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 ease barriers to virtual mental health care for those with Medicare, telehealth use through the lens of a Veteran Affairs nurse, and takeaways of primary care leaders’ discussion about guidelines for telehealth post-PHE.
The Future of Tele-Prescribing for Addiction Treatment
According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, telehealth treatment related to addiction led to lower odds of an overdose. But the DEA’s proposed rule in February would have prohibited tele-prescribing for certain medications, including buprenorphine, a major treatment for substance use disorder.
Thanks to 38,000 public comments, the DEA decided to temporarily extend pandemic-era flexibilities.
“These are life-changing medications for people that they’re no longer going to be able to access,” said Kelly Dunn, the Director for Clinical Treatment at Oklahoma State University. Dunn predicts the DEA will likely try to allow easier access in general while regulating treatments with potential for abuse.
Read the full story by Scripps News.
Expanded Telehealth Access Can Cut Millions in Rural Health Costs
According to a new report released by the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice, expanding broadband infrastructure in rural areas and increasing telehealth access could lead to millions in health care cost savings. The report examined the most common health issues in 10 counties in rural Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi and modeled cost savings that could result from improved internet connectivity and increased telehealth access. Overall, health care cost savings from telehealth interventions could total almost $43 million annually.
Read the full findings of this study in mHealth Intelligence.
Column: Telehealth Through the Eyes of a Veterans Affairs Nurse
Janell Porter, RN is the telehealth coordinator for the Sheridan Veterans Affairs Health Care System. A recent column published during Nurses Week highlights her journey in nursing and use of telehealth. Her career began as a small-town hospital nurse in eastern Montana, and today she works to identify and maximize opportunities for telehealth use at Sheridan Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Porter has worked in a variety of health care settings and cared for all types of patients with different conditions and lifestyles that have made it more difficult to access care. The evolution of telehealth has allowed the elimination of barriers such as lack of transportation, long wait times for appointments, and the need to travel long distances for care.
Read Porter’s column in The Sheridan Press.
Legislators Reintroduce Bill Aimed at Easing Barriers to Virtual Mental Health Care in Medicare
On May 16, 2023, the Telemental Health Care Access Act was reintroduced in the House of Representatives. This bill aims to address barriers for accessing virtual behavioral and mental health care for Medicare beneficiaries. The bill focuses on eliminating a requirement that Medicare beneficiaries must visit their doctor in person within six months of a virtual visit for mental and behavioral health concerns. Various organizations such as the American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association have expressed support for the bill.
Read the full analysis in Fierce Healthcare.
Primary Care Leaders Want Clearer Telehealth Triage Guidelines Post-PHE
Virtual interviews with 25 primary care practice leaders in Florida and New York have revealed numerous obstacles to telehealth implementation including the desire for more solidified guidelines for telehealth following the end of the PHE. Researchers interviewed 25 leaders representing 87 primary care practices and found that 13 respondents had telehealth capabilities to some extent in their practices, but very few had been offering telemedicine at a meaningful capacity. Researchers were able to identify various themes relating to implementation of telehealth including prior experiences with virtual health platforms by both patients and physicians, varied regulations of telehealth across states, unclear triage rules for telehealth visits, and other positive and negative impacts of telehealth.
Read more of the outcomes from these conversations at mHealth Intelligence.
With the end of the PHE comes new questions, challenges, and ideas as we all continue to navigate the future of telehealth together.
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