Telehealth

The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner is receiving pushback after enacting new rules on audio-only telehealth reimbursement. 

Entering 2020, the healthcare sector has faced numerous challenges.

Seventy-seven percent of telehealth visits during the second half of 2020 were for long-term care, according to a study published July 9 in JAMA Health Forum.

In April 2020, overall telehealth use for office visits and outpatient care was 78 times higher than two months prior because of the surge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to virtual care methods. 

CVS Health released its 2021 Health Care Insights Study, which surveys providers and consumers about their thoughts on healthcare. 

Patient satisfaction from virtual visits with their healthcare providers appears to be comparable to traditional in-person visits, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. 

Telehealth usage among individuals with private health insurance fell for the third consecutive month in April, dropping by 12.5 percent, according to healthcare data cost organization Fair Health. 

Telehealth use has led to a steep reduction in healthcare's carbon footprint, as it decreases greenhouse gas emissions and costs, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Climate Change and Health. 

As we inch into a post-pandemic era, many health systems are evaluating how patient navigation tools can improve access, control volume across all care settings, promote patient retention and support new patient acquisition. 

As telehealth has become an established mode of care during the pandemic, healthcare organizations must ensure ergonomically correct workstations to promote the health, comfort and performance of caregivers.