, has emerged as a transformative force in health care, enabling remote access to medical services and bridging gaps in health care access. With the rise of telehealth and the increasing demand for accessible and timely health care services, RTC technology has become essential in addressing industry expectations.
Health Affairs: Maintaining Telehealth Care For Opioid Use Disorder Is Critical (4/19) - Annual deaths from opioid-involved overdose increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect themselves from opioid-involved overdose, millions of Americans need immediate access to—and ongoing treatment with—medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). However, telehealth companies have intentionally limited company growth because of uncertainty regarding telehealth regulations after the COVID-19 PHE. Employees from Boulder Care and Ophelia Health outline their concerns of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rule in this Health Affairs blog post.
University of Rochester Medical Center: Telemedicine Extends Reach of Stroke and Neurological Care (4/19) - University of Rochester (UR) Medicine neurologists are providing remote acute and inpatient neurological care for 16 hospitals across upstate New York, creating one of the more comprehensive hub-and-spoke networks. The telestroke program allows UR Medicine neurologists to review brain imaging and other medical data to make recommendations about care, such as intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular therapy, and whether the patient should be transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital for more advanced care or can remain at the original hospital. Unlike many telestroke programs, the UR Medicine service continues in a consultative role at many of its partner sites, ensuring that patients continue to receive high quality care. The telestroke services provided by UR Medicine have helped several partner hospitals receive Primary Stroke Center certification from the Joint Commission.
The Wall Street Journal: Planned Curbs on Telehealth Prescriptions Speak Backlash (4/17) - The DEA plans to resume tighter limits on the prescribing of controlled substances through telehealth has spurred a backlash from some medical and patient advocacy groups who say the requirements would create barriers to care. Pressure from critics appears to be spurring some changes. A Biden Administration official with knowledge of the plans said that the Administration intends to expand the amount of time that patients taking buprenorphine have to show up to an in-person appointment, though the official couldn’t say how many days the new requirement would allow. Still, a number of medical groups say the in-person mandate isn’t the solution to possible fraud. They say the DEA has rushed through the proposal, which got about 35,000 comments during a 30-day public comment period. Check out the Alliance's snapshot of the comments here.
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