THE CHALLENGES presented by COVID-19 have resulted in unprecedented changes to healthcare systems nationwide. Before the pandemic, only 1 percent of all physician visits in the US were conducted via telehealth. That number spiked to almost 50 percent in just the first month of the public health emergency, according to Medicare claims data. While telehealth usage […]
Only a few patients with COVID-19 pneumonia required hospitalization when they received care in a “hospital at home” (HaH) telemedicine program, researchers at one health system reported. Of nearly 1,500 patients enrolled in the program, 40 required hospitalization and eight needed ventilation; just two patients died, reported Kranthi Sitammagari, MD, of Atrium Health in Monroe, […]
The realization of the full potential of telemedicine has taken longer than many of us anticipated, but the COVID-19 pandemic may finally bring about that realization. By Francis J. Serbaroli, Skip Short and Ioanna Zevgaras | November 10, 2020 at 11:45 AM The COVID-19 virus has wreaked havoc upon human lives, our economy, and our health care system. […]
The American Telemedicine Association reflects on telehealth expansion during the Trump Administration and looks forward to progress under President-Elect Biden. By Hannah Nelson November 11, 2020 – In response to the results of the 2020 presidential election with America choosing former Vice President Joe Biden as its 46th president, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a statement calling for policymakers to expand […]
By: Atibhi Mehra and Anirban Panda Over the years, the healthcare sector has made considerable efforts to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach by placing the patient at the heart of the care delivery model. While it takes decades to bring about a meaningful change in a slow-moving industry such as healthcare, , […]
There may never be a better time for your medical practice to start developing its telemedicine portfolio. Recently, the federal government has made it easier for healthcare providers to provide and bill for telemedicine services. While some of these changes are temporary, applying only while the COVID-19 public health emergency persists, other changes are permanent. […]
The three-year, $100 million program, aimed at boosting broadband connectivity in underserved parts of the country to support telehealth expansion, will accept applications for one month, beginning on November 6. By Eric Wicklund November 05, 2020 – The Federal Communications Commission is set to launch its Connected Care Pilot Program, a three-year, $100 million project aimed at expanding telehealth […]
The numbers are astonishing: The use of telehealth services in the U.S. has grown from 11% of consumers in 2019 to 46% in 2020. But telemedicine was not Plan A for many of these patients. They adopted it because of the difficulty of face-to-face physician visits during the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Telemedicine can do far more than suffice […]
Telehealth became an important aspect of clinical response to COVID-19 during the early days of the pandemic and remains an essential tool for physicians to connect with patients. At the Becker’s Healthcare Telehealth Virtual Forum on Nov. 2-3, healthcare executives from across the U.S. gathered to discuss the big challenges and opportunities in telehealth and […]
CMS released the 2021 home health final rule on Thursday, October 29, 2020. There were minimal changes compared to the home health proposed rule that was released in July 2020. Probably the best news in the rule was the 1.9% aggregate increase (or $390 million) in reimbursement that agencies will realize in 2021. Although the […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth services. Telehealth is an essential tool in ensuring patients are able to access the healthcare services they need in as safe a manner as possible. In order to provide our clients with quick and […]
COVID-19 has created a telehealth boom, and it’s fantastic. The pandemic has pushed telehealth forward at least 10 years — no small feat, given healthcare lags about 10 years behind other industries in digital innovation. But, as is often the case with U.S. healthcare, we’re over-relying on the latest trend and ignoring the fact that it’s only a […]
2020 has been a challenging year for health care leaders across the globe as communities have been forced to grapple with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this health care crisis has presented an opportunity to ignite tremendous transformation, especially in the technology space. At MVP Health Care, we have seen five to six […]
The public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 has brought about many changes to the way healthcare is practiced, delivered, and reimbursed. This article will discuss some of the major recent changes to telehealth on the federal level. Disclaimer: For consistency, the term “telehealth” is used throughout this article and is intended to include telemedicine, telepsychiatry, and […]
The coronavirus pandemic has brought upon unprecedented challenges for all Americans. This is particularly true for our vulnerable senior populations who are most at risk for complications due to COVID-19, many of whom have continued to stay isolated away from loved ones. I have long been an advocate for advancements in our healthcare, in particular, […]