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Recently, legislative and regulatory changes brought updates to Medicare telehealth policy, including a short-term government funding deal extending key telehealth flexibilities and lasting adjustments released in the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule. Shutdown Deal Extends Temporary Telehealth Flexibilities As part of the agreement that ended the government shutdown, Congress approved and the [...]

Read More... from November 2025 Updates to Medicare Telehealth Policy

It’s been a few weeks since Medicare telehealth flexibilities expired, and across the U.S., patients are experiencing the effects of these changes.   Northern California resident, Charis Hill, learned on Oct. 7 that Medicare would no longer cover telehealth visits. Hill, who had regular virtual sessions with their doctor to manage ankylosing spondylitis, was told to [...]

Read More... from Medicare’s Reduced Telehealth Coverage Puts Access and Care at Risk 

Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released several important updates regarding Medicare telehealth policies following the expiration of legislative waivers on September 30, 2025. These changes, outlined in a special edition of the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Newsletter and an updated Telehealth FAQ, address claims processing, payment policies, and in-person [...]

Read More... from New Medicare Telehealth Guidance from CMS

On September 30, some of the federal COVID-era telehealth waivers expired, resulting in a rollback of coverage for several telehealth services under Medicare. This shift has left many providers and patients uncertain about what virtual care options would remain available. “The good news: there was no opposition in the House to the bill/continuing resolution that [...]

Read More... from Virginia Medicaid Announces Telehealth Flexibility Continues

When Dilshad Charania immigrated from India 25 years ago, she knew she wanted to use her native language as an asset. After working as a court interpreter for several years, she was introduced to interpreting in the behavioral health setting in 2017.  “That was a life changing decision for me because this training was organized [...]

Read More... from Breaking Language Barriers: Training Interpreters for Behavioral Health

Updated: 10/3/2025. For the most recent information about the telehealth cliff and how to prepare, visit the Telehealth Resource Center.  At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress and federal agencies moved quickly to relax restrictions on telehealth. Providers were allowed to see patients across state lines, prescribe medications via telehealth, and bill Medicare and [...]

Read More... from Preparing for the End of Telehealth Flexibilities

Facing a sobering assessment of the health disparities experienced by residents of Southwest Virginia – a region that holds some of the highest mortality rates in the country – a coalition of organizations has developed a comprehensive plan for improving regional wellbeing. Called the Blueprint for Health Improvement and Health-Enabled Prosperity, the 42-page report identified [...]

Read More... from Southwest Virginia’s “Blueprint” for a Healthier Future Includes Focus on Telehealth

As temporary COVID-era telehealth flexibilities approach expiration in fall 2025, federal lawmakers are debating how to shape the future of Medicare telehealth coverage. The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is tracking 20 bills that could change how telehealth is reimbursed under Medicare. Two of the most comprehensive proposals are the CONNECT for Health Act [...]

Read More... from What’s Next for Medicare Telehealth? A Look at the CONNECT Act and Telehealth Coverage Act of 2025

The Pew Research Center defines members of Gen Z as anyone born between 1997 and 2012, making the average age for the second-youngest generation between 13 and 28 years old. Because Gen Z grew up with the internet as part of their daily lives, these young people are often referred to as “digital natives” who [...]

Read More... from Gen Z and Telehealth

Virginia’s Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waivers provide critical supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and fund a wide range of services — from personal care and job coaching to behavioral therapy and residential support — tailored to each individual’s needs. More providers are using telehealth to deliver services that used to be in person. [...]

Read More... from Understanding Virginia’s DD Waivers and Telehealth

With many areas of the country confronting physician shortages, particularly in rural America, a growing number of states are dropping the requirement that doctors who received their medical training overseas complete a U.S. residency before they can obtain a full medical license. Virginia is among nine states since 2023 that no longer require a second [...]

Read More... from Expanding Primary Care with Telehealth and Primary Care Medical Technicians

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) recently reviewed and summarized telehealth reimbursement policies from two major private insurers: UnitedHealthcare (UHC) and Aetna. Using publicly available information, the analysis highlights key features across both payers, offering insight into the shifting landscape of private telehealth coverage. UnitedHealthcare (UHC) UHC’s Telehealth/Virtual Health Policy applies to all commercial [...]

Read More... from New Insights into Private Payer Telehealth Policies from the Center for Connected Health Policy

Telehealth has helped connect countless individuals with mental health services. While virtual therapy is convenient and accessible for many patients, providers should consider that some people may be apprehensive due to limited experience with technology, concerns around confidentiality, or the lack of the personal connection that in-person sessions can provide.  For Mental Health Awareness Month, [...]

Read More... from Best Practices for Virtual Therapy Sessions

True patient care goes beyond an exam room, diagnoses, or treatment plan. Social drivers of health have a profound impact on a person’soverall wellbeing, and factors like access to nutritious food, stable housing, reliable transportation, and economic stability often determine how successful a treatment plan will be. To support providers, community health workers, educators, and [...]

Read More... from Online Tool Helps Providers Address Social Drivers of Health for Patients

We’ve seen many instances where telehealth has proven to be an essential tool for connecting patients of all different walks of life to quality care. As part of one of VTN’s central initiatives, we aim to deliver resources to Virginia’s network of health care professionals to help providers in doing so.   From addressing the unique [...]

Read More... from Resources for Enhancing Access to Quality Care via Telehealth

During the Public Health Emergency, Congress enacted several temporary measures that waived certain restrictions concerning telehealth coverage under Medicare, greatly improving health care access for Medicare patients. While these waivers have been extended several times since their adoption, it is possible they will expire in 2025. Originally, Medicare telehealth waivers were set to expire on [...]

Read More... from Medicare Telehealth Changes: Impacts, Challenges, and Strategies for Virginia Providers and Patients

Photo Caption: Dr. Karen Rheuban, VTN Board Chair, testifies during the 2025 Virginia General Assembly. Updated: March 26, 2025 The Virginia General Assembly adjourned its 45-day legislative session on the evening of February 22, 2025. Over the course of the session, the House of Delegates and Senate introduced a total of 1,994 bills – 1,236 [...]

Read More... from 2025 General Assembly Sine Die and Governor’s Update

For many families, accessing timely health care isn’t as simple as making an appointment. Working parents may struggle to take time off, transportation challenges can make doctor visits difficult and long wait times for appointments can mean kids may go without the care they need. These barriers are especially tough on families with school-age children, [...]

Read More... from School-Based Telehealth Clinics Launch in Hampton and Harrisonburg

Updated – February 20, 2025 In the 2025 Virginia General Assembly, legislators introduced numerous telehealth-related bills and budget items, driven by the work of the Joint Commission of Health Care, the House Select Committee on Rural and Small-Town Healthcare, and other legislative committees and commissions. While unfortunately, not every initiative expanding telehealth services was possible [...]

Read More... from 2025 Virginia General Assembly: Telehealth-Related Bills and Budget Amendments

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are critical in providing timely and life-saving care to patients in emergency situations. As the health care landscape evolves, telehealth can play a vital role in expediting patient care during emergency situations. For instance, UVA Health utilizes a telestroke program that allows for real-time stroke evaluation, improving care efficiency during transport. [...]

Read More... from Benchmarking EMS Engagement in Telehealth

More and more individuals and organizations are recognizing telehealth’s potential, boosted by a Yale study validating that it offers the same effectiveness as in-person care in certain scenarios. This growing acceptance and application were evident by the various causes being advanced to support its growth. As the year comes to a close, let’s reflect on [...]

Read More... from Advancements in Telehealth: A Recap of Progress in 2024

UPDATED (12/18/2024): Federal waivers for Medicare telehealth policies were set to expire on December 31, 2024. This week, Congress reached a tentative budget deal, largely offsetting the 2.8% Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cut, providing a 2.5% payment increase while extending telehealth flexibilities and addressing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).  Extended telehealth flexibilities include removing geographic requirements, [...]

Read More... from Medicare Waivers Set to Expire May Be Extended Through 2026

UPDATE (January 27, 2025) — According to the Center for Connected Health Policy, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released three new rules impacting prescribing controlled substances via telehealth, including the long-awaited regulations regarding establishing a telehealth prescribing registration process that was first mandated by Congress back in 2008. While the registration regulation is a proposed [...]

Read More... from DEA Grants Third Temporary Extension of Flexibilities for Tele-Prescribing Controlled Substances

Across industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we operate. For health care providers, deploying AI in their practice can enhance patient outcomes and streamline everyday clinical operations. However, it’s also important to be aware of the concerns surrounding AI in health care, including data privacy, biases, and regulatory and ethical issues.   During the [...]

Read More... from Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Delivery

In today’s digital age, virtual therapy has become an essential tool for providing mental health support. While it offers convenience and accessibility, it also presents unique challenges in creating the same level of emotional safety and connection as in-person sessions. For mental health providers, ensuring that patients feel secure, supported, and understood in a virtual [...]

Read More... from Best Practices for Creating a Safe Space in a Virtual Therapy Session

During the 2024 Virginia Telehealth Network Summit, Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance (BRTA) received the inaugural VTN Innovator Award for its work to expand access to behavioral health care in the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck regions of rural Virginia.   The VTN Innovator Award celebrates the unique and groundbreaking ways health care providers, clinics, and organizations [...]

Read More... from Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance Receives Inaugural VTN Innovator Award

Earlier this year under the leadership of House Speaker Don Scott, the Virginia House of Delegates launched the Select Committee for Rural and Small-Town Health Care to study challenges faced by rural counties and small towns in accessing quality health care. The committee is tasked with developing actionable recommendations by November 15, 2024, that will [...]

Read More... from Advancing Rural and Small-Town Health Care

As the conversation around health equity grows louder, it is imperative to understand the unique challenges patients face and explore actionable solutions to bridge the gap. We recently shared best practices for building a foundation for equitable initiatives through learning and understanding. While awareness and knowledge are essential, meaningful change requires taking concrete actions to [...]

Read More... from Best Practices for Equitable Patient Support

Each July, as part of BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month, health care organizations and professionals bring awareness to the unique challenges Black, Indigenous, and people of color face in accessing mental health care. During this observance, those in the field can advocate for mental well-being within their communities by sharing information that destigmatizes therapy and [...]

Read More... from Approaching Equity in Your Practice

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently put forth a proposed rule that would extend certain telehealth waivers through 2025. Among them: Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics would continue to be able to bill for non-behavioral health telehealth services. Providers would continue to be allowed to report enrolled practice addresses [...]

Read More... from CMS Issues Proposed Rule Governing Telehealth for 2025

As part of ongoing efforts to monitor the impact of telehealth on Virginia’s patients and health care providers, the Virginia Telehealth Network (VTN) conducts a periodic “Benchmarking Telehealth Usage in Virginia” survey of actively practicing licensed health care providers across the Commonwealth. This research effort offers context regarding Virginia’s current and future needs with virtual [...]

Read More... from Telehealth Continues to Offer More Accessible Care According to Virginia’s Health Care Providers

Birth in Color Telehealth Listening Project Report Cover Photo. Source: Birth in Color Like many states, Virginia has vast deserts when it comes to OBGYN and reproductive health care, causing disparities in access to care for many. To gain a comprehensive understanding about the effectiveness in using telehealth in reproductive and maternal health care, reproductive [...]

Read More... from Successes and barriers in virtual reproductive health care in Virginia

Mental Health Awareness Month is in full swing and with it, a reminder of the importance of maintaining mental wellness. Across the country mental health conditions are a persistent challenge with more than 20% of adults (approximately 50 million) experiencing a mental illness every year, according to  the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Factors [...]

Read More... from Mental Health Awareness Month: How Telehealth is Breaking Down Barriers to Accessible Care

There’s an age-old paradigm when it comes to the adoption of new technology. As users move to embrace the ease and convenience that comes with technological progress, the speed at which the technology is being adopted often outpaces the practical implications around it. That leaves policymakers as well as those involved in the whole structural [...]

Read More... from As telemedicine has evolved, clarity on coverage has become all the more important

Over the last several years, patients and providers alike have recognized the efficiency of telehealth, and today it holds particular promise for the one in nine Virginians with a disability. However, the adoption of telehealth across the Commonwealth often faces hurdles due to the limited availability of broadband access. Four years ago, an estimated half-million [...]

Read More... from Community Connections Hold Key to Expanding Telehealth Access, Report Says

Across the country, Substance Use Disorder (SUD) continues to be one of the most prevalent challenges faced by many: in 2023, 15.35% of Americans were reported to be battling substance use disorder according to data from Mental Health America. Of those, 93.5% did not receive any form of treatment. Stigma, cost, and geographical barriers have [...]

Read More... from Laying the Groundwork for Virtual Substance Use Disorder Treatment Models in Correctional Facilities

The swift growth of telehealth rapidly transformed health care delivery. Flexibilities during the Public Health Emergency enabled providers to adopt new ways in how telehealth technologies can be used, ranging from text messaging portals and eConsultations to video sessions with patients or other providers.  As providers and patients alike quickly adjusted to new models of [...]

Read More... from Considerations for Patient Safety in Telehealth Delivery

As telehealth has revolutionized the way health care services are delivered, providing convenient and accessible options for patients, the importance of considering cultural nuance in care delivery is just as important in virtual care as it is in-person. According to national survey trends in telehealth from the HHS’ Office of Health Policy, telehealth utilization was [...]

Read More... from Cultivating Inclusive Telehealth Experiences for Patients with Different Backgrounds

According to the Virginia Department of Health, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in Virginia. Most stroke patients do not arrive to the hospital in time, leading to increased death and permanent disability. UVA Health’s SCOPES (Strengthening Community Paramedicine and Emergency Services) program aims to bridge the gap by enhancing telehealth capabilities of [...]

Read More... from EMS and Telehealth: UVA Health Enhances Workforce Development, Immediate Care for Stroke Patients

The breadth and depth of Virginia’s mental health crisis is harrowing. According to Mental Health America, Virginia is in the bottom-third of states when it comes to access to mental health services. Additionally, the latest data from the Health Resources & Services Administration states that every locality throughout the state is experiencing a shortage of [...]

Read More... from Strengthening Virginia’s Mental Health Workforce with Telehealth

The year 2023 has proven to be pivotal for telehealth, as legislators in Virginia and across the country took significant steps to ensure continued flexibility and encourage the use of telehealth services. We’re grateful to work alongside many leaders at the forefront of this movement towards a shared goal of enhancing innovative health care solutions. [...]

Read More... from Telehealth Triumphs: A Recap of Wins in 2023

Telehealth can help in connecting patients of all different backgrounds to essential services, but one critical barrier that exists is accessing care for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Identifying solutions can be challenging but two free and charitable clinics in Richmond have identified ways to get care to these individuals. At CrossOver Healthcare Ministry [...]

Read More... from Optimizing Care for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently announced another extension of the temporary telehealth rules for prescribing controlled substances. The first extension was announced earlier this year, just ahead of the end of the Public Health Emergency. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key points of this extension and the implications for health care providers [...]

Read More... from DEA Grants Second Temporary Extension of Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescribing Controlled Substances

Each year, the Virginia Telehealth Network (VTN) conducts an annual survey to better understand how Virginia’s licensed providers are using telehealth and identify areas they feel can improve. More than 10,000 health care professionals took part in both the inaugural survey in 2021 and the latest survey, which was released in 2023. This year, we found [...]

Read More... from Benefits of Telehealth and Needed Areas of Improvement, According to Virginia’s Licensed Providers

Q&A: w/ Heather Anderson, Virginia Department of Health When the Virginia State Office of Rural Health began taking steps toward updating the Commonwealth’s Rural Health Plan, it took a step back to ask a foundational question: What is a healthy community? The answer to that query has helped to shape the 2022-2026 Virgina Rural Health [...]

Read More... from The Role of Telehealth in Virginia’s Rural Health Plan

Nicole (Nikki) Kemp, NP-C of Bernard Healthcare Center in Rocky Mount, Va. is providing hope for her patients by talking openly about how important mental health care is to meeting the overall health needs of her patients. Earlier this year, Bernard Healthcare Center began offering free teletherapy to eligible patients of the clinic through the [...]

Read More... from Breaking the Stigma: Supporting Access to Mental Health Care for Southwest Virginians

During a recent VTN webinar Senator Barbara Favola shared insight on the current state of telehealth legislation in Virginia and where the legislature could take us in the future. She is a champion of human rights and an advocate for increasing access to quality care in Virginia via telehealth. “The General Assembly has really embraced [...]

Read More... from Sen. Favola Shares Current and Future State of Telehealth in Virginia

President Biden announced a massive new federal law that promises to give millions of Americans – finally – access to broadband. It’s an initiative with wide-ranging implications. Just as the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 connected rural America to the electrical power grid, bringing electricity into their homes for the first time, the Broadband Equity, [...]

Read More... from Expanded Broadband Access Will be Game-Changer for Telehealth in Rural Virginia

Telehealth among older adults increased from 13,000 weekly telehealth visits pre-pandemic to a near 1.7 million weekly visits during April 2020, the majority of which were by Medicare beneficiaries. Earlier this year, the University of Virginia Health System along with the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center at UVA Health, as well as other partners, launched the [...]

Read More... from UVA Health Helping Ensure Quality Telehealth Care for Older Adults

As the dust settles from the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE), vast changes in health policy continue to follow. This month’s round-up focuses on the effect the end of the PHE has had on health insurance, the role of telehealth in curbing mental health struggles, the cost of employer-sponsored telehealth versus in-person care, [...]

Read More... from Up to The Minute: PHE and Telehealth News – June 2023

More than 10,000 health care professionals took part in VTN’s second annual survey to benchmark telehealth usage throughout Virginia. RICHMOND, Va., June 13, 2023 – A recent survey of Virginia health care professionals finds that eight in 10 (80%) providers using telehealth saw improvements in their patients’ continuity of care, and nearly nine in 10 [...]

Read More... from Virginia Telehealth Survey Finds Growth in Provider Confidence

Felecia Smith’s primary job is to help ensure that individuals who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing can get access to information. Her main objective for becoming a Virginia Telehealth Network member is to educate health care providers of their obligations to Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients and the ways in which their practices [...]

Read More... from Enhancing Telehealth for Patients who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

This round-up is dedicated to the latest news about telehealth use, the expiration of the Public Health Emergency (PHE), and the importance of maintaining access to telehealth moving forward. Below you will find new reports on how increased telehealth access is cutting health care costs in rural areas, information about a new bill that will [...]

Read More... from Up to The Minute: PHE Updates and Telehealth News

As we approach the end of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, it’s important to reflect on the breadth and depth of mental health issues across the country. Virtually every adult agrees the country is facing a mental health crisis, as nearly a third of U.S. adults report feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Younger generations [...]

Read More... from Mental Health Awareness Month: Increasing Mental Health Resources

Two days before a proposed rule change by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulating the prescribing of controlled substances via telemedicine was set to take effect, the agency issued a temporary rule to extend COVID-era telehealth prescribing flexibilities for another six months, through November 11, 2023.   Apparently, the DEA was listening. The agency received some [...]

Read More... from Tele-Prescribing Flexibilities Extended Just Ahead of PHE Expiration

Continued access to telehealth services will remain a priority for health care providers across the country when the Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends on May 11. This news roundup highlights extended legislative flexibilities regarding telehealth in Virginia, how telehealth has helped reduce fatal overdose risk, a new bill seeking to eliminate deductibles and increase telehealth, [...]

Read More... from In the News: Permanent and Proposed Rules Regarding End of PHE

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) released Virginia’s first State Telehealth Plan in 2021 to promote an integrated approach to the introduction and use of telehealth services in the Commonwealth. By law, the Plan includes provisions for the use of remote patient monitoring services and store-and-forward technologies as well as the promotion of the inclusion [...]

Read More... from Enhancing Virginia’s State Telehealth Plan

During the height of the pandemic, telehealth quickly became the vehicle of choice for the medical community, and the declaration of a national health emergency gave federal agencies, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance, increased flexibility in addressing people’s health needs. The Public Health Emergency (PHE) will soon expire, and with it, most of [...]

Read More... from How the End of Emergency Provisions Will Impact Telehealth

This news roundup highlights various new studies about behavioral health needs and the industry’s effort to meet new demands, a new statistic showing the use of telehealth services by individuals who travel, a spike in telehealth care use for marginalized groups in the United States, and the concern for telehealth service apps. New Report Calls [...]

Read More... from In the News: Recent Studies Show Telehealth’s Role in Meeting Emerging Health Care Needs

There is a great need for behavioral and mental health services in Virginia. A Mental Health America report ranked Virginia 39th nationwide when it comes to the availability of mental health services for adults, with 125 out of 133 cities and counties in the state designated as Mental Health Professional Shortages Areas. To help expand [...]

Read More... from VTN-Led Initiative Now Offering Free Telemental Health Services Statewide

Telehealth continues to modify and adapt with changes at the state and federal level. This news roundup highlights Virginia legislators’ push to extend telehealth services, what’s next for telehealth at the federal level when the public health emergency ends, and various telehealth initiatives sprouting throughout Virginia to address gaps in health care. Senator Warner and [...]

Read More... from In the News: How will the end of the PHE impact telehealth policies?

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Untreated cavities can lead to pain, infection, missed school time, and even trouble eating, talking, or socializing. Despite the importance of oral health, not all children have equal access to dental care. But now, new advances in virtual dentistry is helping change that. [...]

Read More... from How Virginia Health Catalyst is Expanding Teledentistry in Virginia’s Public Schools

It’s been a busy news cycle in December with updates and announcements related to telehealth in Virginia and beyond, including legislative news that could impact accessibility to care, brand new virtual mental health services as part of a statewide initiative, and Governor Glenn Youngkin’s multi-million-dollar behavioral health plan. Read more in our last edition of [...]

Read More... from In the News: New telemental health program seeing patients in Virginia

The spike in Medicare claims for telemedicine appointments drew the attention of federal watchdog agencies. Regulators wanted to be sure that billing practices in the telehealth realm were following prescribed guidelines, especially given the fact that so many providers were still relatively new to telemedicine protocols. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) undertook [...]

Read More... from Federal Audit Shows Telehealth Providers Complying with Medicare Billing Practices

While telehealth may have been perceived as a temporary fix during the height of the pandemic, we’re seeing a push for it to become a standard for receiving care as well as new technologies to support these exciting next steps. This month’s news roundup includes telehealth for managing hypertension and reducing appointment no-shows; virtual care [...]

Read More... from In the News: Advancements in Telehealth

Within medical circles, the pivot from in-the-office appointments to virtual ones via telehealth has proven for some to be tricky – both from a logistics standpoint and the ways in which health care providers interact with their patients. Here’s a rundown of what many providers have learned as they see more and more patients via [...]

Read More... from Tips for Improving Telehealth for Your Patients

Each month, VTN highlights five articles sharing updates, announcements and the latest on telehealth in Virginia and beyond. This edition includes pending legislative updates that will impact Medicare, the growing industry of teledentistry, and telehealth programs that are bringing care to students at school. Increasing Telemental Health Access to Students According to the CDC, more [...]

Read More... from In the News: Bringing Telehealth to Students

Telehealth served not only as a solution for Bradley Free Clinic, and many other clinics and providers, to be able to see existing mental health patients during the onset of the pandemic, but it allowed Bradley to support its community when the demand for mental health skyrocketed. In just over two years, Bradley increased its mental health [...]

Read More... from Supporting Roanoke’s exploding demand while growing recourses

Each month, VTN highlights five articles sharing updates, announcements and the latest on telehealth in Virginia and beyond. This edition includes collaborative efforts in Southwest Virginia to increase access to telehealth, how virtual care may benefit the economy and legislative updates that will impact Medicare coverage.  Southwest Virginia Library Creates a Telehealth Office Earlier this [...]

Read More... from In the News: Investing in Telehealth Solutions

In the New River Valley region, one out of six people don’t have access to regular transportation. Additionally, the area isn’t abundant with medical or dental providers, and many practices don’t accept Medicaid, specifically in the dental field. To help address these issues, the Community Health Center of the New River Valley (CHCNRV) launched a [...]

Read More... from Dental Care During Class: Community Health Center of the New River Valley Brings Teledentistry to Public School Systems

For most mental health providers, the COVID-era transition from in-person sessions to virtual ones was a challenge, even for those with clients who had ready access to broadband internet. Communicating through a computer or cell phone does not come second nature to all, especially when your client is five years old.  When the world shut [...]

Read More... from For Mental Health Therapy, “Meeting Kids Where They Are” Might Best be Online

Now that patients, health care workers and policymakers can widen the lens on telehealth’s impact beyond an emergency response, the benefits are innumerable. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers the new national suicide hotline, federal funding for expanded telehealth access, telehealth easing the burden of high gas prices and reducing antibiotic use in [...]

Read More... from Telehealth News Updates: July 2022

From remote patient monitoring to teletherapy, minor medical visits and more, we’ve seen the versatility in which telehealth can be used across health care systems. And it became a saving grace for treatment and recovery for people with substance use disorders, especially during the pandemic. According to the CDC, 13% of Americans reported starting or [...]

Read More... from Telehealth for Substance Use Disorder

Over the last two years, concerns about mental health and substance abuse have grown, and issues around accessibility and affordability continue to be pervasive. Now, insurance companies and industry leaders are trying to adapt. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up highlights insurance coverage of telemental health, telemental diagnoses, changes in Medicaid and mental health [...]

Read More... from In the News – The Need for Telemental Health Care

We’ve spent a lot of time in these pages showcasing the many ways that physicians, mental health professionals and medical practices are employing telehealth around the commonwealth. We’ve documented the tectonic shift that took place at the outset of the pandemic, how the embrace of telemedicine provided a safe and effective lifeline between health practitioners [...]

Read More... from The Future of Telehealth: Where Do We Go from Here?

In marketing speak, Rick Mitchell is what we call an “early adopter,” the kind of consumer that is often a pioneer in embracing new technologies. They’re the folks who aren’t afraid to try new products and then let the rest of us know that it’s fine to jump in after them, that the water is [...]

Read More... from An Unlikely Legacy of Telemental Health from far Southwest Virginia

As we enter the next phase of the pandemic, telehealth remains a prevalent tool in increasing access to various types of care. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers tips for reducing clinician burnout, how telehealth is being used in emergency medicine, tools experts are using to assess digital health literacy, why teletherapy is [...]

Read More... from Telehealth in the News: The Versatility of Telehealth

By now you’ve heard the story about the healthcare provider whose world turned topsy-turvy during the pandemic, only to realize that employing telehealth into their practice could transport them into a world approaching normalcy.  Then, two years later they come to realize that telemedicine has so many advantages that they decide to make it a [...]

Read More... from Expanding and Integrating Care through Telehealth

Virginia Telehealth Network’s Benchmarking Telehealth Usage in Virginia survey revealed the many benefits of telehealth, like increased flexibility for providers and patients. Another important benefit the survey findings illustrate is how telehealth is increasing mental health access for Virginians. The survey report finds that 97% of behavioral and mental health providers in the state expanded [...]

Read More... from VTN Study Points to Importance of Telehealth for Increasing Access to Mental Health Services

As a push comes for a “return to normal,” it is apparent how valuable telehealth is for many populations. As medical professionals and policymakers determine a path forward they must address the barriers to access for certain populations and work towards an equitable future for telehealth. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers legislation [...]

Read More... from Telehealth in the News: Telehealth as a Lifeline

Telehealth can be challenging for those who aren’t familiar or comfortable with technology, but patients whose first language is not English face another set of barriers. Patients with limited English language proficiency (LEP) are historically less likely to visit the doctor and less likely to get preventative care services, regardless of health status, access to [...]

Read More... from Improving Access to Telehealth for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

Even as the pandemic appears to be winding down, the effects and implications of the last two years likely will be felt for months, even years down the road. The healthcare industry, in particular, has found new avenues for reaching those in need, with telehealth at the forefront of those changes in patient care. The [...]

Read More... from Telehealth in the News: Access to care for patients with Medicare and the future of telehealth

In the fall of 2021, the Virginia Telehealth Network conducted a research initiative to better understand how the pandemic was changing the landscape of telehealth as well as pain points and needs of both providers and patients. Thanks to partners, including the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Health Professions and numerous association partners, [...]

Read More... from Telehealth Benefits, Challenges and Needs, According to Virginia’s Licensed Providers

As telehealth’s barriers become more evident, medical leaders and politicians are coming up with solutions to address these challenges. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers legislation that would extend COVID-19 emergency telehealth waivers, how telehealth increased access to follow up-visits for Black patients, a Virginia free clinic receiving funding for telehealth reach, and [...]

Read More... from Telehealth in the News: Updates in Legislation and Increased Access to Care

The staff and faculty at Germanna Community College have known for a long time that their students face non-academic barriers, many of which were exacerbated by the pandemic. That’s why advisors, faculty and staff have worked hard to provide holistic support to students. Over the last two years, there has been an increase in demand [...]

Read More... from Virginia’s Community Colleges provide students with free, virtual mental health care

Not just Spanish, but Mongolian is no problemo At first blush, the story is a familiar one. Facing a national health crisis without the ability to see patients in person, a healthcare provider makes the predictable transition to telemedicine, and along the way, discovers that what seemed for a long time like a complicated, pie-in-the-sky [...]

Read More... from In Arlington, Language Barriers No Obstacle for Telehealth

The past two years have been full of change, growth and learning as health care professionals, clinics and medical infrastructures quickly adapted to meet the growing demand for telehealth. Along the way, VTN has been hard at work to promote and enhance telehealth offerings across the commonwealth. Part of that work included a multipronged statewide [...]

Read More... from Benchmarking Telehealth in Virginia

Telehealth isn’t going away any time soon. The last two years have allowed health care leaders to reflect on the implementation of telehealth across medical fields and determine how to best incorporate virtual care. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers bridging the digital divide with audio-only monitoring, strengthening digital strategies beyond the pandemic [...]

Read More... from Telehealth Updates in the News: January 2022

The lingering pandemic has for two years been the country’s most-pressing public health priority. But while COVID-19 has been the understandable focus during that time, the health issue that the virus eclipsed in attention has not gone away. Hospitalizations and deaths as the result of opioid overdoses continue at alarming rates. Since 2013, the leading [...]

Read More... from The forgotten crisis? How one organization is deploying telehealth to address opioid treatment

Like so many mental health practitioners, Dr. Michael Greelis made the transition to teletherapy a bit begrudgingly, recognizing that in the throes of a pandemic, you really don’t have much of a choice. A licensed professional counselor in Northern Virginia since 1995, his practice up until March 2020 had been exclusively a traditional one – [...]

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Curating the latest updates, news and announcements related to telehealth in the U.S. As organizations across the country continue to adapt to the pandemic’s ever-changing environment, finding resources that meet people’s health needs is critical. Telehealth has proven to be an invaluable tool for providers and patients. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers [...]

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As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many physicians and healthcare organizations have turned to telehealth to address patients’ care needs. While critical to preventing the virus’s spread and preserving personal protective equipment, this move can exacerbate an equity gap in care for some. The federal government has implemented programs that provide more latitude for physicians [...]

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Curating the latest updates, news and announcements related to telehealth in the U.S. Telemedicine has proven to be a valuable tool for bringing care to underserved communities, but access to telehealth services can be influenced by many factors across the nation, like access to broadband. Efforts to address these gaps are being made to ensure [...]

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This past summer, the Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VACHA), the nonprofit organization that represents the interests of Virginia’s 30 community health centers (and look-alike centers), released research it had commissioned related to the use of telemedicine, especially how COVID-19 had affected its use. To the extent possible (since a great deal of data is not [...]

Read More... from New Research Shows the Reality – and the Promise – of Telemedicine

When the Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance (BRTA) was created about seventeen years ago, there was a pioneering spirit among the member healthcare providers serving Virginia’s Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck. At the time, the promise of telemedicine helping expand access to care and reducing health disparities was still more aspirational than practical. After all, there [...]

Read More... from Telehealth Growing Pains: Bay Rivers Telehealth Alliance Strives to Maintain Its Pandemic-Fueled Momentum

While telehealth is an instrumental tool in expanding access to health care for underserved localities, demographics and others in need, it’s nearly impossible to conduct without access to broadband – for both providers and patients. And in today’s day and age, it is an essential need for quality living. That’s why the state of Virginia [...]

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Image sourced from healthaffairs.org Curating the latest updates, news and announcements related to telehealth in the U.S. The landscape of telehealth is changing every day. The adoption of telehealth soared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has become an integral platform for healthcare. Laws have been updated to accommodate the changing landscape of telehealth. [...]

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How Virginia’s oldest free clinic transitioned to telehealth Richmond’s Health Brigade has a long history of meeting patients where they are. Created more than a half century ago in Richmond’s “Fan” district – a largely residential neighborhood that gave the community health clinic its first name – the former Fan Free Clinic became the first [...]

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Transitioning to virtual learning was tough on students, especially for students who had difficulty performing in the classroom. Students with limitations that impact their senses, coordination, executive functioning, communication and/or behavior can find remote learning even more of a challenge. It’s why Chesterfield County Public Schools, which provides Occupational Therapy services for its students, introduced [...]

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Michelle Allen is an occupational therapist for Chesterfield County Public Schools and serves students privately through Treehouse Pediatric Therapy. In the school system, occupational therapists help students access their social and academic environments, which completely changed during the pandemic. “In an in-person classroom, we might be looking at positioning for seating or how students use [...]

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