Telehealth News and Market Developments
Daily News Record: Sentara RMH Medical Center Unveils New Remote Patient Monitoring System (2/16) - Sentara RMH Medical Center hospital officials announced that Sentara is deploying 10 remote patient monitoring systems. Hospital officials say these systems demonstrate RPM technology's value in preventing patient harm. Cameras can monitor patients' physical conditions such as choking, difficulty breathing or other pain. The system is limited to live observation and does not record any activity, to maintain patient privacy.
American Hospital Association (AHA): AHA Shares Part B Drug Payment and Telehealth Recommendations with Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) (2/16) - AHA sent a letter to MedPAC in response to their January public meeting. Specifically, AHA recommends MedPAC reconsider certain telehealth policy recommendations to ensure and support the expansion of access to care via telemedicine. In addition, AHA encourages MedPAC to consider lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and research additional provisions that have supported expansion of access to care via telemedicine during the state of emergency.
American Medical Group Association (AMGA): AMGA Urges Congress to Prioritize Value-Based Care and Modernize Telehealth Coverage (2/15) - AMGA sent a letter to Congress requesting Congress to modernize telehealth coverage policy. In the letter, AMGA called on Congress to develop a more sustainable system that enables providers to continue to provide the highest quality care to their patients. Specifically, AMGA urges Congress to permanently waive geographic limitations and originating site regulations, ensure payment parity between in-office and telehealth services, continue payment for audio-only services, and remove state licensing restrictions for telehealth services. For additional coverage, see Inside Telehealth.
Healthcare IT News: Why Health Care Leaders Should Embrace Home-Based Technologies (2/15) - Telehealth in home-based care can facilitate communication between physicians and patients. Allowing home-based technology can help focus on preventive care, which is central to physical and economic survival. Healthcare IT News interviewed Travis Rush, CEO of Reperio, a vendor of at-home biometric screening technologies, on home health issues and technologies.
Stanford Medicine: Telehelp Ukraine Brings Telehealth to Patients in Ukraine (2/14) - Students from Stanford University created Telehelp Ukraine to help Ukraine populations during a time of need. Telehelp Ukraine now has around 120 providers, with about 40–50 active on a weekly basis, and another 60–80 volunteers. It operates as a nonprofit organization with a board and advisers and various teams. Since 2022, many telehealth providers were able to make significant diagnoses, even from thousands of miles away, that improved patients’ daily lives. Telehealth has connected people from all around the world and at any time of the day. For more information on this program, see their website.
Business Wire: United Health Foundation Awards $3.2 Million Grant to East Carolina University To Improve Youth Mental Health (2/14) - The United Health Foundation (UHF), the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group, announced a three-year, $3.2 million grant partnership with East Carolina University (ECU). The grant will expand the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP), in the ECU Center for Telepsychiatry, in six community-based pediatric and primary care clinics in rural and underserved parts of the state to support the mental health and well-being of young people in North Carolina. The UHF and ECU also partnered in 2020 through a $1.25 million grant to expand the Maternal Outreach Using Telehealth for Rural Sites (MOTHeRs), a telepsychiatry service to address the mental health needs of expectant and new mothers. For additional coverage, see WITN.
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP): Family Physicians Call for National Plan to Transition Out of COVID-19 PHE (2/14) - AAFP sent a letter to the Biden Administration on its concerns around a number of potential policy changes that will impact primary care after the PHE ends. The letter provides recommendations for at least six areas that will affect primary care, including telehealth. Specifically, AAFP recommends the Administration prevent Medicare telehealth coverage and payment disruptions by developing permanent policies for telehealth, and protect patients' access to opioid use disorder treatment via telehealth. The letter was sent in response to the Department of Health and Human Services' fact sheet sent to governors. For additional coverage, see Medical Economics.
Medical Economics: Telehealth is Here to Stay: How Technology Has Become a Staple for Physicians and is Serving Unmet Health Care Needs (2/13) - While the pandemic was the impetus for greater utilization of telehealth across the health care continuum, it's safe to say that due to the convenience and benefits it offers to patients and providers, telehealth is here to stay. As health leaders evaluate telehealth adoption and continued integration of the technology within their practices, it’s very important they consider not only how their patient population is leveraging telehealth, but also their ecosystem of clinicians. They can then determine ways telehealth can be leveraged to create and build stronger provider-patient relationships. Telehealth technology can drive better outcomes and fill care gaps when used as an extension of in-person visits as it supplements high-quality in-person care with more frequent touchpoints.
Fierce Healthcare: Albertsons Launches App Uniting Pharmacy, Nutrition, and Telehealth (2/13) - Albertsons launched a new platform, Sincerely Health, which allows users to connect data from wearables, integrate prescriptions, design their diet and make telehealth or vaccination appointments. The platform connects users with the Albertsons pharmacy by managing prescriptions, scheduling vaccine appointments and making telehealth appointments through the grocer’s partnership with Providence Express Care. Users can opt in to receive reminders to take daily medications or refill prescriptions.
Newswires: Fast Pace Health Expands Scope of Practice for Telehealth Services (2/13) - Fast Pace Health, a telehealth provider, announced the expansion of its telehealth services to include a broader range of medical services for patients to receive care from their own homes. The expanded scope of practice will include the ability to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions, as well as provide ongoing care and support for patients three years of age and older. Patients will have access to virtual consultations with licensed health care providers who are equipped to diagnose, treat and prescribe medication if necessary. This will provide patients with a convenient, affordable, and time-saving alternative to traditional in-person visits.
Healthcare IT News: An Inside Look at AdventHealth's Powerful Telemedicine Program (2/13) - AdventHealth has leveraged telehealth, which alleviated the need for many follow-up appointments, while allowing transparency in the care plan progress. The health system partnered with Alliance board member Amwell for video visits and inpatient use cases. AdventHealth saw a 60 percent reduction in hospital admissions for those who were ongoing users of the emergency department for chronic conditions.
ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC): The Industry Urges Congress to Pass the Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023 (2/6) - ERIC urged Congress to pass the “Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023” (H.R. 824) to allow employers to offer standalone telehealth benefits to all employees beyond the end of the PHE, in particular those not enrolled in their employer’s medical plan. For additional coverage see Inside Telehealth.
“ERIC member companies are strong supporters of telehealth, which not only served as an essential lifeline to care for tens of millions of Americans during COVID-19, but also has forever changed the way Americans access medical care,” said the ERIC letter, “ERIC enthusiastically supports your bill, as we believe it will increase access to telehealth services, improving employees’ health care and lives. We look forward to working with you and Congress to secure this critical relief for employees, retirees, and their families before the PHE ends.”
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