Telehealth

While it has emerged as a lifeline for patient care across the U.S. during the pandemic, telemedicine cannot capture the patient-physician interactions and personal contact in-person visits deliver, according to Marcin Chwistek, MD.

Most gastroenterology and hepatology patients and their physicians have favored telemedicine visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent Penn Medicine survey.

When CMS issued sweeping regulatory changes on March 30 to address COVID-19 patient surge, Cleveland Clinic assembled a team of IT, coding and billing experts to help translate the new telehealth policies and waivers into clinician-friendly electronic workflows. 

Ten health insurers in Oregon including Kaiser Permanente and Providence have committed to extending telehealth coverage for a broad range of services through the end of the year, KKLC reports. 

The Federal Communications Commission approved its 12th wave of COVID-19 telehealth program applications June 24, granting another $29.41 million to 77 healthcare providers nationwide.

Sacramento-based UC Davis Health will provide pediatric telehealth services to 14 Northern California counties through a new agreement with Partnership HealthPlan of California, effective July 1.

Minneapolis-based M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center will expand its telemedicine hub pilot to local homeless shelter for patients who need mental health and addiction therapy, Pioneer Press reports. 

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed an executive order June 22 to make telehealth regulations that have been relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic permanent, the Idaho Statesman reports. 

Washington University and St. Louis University's medical schools plan to make telemedicine training part of their academic curriculums, according to St. Louis Public Radio.

Johns Hopkins Medicine plans to continue building momentum of its telehealth program after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Baltimore-based health system's CEO anticipating 30 percent of visits to be delivered virtually, The Jerusalem Post reports.