Telehealth

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, dermatology physician practices have turned to telehealth for conducting patient visits the most compared to other physician specialties, according to a recent American Medical Association analysis. 

Clover Health is kick-starting a new initiative to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to Medicare Advantage members right in their homes. 

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic this week rolled out its virtual hospital-at-home program to patients at its Phoenix and Scottsdale, Ariz.-based hospitals, according to a Sept. 15 news release. 

CareFirst of Maryland, a Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate, created a virtual care delivery model that lets health plan members get preventive, urgent care and behavioral healthcare through a mobile app, the company announced Sept. 15. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking contractors for a $1 billion telehealth contract as the department seeks to modernize its system, according to a Sept. 13 Bloomberg Law report.

Several telehealth companies are offering patients access to the controversial anti-parasite drug ivermectin, which is rumored by some groups to be an effective treatment for COVID-19, The Guardian reported Sept. 13.

The Alaska Senate voted Sept. 10 to advance a telehealth bill that allows hospital workers to opt out of vaccine mandates, according to a Sept. 10 Anchorage Daily News report.

The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, a coalition including hospitals, health systems, healthcare associations and other organizations, found in a recent analysis that the healthcare industry is lacking data on the quality of telemedicine diagnosis. 

The Clinic, a joint virtual health venture between the Cleveland Clinic and Amwell, is teaming up with Anthem to offer the insurer's members access to the Clinic's telehealth second opinion service, the organizations said Sept. 8. 

More than a year after most hospitals and health systems ended their COVID-19 shutdowns of nonemergency care, the use of telehealth for medical appointments is settling in near 20 percent or less of all visits, the Center for Connected Medicine…