Telehealth

Replacing and augmenting regular in-person visits with virtual care results in similar health outcomes and patient satisfaction, U.S. News & World Report reported Jan. 3

Onancock, Va.-based Eastern Shore Rural Health is mandating visits by phone or video for people who are experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine in Edinburg has expanded its free telehealth mental health program to nine school districts in the state.

The Federal Communications Commission approved Dec. 21 an additional 68 applicants for funding in its second round of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, totaling $42.7 million in the round. 

Requiring telehealth reimbursement at the same rates as in-person services will prevent savings for patients, writes Angela Dills, PhD, in The Hill Dec. 21

Many hospitals and health systems had begun forays into telehealth before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. But all were caught off guard by COVID-19 and the drastic and immediate need to implement or scale telehealth.

The share of rural households that interacted with healthcare providers online increased from 34 percent in 2019 to 54 percent in 2021, according to a report released Dec. 16 by Connected Nation, a nonprofit focused on expanding broadband access.

As the COVID-19 pandemic helped spur a boom in telehealth services, some rehabilitation centers also embraced the new format of medicine and are considering using telemedicine in the long term, The Gazette reported Dec. 15.

Telemedicine holds strong potential to democratize healthcare, but its use remains unequal, a Dec. 13 report shows. 

Despite overall satisfaction of consumers with telemedicine, patients were less impressed by the services this year as compared to last, a new report from Rock Health published Dec. 13 reveals.