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 latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers legislation that extends telehealth services for patients with Medicare and how telehealth is assisting social workers and nursing home residents, and we take a peek at the future for telehealth.
Congress passes bill to extend telehealth policies adopted during the pandemic
Congress has taken a huge step in securing the future of telehealth provisions. The omnibus spending bill has extended the telehealth policies adopted during the start of the pandemic. The move allows Medicare patients to continue to receive telehealth services regardless of where they live. The bill also delays the in-person requirement for mental health services under Medicare and allows for audio-only telehealth services for those in rural communities who don’t have access to two-way audio-visual communications. Learn more about the new legislation and its impact.
The future of telehealth as a permanent part of care
Telehealth consultations all but took over during the height of the pandemic, but questions remain around whether they will find permanence across medical care practices. Even though more than 80% of patients are satisfied with telehealth, many doctors have regarded telehealth largely as a temporary add-on, not as a replacement for key visits. Until there are more substantial reforms to healthcare delivery, it’s likely that telehealth will continue to see resistance from some providers as they navigate their needs and those of their patients. Read more about the current state of telehealth and its future.
Telemedicine Helped Nursing Home Residents Avoid ER Visits
A study by the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that skilled nursing facilities were able to limit emergency room visits after implementing a more robust telemedicine program. Findings showed the SNFs were able to identify changes in resident conditions using telemedicine with 42% of the patients requiring further evaluation. Of those, 30% had to be transferred to the emergency room while nearly 70% were able to remain at the SNF for treatment, limiting transportation concerns and potential exposure to infectious agents. Learn more about the findings here.
People with disabilities left behind by telemedicine
Telemedicine has offered flexibility for many patients and provided new avenues of care. But for people with disabilities, telehealth has highlighted inadequacies in the system. Reports found, for example, that deaf and blind patients are being denied interpreters, confronting inaccessible websites for vaccine registration and encountering problems performing at-home Covid tests. Barriers for the disabled have always existed, but the pandemic has made these shortcomings more readily apparent. Read more about how telehealth is affecting patients with disabilities.
Telehealth-enabled social services helped boost patient satisfaction
According to a Mayo Clinic study, using a tablet to connect patients virtually with social workers during primary care visits resulted in high satisfaction levels. The study sample included 22 telehealth-enabled social worker visits for 18 patients over 37 days. The satisfaction rating was found to be a 4.7 out of five as comments were overall positive and strong feedback on the use of tablets also was included. Learn more about the use of telehealth in social services.
As things begin to move towards a new normal, questions remain as to whether these new provisions are here to stay or there will be a return to more traditional platforms of care. Telehealth has provided many opportunities to reach more people but has also come with its own set of challenges amid shifting attitudes about how care is delivered.
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