Telehealth

Peoria, Ill.-based OSF Healthcare has launched a virtual urgent care service that patients can use to see providers from the hospital system during their summer vacations.

Collaboration has become a prime cultural value for today’s organizations. Across industries, a collaborative workplace is increasingly seen as beneficial to both employer and employees, and is even considered a competitive advantage. 

Patients being treated virtually for opioid addiction may have to return to in-person care if the federal government doesn't extend regulations allowing these types of telemedicine visits, Politico reported June 20.

Integrated delivery networks (IDNs) share common goals in terms of outcomes, cost reduction and patient experience. But sharing goals hasn't necessarily led to collaboration.

State by state, telehealth access is rolling back as the pandemic-era emergency orders, which allowed physicians to see patients in multiple states, are lapsing causing some patients to lose access to physicians, NBC News reported June 19. 

The University of Cincinnati Venture Lab is backing a telehealth startup focused on increasing access to healthcare for patients who lack transportation or live in rural areas.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is offering up to $50 million for studies showing how telemedicine can improve the health of patients with chronic diseases.

HHS issued new guidance June 13 regarding how HIPAA-covered healthcare providers and health plans can comply with privacy, security and breach notification requirements when using remote communication technologies to provide audio-only telehealth services, including after the COVID-19 public health emergency.

While telemedicine adoption has increased greatly during the pandemic, its use varies widely depending on the medical specialty in question.

Telehealth became the prevailing mode for medical providers to see patients during the early days of the pandemic, and while use has leveled off in many areas, virtual care has become a permanent part of the healthcare ecosystem.