Telehealth

With elective surgeries canceled, New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery is working to expand its telehealth capabilities.

With COVID-19 cases continuing to increase across the country, many hospitals and health systems are pushing telehealth efforts to limit the spread of infection that can arise with in-person visits, Boston Herald reports. 

As the novel coronavirus continues to spreads, health insurers are beginning to expand coverage for members using telehealth. 

Telehealth technology is transforming healthcare delivery across the country, and in emergency departments, it's helping reduce stays of behavioral emergency patients by connecting them with the expert care they need. 

To help minimize the spread of COVID-19, Jacksonville, Fla.-based Nemours Children's Health System has been ramping up its telemedicine efforts and staff training to accommodate more virtual care visits.

While California has recently rolled out initiatives to expand telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic, many other areas of the country still have not made virtual care widely available, NBC Bay Area reports.

Telehealth services have seen a 312 percent increase in demand from New York patients amid the coronavirus outbreak, Amwell spokesperson Holly Spring told CNBC News.

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente said it is closing some medical office buildings and consolidating to fewer locations in some of its service areas as it postpones some appointments and expands the use of virtual visits. 

After multiple telehealth startups began marketing direct-to-consumer coronavirus testing kits, the FDA has issued an alert noting that is has not authorized any such tests, which may "pose serious health risks."

Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health launched its virtual hospital program March 23 to treat patients who test positive for COVID-19 in their homes, according to the Charlotte Business Journal.