Telehealth

Here are 10 hospitals and health systems that implemented telehealth technology and services in November:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs delivered more than 2.6 million episodes of telehealth care in fiscal year 2019, up 17 percent from last year, according to a Nov. 22 news release.

U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded a $234,000 grant to CentraCare to help the St. Cloud, Minn.-based health system establish telemedicine services in rural areas of the state, according to a Dec. 3 news release.

Limited or unclear reimbursement for telehealth and digital services is considered one of the largest barriers of virtual care adoption among hospitals and health systems, according to a recent Foley & Lardner survey.

Mercy has received its fourth grant from the USDA to expand telemedicine access across rural communities served by the St. Louis-based health system.

Humana and Philips partnered on two new programs that use remote medical alert systems to monitor Medicare Advantage members who are at risk of health complications, the companies said Dec. 4.

Shelbyville, Ill.-based HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital and Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at HSHS Medical Group launched a telehealth system that helps patients who reside in rural areas receive diabetes care, according to NBC affiliate WAND. 

Stanford (Calif.) Health Care launched telehealth services within its pediatric emergency department to allow the health system's pediatric specialists at other facilities to provide care for patients virtually, according to a Dec. 3 news release.

Teladoc Health is expanding its virtual care offering with the addition of Teladoc Nutrition, a personalized nutrition counseling service, according to a Dec. 3 news release.

WVU Medicine St. Joseph's Hospital and United Hospital Center in Bridgeport, W.Va., clinicians have established a telemedicine-based connection to virtually communicate with one another and treat infectious disease patients, according to a Nov. 29 Inter-Mountain report.