Our healthcare system is vulnerable to disruption – something the pandemic has made clear. But disruption is a springboard for innovation, and the rapid growth of telehealth over the past two years has led to better outcomes for patients and made our healthcare system more resilient.
Telehealth is now an integral part of our healthcare system and enjoys overwhelming patient satisfaction.This is mainly because officials temporarily give up Outdated regulations restricting its use. But many of these waivers will expire within months of the end of the public health emergency; we must act now to ensure that millions of Americans do not lose access to this vital care. It’s time to make telehealth reform permanent.
As we move into a remote environment at the start of Covid, more and more healthcare providers are adopting telehealth practices to help patients maintain access to care amid stay-at-home orders and other pandemic measures. This means connecting patients to vital healthcare services through videoconferencing, remote monitoring, virtual consultations and wireless communications.
The importance of telehealth to our healthcare system cannot be overstated during this pandemic. For example, the number of telehealth patients seen through Medicare, soar From about 840,000 in 2019 to more than 52 million in 2020.
This is a clear advantage for patients: with the pandemic keeping us at home, why don’t you choose to “visit” your doctor via your laptop or smartphone? It also benefits clinicians. Telehealth reduces absentee appointments and increases care efficiency and costs. Additionally, it increases patient engagement and satisfaction. From a personal point of view, my wife is a retinal surgeon who enjoys maintaining a relationship with her patients and her patients love the convenience.
Remote access to healthcare is not only a popular option as it reduces the risk of exposure to Covid; virtual appointments are also often cheaper Instead of in-person appointments on a per-visit basis. While the average cost of a visit to your doctor’s office is $146, the average cost of a telehealth visit is only $79.
In other words, telehealth becomes an important equalizer in a healthcare system where social and economic disparities continue to affect patient care. It provides an affordable and convenient option for patients, especially those from underserved communities such as rural areas, seniors and people with disabilities, who may not be able to see a doctor in person.
The success of telehealth over the past two years has shown us that innovations in digital health are reshaping how we think about care. It also shows us the vital role of technology in responding to health emergencies.
Most importantly, Americans overwhelmingly support telehealth and continued access to these services.
in a recent survey90% of U.S. voters who use telehealth services say they have had a positive experience, and 81% support the federal government’s decision to lift restrictions on telehealth in response to the pandemic.
Americans rely on telehealth and want to use these services even after the pandemic is over. So telling patients the rules will change once the federal telehealth waiver expires is unrealistic, especially when it’s helping tens of millions of people during the biggest health emergency in a century.
That’s a big reason why we should applaud Congress for including expanded telehealth flexibility through Medicare in its latest comprehensive spending plan, President Biden signed into law This month. It ensures that this critical model of care will continue for at least five months after the federal government announces the end of health care. public health emergency (PHE) It was first announced in 2020.
It’s a step in the right direction, but the law isn’t enough to guarantee continued access to telehealth services. This is because the PHE must be renewed every 90 days and is set to expire on April 16th. While the Biden administration is expected to update the PHE next month, there is still too much uncertainty about whether patients will be able to continue using telehealth once the pandemic is over. Exceed.
To allay these concerns, Congress must provide the Department of Health and Human Services with the power and flexibility to continue all federal telehealth exemptions once the administration announces the end of PHE.
But the most important step we can take is to make telehealth reform permanent. Congress must create a path for comprehensive telehealth reform to ensure this critical service becomes a permanent and accessible option for every American.
We have an opportunity to bring our healthcare system into the 21st century. Our communities are already experiencing the powerful impact of digital health innovations in closing the gaps created by Covid. Now is the time to make sure everyone can continue to get care when and where they need it.
Photo: MikeyLPT, Getty Images
