Staying Up to Date

mhealthintelligence May 19, 2023

CCHP: Telehealth Flexibilities Continued in the Spring of 2023

A new report from CCHP found that state-level telehealth flexibilities for reimbursement and provisions continued to evolve in 2023.

mhealthintelligence May 19, 2023

Legislation Aims to Support Telemental Health Services for Medicare

Two senior members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee reintroduced legislation to sustain telemental health services.

FIERCEHealthcare May 18, 2023

FTC steps up scrutiny of digital health apps with proposed changes to data privacy rule

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tightening the reins on digital health apps sharing consumers' sensitive medical data with tech companies.

HealthcareITNews May 18, 2023

Addiction recovery provider sees success with AI-enabled telehealth meds monitoring

In two years following 100 new-start opioid use disorder patients, Bill Farr says 94% remained in the medication-assisted treatment program – attrition rates had previously hovered around 54%.

mhealthintelligence May 18, 2023

CMS: Hospitals Can Continue to Bill for Remote Outpatient Therapies

The agency stated that providers can bill for several outpatient therapies, including physical and occupational therapy, provided remotely in patients' homes until the end of the year.

Foley & Lardner, LLP May 16, 2023

FDA and SAMHSA Issue Joint Statement in Support of Reducing Barriers to Evidence Based Treatments

On May 9, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a joint statement regarding both agencies’ commitment to providing evidence-based treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD).

CCHP May 16, 2023

Telehealth Policy Summary Report

Today the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is releasing its Summary of state telehealth policy changes for Spring. Additionally, we are also making available a summary chart showing where states stand on many key telehealth policies, as well as an infographic highlighting our key findings. The most current information in CCHP’s online policy finder tool may be exported for each state into a PDF document. Note that the review period for this report was January through March 2023.

HealthcareITNews May 16, 2023

For Oak Orchard, telehealth relieves shortage of medical, dental and mental health pros

The rural health system is in a designated Health Provider Shortage Area. Among many other benefits, virtual care is giving patients access to care they otherwise could not receive without massive travel.

Telehealth.org May 16, 2023

Telepresence: Self-Viewing in Telehealth Visual Communication

During traditional in-person conversations, individuals aren’t usually aware of their facial expressions, body language, or conduct. This changes with visual communication media, such as video chats, where one’s behavior is readily observable during the conversation. This aspect doesn’t seem to go unnoticed, as many video chat users admit they are drawn to watching their own images (O’Gieblyn, 2021).

FIERCEHealthcare May 16, 2023

As COVID-19 recedes, payers face changed coverage landscape

There will never be a return to a pre-pandemic normal in terms of what health insurers, self-insured employers and other payers must cover, but they will in some ways be less burdened as COVID-19 recedes, according to Jeff Levin-Scherz, M.D., the population health leader for health and benefits in North America at Willis Towers Watson.

FIERCEHealthcare May 16, 2023

Legislators reintroduce bill aimed at easing barriers to virtual mental health care in Medicare

A bill reintroduced Tuesday in the House of Representatives aims to address barriers to accessing virtual behavioral and mental health care for Medicare beneficiaries.

mhealthintelligence May 16, 2023

Telehealth Perceptions Vary Among Black Veterans with Chronic Pain

New qualitative research provides insightful details into the mixed opinions of telehealth among Black Veterans battling chronic pain.

CCHP May 15, 2023

Telehealth Policies and Federally Qualified Health Centers FQHC FACT SHEETS / Spring 2023

Supported through funding from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), in the Fall of 2022 the Center for Connected Health Policy’s (CCHP) Policy Finder tool and accompanying telehealth summary report began including a new category dedicated to telehealth Medicaid fee-for-service policies of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). CCHP has continued to maintain the FQHC category in its policy finder and has provided updated information and examples of policy trends below for Spring 2023. The focus on Medicaid policies pertaining to FQHCs is driven by the intricate criteria and requirements that FQHCs must adhere to. The category aims to capture this information in a consolidated way to help FQHCs navigate telehealth Medicaid policy across the United States.

healthleaders May 15, 2023

State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Spring 2023

CMS has an FAQ available for leaders needing to catch up on revenue cycle changes now that the public health emergency (PHE) has ended. The COVID-19 PHE has officially concluded, and to assist providers during this transition, CMS released an FAQ to clarify the end to various waivers and flexibilities affecting the revenue cycle and beyond.

CCPH May 15, 2023

State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Spring 2023

The Center for Connected Health Policy’s (CCHP) Spring 2023 Summary Report of the state telehealth laws and Medicaid program policies is now available as well as updated information on our online Policy Finder tool.

mhealthintelligence May 15, 2023

Virtual Medication Abortions Led to High Patient Satisfaction

New research showed that patients who participated in medication abortions through telehealth felt highly satisfied and relaxed.

mhealthintelligence May 15, 2023

Telehealth Use High Among Older LA Medicaid Beneficiaries in 2020

New research indicates that telehealth claims in December 2020 were high among older Medicaid beneficiaries residing in Louisiana.

healthleaders May 12, 2023

AI MAY BE ON ITS WAY TO YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE, BUT IT'S NOT READY TO SEE PATIENTS

Few in healthcare believe this latest form of AI is about to take their jobs.

HealthAffairs May 12, 2023

Future Directions For Delivering Contraceptive Healthcare Services Via Telehealth

The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade (1973) by the US Supreme Court poses not only a threat to abortion access but also to a broader range of reproductive health care services—not the least of which is contraception. However, bans on contraception do not eliminate demand for these services. Accordingly, it is critical for health care and policy researchers to understand the new digital landscape of contraceptive care—especially how it intersects with existing disparities.

mhealthintelligence May 12, 2023

Patients Prefer Telehealth to In-Person Assessments for Cancer Care

New research found that telehealth-based cancer care led to higher rates of patient satisfaction with access and provider concern compared to in-person encounters.

mhealthintelligence May 11, 2023

HHS: How the End of the PHE Will Impact Telehealth Flexibilities

With the end of the public health emergency comes changes related to pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities, including a renewed focus on HIPAA compliance and new deadlines for certain exceptions.

Health Care Law Today/Foley & Lardner, LLP May 10. 2023

The Role of AI in Health Care M&A: Driving Value in a Difficult Market

Health care merger and acquisition (M&A) activity reached a significant level in 2022, even if not matching 2021’s record-breaking standard. This reflects the overall economy’s holding pattern in which resources are still being deployed strategically, but not at full throttle. At the same time, prognosticators including Moody’s have predicted that dealmaking may remain high over the next 12 to 18 months. This is due to a combination of factors, including pharmaceutical companies seeking to restock their pipelines in the face of approaching patent cliffs and long-term pricing pressure.

Health Care Law Today/Foley & Lardner, LLP May 10. 2023

Florida Passes Bill to Allow Telehealth Renewals for Medical Marijuana

On May 4, 2023, the Florida Legislature passed HB 387 expanding the use of telehealth for medical marijuana recertification. Once signed by Florida Governor, Ron Desantis, the new law will become effective July 1, 2023.

HealthcareITNews May 10, 2023

DEA officially extends remote EPCS flexibilities for 6 months

The ATA applauded the extension through Nov. 11. Working with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the DEA has also offered a one-year grace period for doctor-patient telemedicine relationships established before that date.

Healthleaders May 10, 2023

FAQ: REVIEW PATIENT-CENTERED CHANGES FOR THE END OF THE PHE

Revenue cycle success is closely tied to the patient experience, so make sure to keep the patient in mind and up-to-date as the PHE ends this week.

Health Care Law Today/Foley & Lardner, LLP May 10. 2023

FDA’s New Guidance Proposes Flexible Use of AI in Medical Devices

On April 3, 2023, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its much-anticipated draft guidance, "Marketing Submission Recommendations for a Predetermined Change Control Plan for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Enabled Device Software Functions" (Draft Guidance).

Telehealth.org May 9, 2023

Telemedicine Performance Measures (Telehealth KPIS) Issued by American College of Physicians

The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently issued a policy paper on telemedicine performance measures for physicians providing clinical care. These recommendations can be of relevance to behavioral professionals seeking to interact with the medical community as allowed through an increasing number of collaborative technologies. The ACP recommendations stress the importance of maintaining the quality of performance measures using more precisely defined key performance indicators (KPIS) used to evaluate telehealth care. The paper, “Performance Measures for Physicians Providing Clinical Care Using Telemedicine: A Position Paper from the American College of Physicians,” outlines ways to reduce healthcare gaps. It was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on April 19, 2023.

mhealthintelligence May 9, 2023

DEA Extends Pandemic-Era Waivers for Remote Prescribing of Controlled Substances

The extension of COVID-era waivers for remote prescribing of controlled substances will last another six months, DEA and SAMHSA said.

HEALTHCAREDIVE May 9, 2023

Here’s what will change when the COVID public health emergency ends

The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) is ending this week, make sure your revenue cycle staff are prepared.

mhealthintelligence May 8, 2023

Senators Want Telehealth Flexibilities for OUD Drug Permanently Extended

A group of US Senators wrote a letter to the DEA asking for a permanent extension of telehealth prescribing flexibilities for buprenorphine following the end of the public health emergency.

HealthCareITNews May 8, 2023

FirstHealth offers a powerful look at hybrid telemedicine in action

Many experts say a combination of in-person care with telehealth is the future of telemedicine. FirstHealth of the Carolinas shows how it's done.

mhealthintelligence May 5, 2023

Online Module Aims to Educate Stakeholders on Telehealth Implementation

An online course from the Medical University of South Carolina provides guidance on telehealth implementation and sustainability to virtual care leaders and their teams.

mhealthintelligence May 4, 2023

Incentivizing Hybrid Care Can Enhance Fee-for-Service Care Delivery

New research shows that implementing the optimal mix of remote, in-person, and specialist services can help improve care quality and fee-for-service care delivery.

mhealthintelligence May 4, 2023

National Telehealth Use Dropped 6.8% in February

National telehealth use declined in February, occupying a lower share of medical claim lines compared to the previous month, new FAIR Health Data indicates.

CCPH May 3, 2023

CMS Takes Steps to Help Address Digital Health Literacy

Last month the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the “Medicare Program; Contract Year 2024 Policy and Technical Changes to Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly” (“2024 Policy Changes to MA Program”). Among the many policies listed in this final rule, is a requirement for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to identify enrollees with low digital health literacy and determine how they will be addressing that need.

FIERCE Healthcare May 3, 2023

Hey Jane gets covered: Telemedicine abortion provider inks contracts with Blues plans

Hey Jane is now accepting insurance, marking what the company says is a first for telemedicine abortion providers and a pivotal move to expand access to the service.

mhealthintelligence May 3, 2023

DEA to Delay Limitations on Virtual Prescribing of Controlled Substances

The agency has submitted a temporary extension for flexibilities that allow providers to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth without a prior in-person medical exam.

mhealthintelligence May 3, 2023

7 Projects to Develop New Digital Health Applications Gain Funding

Seven seed grants from the University of Utah Health's Digital Health Initiative aim to support the development of digital health applications in clinical practices.

mhealthintelligence May 2, 2023

HHS-OIG Releases Toolkit for Assessing Telehealth Billing Risks

The new toolkit is intended to help Medicare Advantage plan sponsors, private health plans, and other stakeholders examine telehealth claims, identify integrity risks, and implement safeguards.

mhealthintelligence May 2, 2023

New Wearable Technology Aims to Support Heart Disease Monitoring

Texas researchers have developed a wearable medical device in the form of an electronic tattoo for continuous heart disease monitoring.

HealthcareITNews May 2, 2023

AHRQ program seeks provider organizations to help improve hybrid telehealth

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is recruiting providers to participate in a new effort to ensure safety when diagnosing cancer via virtual care. The results will also help shape approaches to other diseases.

mhealthintelligence May 1, 2023

Growing Hospital-at-Home Services Indicate Healthcare Transformation

Due to health systems' capacity issues and struggles with high costs, hospital-at-home services are growing more popular and producing patient benefits, new research shows.

HealthcareITNews May 1, 2023

Sneak peek: New EY survey explores changing consumer telehealth preferences

The firm's global health leader speaks with Healthcare IT News about hybrid care, digital transformation, big data, generative AI and smart technology.

Healthleaders May 1, 2023

ASSESSING THE EVOLUTION OF REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING PROGRAMS

Healthcare organizations across the country are launching RPM programs aimed at monitoring specific patient populations outside the hospital.

mHealthIntelligence April 28, 2023

Most Physicians Find Video Telehealth Quality Inferior to In-Person Care

Though a majority of physicians believe that video visits were a boon during the pandemic, more than half find virtual care quality lacking and want to return to in-person care, survey results show.

AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine April, 2023

Could New AMA Telemedicine Codes Impact Parity? Plus...More Federal and State Policy Updates

Is your practice interested in improving the cancer diagnostic process in the telemedicine and hybrid environments? AHRQ is recruiting practices for a free 18-month program to improve diagnostic verification, timeliness, and communication with patients. Practices will receive training and one-on-one expert coaching to implement sustainable improvements to close the loop at critical points in the cancer diagnostic process, which has the potential to prevent harm associated with missed or delayed diagnoses. Participants will also be eligible for CEUs, CMEs, and ABIM MOC points. Learn more and sign up for an upcoming informational webinar on May 8, 18, or 24th.

mHealthIntelligence April 27, 2023

Expanded Telehealth Access Can Cut Millions in Rural Health Costs

Widening telehealth access through broadband improvements in 10 counties in the South could result in nearly $43 million in healthcare cost savings, a new report shows.

mHealthIntelligence April 26, 2023

Viewpoint: Telehealth Access for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment is Needed

A new opinion piece in Health Affairs described the need for telehealth access to treat opioid use disorder and the legislation making this difficult.

healthleaders April 26, 2023

THE FUTURE OF REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING HINGES ON REIMBURSEMENT

Remote patient monitoring can help providers extend care for patients in underserved areas and improve outcomes, but only if it’s a reimbursable service.

mHealthIntelligence April 26, 2023

UR Medicine Expands Telestroke, Remote Neuro Care in NY

The University of Rochester Medical Center announced an extension of remote acute and inpatient neurological care, including its telestroke program, to 16 hospitals in New York.

CCPH April 25, 2023

Health Data Privacy & Telehealth

With the rise of telehealth utilization in response to COVID-19 there has also been an increased interest in how telehealth vendors and practitioners protect and use health data. This has led to policymakers and regulators proposing or implementing policies to address the type of information collected, how it’s used, and what needs to be disclosed to the patients. While part of this discussion is related to the concerns over privacy and protection of reproductive health information, several recent actions taken by federal agencies have focused on the use of collected data for marketing purposes.

FIERCEHealthcare April 24, 2023

Home care industry touts bipartisan bill to expand Medicare in-home benefits, reimbursement

Healthcare providers and tech companies with a stake in home health have coalesced around bipartisan legislation introduced last week that would shift care away from the hospital to patients' living rooms and bedrooms.

mHealthIntelligence April 24, 2023

CHI Saint Joseph Hospital Pilots Virtual Nursing to Address Shortages

The hospital implemented virtual nursing technology to add to care teams and alleviate some of the workplace burdens in-house clinicians face.

healthleaders April 24, 2023

AMAZON & 3M WILL USE GENERATIVE AI TO EASE DOCUMENTATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

Late last week, two of the world's most famous companies, Amazon and 3M, announced a bold partnership aimed at solving one of the most critical pain points for healthcare providers: clinical documentation.

mHealthIntelligence April 24, 2023

Pilot Program Targets Maternal Health Disparities Using Virtual Tracking

The program launched by Aetna Better of Maryland and maternal health provider Mae will use virtual tracking and doulas to reduce maternal health disparities among Black women.

AP News April 23, 2023

Dying patients protest looming telehealth crackdown

At age 93, struggling with the effects of a stroke, heart failure and recurrent cancer, Teri Sheridan was ready to end her life using New Jersey’s law that allows medically assisted suicide — but she was bedbound, too sick to travel.

mHealthIntelligence April 21, 2023

Teledoc Health Expands Weight, Prediabetes Provider-Based Care

New provider-based care offerings from Teladoc Health aim to help members lose weight as well as prevent and manage diabetes by optimizing medications.

mHealthIntelligence April 20, 2023

Providence Launches Remote Patient Monitoring Program for Chronic Care

Providence has struck a new partnership with Cadence aimed at improving care quality and access through remote patient monitoring and virtual care resources.

Telehealth.org April 20, 2023

Access to Abortion Pills via Telehealth Abortion Services

Whether you view the controversy surrounding abortion as a legal issue, a religious issue, a gender issue, a pharmaceutical issue, or a human rights issue, most people have clear, if not opposing, opinions. The success of several telehealth abortion services has increased access to abortion pills over state and international borders, raising questions that fuel the fire.

HealthAffairs April 19, 2023

HIMSS23: Stanford Health Care finding success with inpatient telehealth

The COVID-19 pandemic inspired Stanford to upgrade and update its technology and workflows to allow for telehealth at the bedside.

HealthAffairs April 19, 2023

Maintaining Telehealth Care For Opioid Use Disorder Is Critical

Fueled by fentanyl, annual deaths from opioid-involved overdose increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing an exponential rise. Widespread counterfeiting and adulteration of other substances with fentanyl has led to additional unprecedented poisonings and harm. To protect themselves from this lethal illicit drug supply, millions of Americans need immediate access to—and ongoing treatment with—medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 19, 2023

New Report Details Recommendations for Telehealth Performance Measures

A new American College of Physicians report provides information on the future of telehealth use and suggestions for telehealth quality performance measurement.

healthleaders April 18, 2023

PC DOCS WANT BETTER TELEHEALTH METRICS

The ACP this week published a policy paper that recommends new evidence-based recommendations for audio and video telehealth.

CCHP April 18, 2023

TRENDS IN FEDRAL TELEHEALTH LEGISLATION

Trends in federal telehealth legislation in 2023 thus far have largely been a response to upcoming changes to policies given the impending end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), which is set to end on May 11, 2023, and some of the flexibilities afforded during that time being rolled back.

HealthcareITNews April 17, 2023

Technology can reduce providers' mental healthcare challenges

John MacKenzie, clinical program manager and behavioral health specialist at CommonSpirit Telehealth Network, spoke at HIMSS23 on using technology to support both patients' and clinicians' behavioral health.

HealthcareITNews April 17, 2023

Telepsychiatry will be key, Geisinger exec says

Benjamin Gonzales, operations manager II, virtual care, at the powerhouse health system, shares his expertise and expectations at the HIMSS23 gathering.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 17, 2023

Telehealth Supports Opioid Use Disorder Patient Retention in Treatment

New research indicates that telehealth-based medication-assisted resources were an effective method of care for opioid use disorder patients, boosting retention rates in treatment programs.

Telehealth.org April 13, 2023

New Bill Seeks to Increase Telehealth Use By Eliminating Deductibles in Health Savings Accounts

On March 28, six US Senators and Congressional representatives proposed a new bill to increase telehealth use through the “Telehealth Expansion Act.”

Telehealth.org April 13, 2023

Telehealth Informed Consent: Best Practices & Competencies

While licensed professionals are required to comply with all applicable telehealth laws and regulations, telehealth informed consent (IC) is by far the most useful for protecting all parties from legal entanglements.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 12, 2023

How PCP Perception of Telehealth in US Compares to Other Countries

New survey results show that more US primary care physicians view telehealth as an effective tool in addressing behavioral healthcare than their peers in other high-income countries.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 12, 2023

Audio-Only Telehealth Used More Than Video Visits in Safety Net Clinics

New research shows that although audio-only telehealth is past its pandemic peak, it was used more than video-based telehealth for behavioral health and primary care in safety net settings in 2022.

CCHP April 11, 2023

Could New AMA Telemedicine Codes Impact Parity? Plus...More Federal and State Policy Updates

The American Medical Association (AMA) Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Panel has released their CPT Editorial Summary of Panel Actions, detailing decisions from their annual meeting that took place in February. The summary includes acceptance of 17 new office visit codes (9X075-9X091) that are specifically for telemedicine situations effective January 2025.

Healthleaders April 11, 2023

RAND STUDY FINDS CONTINUING VALUE IN AUDIO-ONLY TELEHEALTH SERVICES

The study found that California FQHCs were still conducting 20% of primary care visits and 40% of behavioral care visits by telephone or audio-only computer platform.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 11, 2023

Federal Funding to Boost Telehealth Services for Vulnerable Groups in NY

Federal funding will help expand telehealth services for numerous underserved groups in Western New York. US Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) has secured $2 million in the federal 2023 budget to...

HEALTH IT SECURITY April 11, 2023

Pandemic-Era Telehealth Rules Set to Expire in May, Shifting HIPAA Compliance Obligations

When the public health emergency ends on May 11, OCR’s four Notifications of Enforcement Discretion under HIPAA will also expire, including loosened telehealth requirements.

Foley & Lardner LLP April 10, 2023

What FQHCs Need to Know About Telehealth After the PHE

On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced its intent to end the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. For Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), flexibilities offered under the PHE expanded opportunities to be paid for telehealth services, particularly for Medicare patients. Any FQHC relying on PHE flexibilities should begin preparing for the end of the PHE to ensure its service offerings are in compliance with post-pandemic requirements.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 10, 2023

Program Aims to Provide School-Based, Virtual Behavioral Healthcare

MCD Global Health began an effort to provide elementary through high school students with virtual behavioral healthcare resources.

voanews.com April 9, 2023

Telemedicine Still Going Strong as US COVID Fears Fade

During the coronavirus pandemic, telemedicine became a virtual phenomenon. As people remained in their homes during the pandemic, they began chatting with their doctors over the phone or video platforms on subjects such as chronic disease management, ongoing medical support, mental health issues and specialty care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 7, 2023

Remote Patient Monitoring Led to Reductions in Blood Pressure

New research showed that treating high blood pressure and cholesterol with remote patient monitoring reduced heart disease and stroke risk.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 7, 2023

Collaboration Aims to Assist Veterans Through Virtual Reality Solutions

The VA entered a collaboration to compose virtual reality solutions to provide care related to orthopedics, neurorehabilitation, and chronic issues.

HEALTHCARE April 6, 2023

CMS cracks down on MA coverage denials and misleading ads in final rule

Both hospital and payer groups came out in support of the rule finalized Wednesday, finding common ground in the need to streamline prior authorization.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 05, 2023

Preference for Future Telehealth Use Does Not Exceed That of In-Person Care

New survey data showed that despite relative satisfaction with telehealth, patients and physicians prefer in-person care in the future.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 05, 2023

Telehealth Use Increased by 7.3% Nationally in January

Data from FAIR Health indicates that national telehealth use rose in January, occupying a larger share of medical claim lines compared to the month prior.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 05, 2023

Telehealth Use Declines Across Primary Care Specialties

Recent research shows that telehealth usage has dropped among primary care specialties, especially among physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and internal medicine physicians.

HEALTHCAREDIVE April 5, 2023

Telehealth use rose for third straight month in January among privately insured

Telehealth visits rose in popularity for the third straight month in January, accounting for 5.9% of all medical claim lines, an increase from 5.5% in December, according to Fair Health’s monthly telehealth tracker.

Foley & Lardner LLP April 4, 2023

COVID-19 Related Medical Devices: FDA Finalizes Transition Plan Guidance

On March 27, 2023, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) released two final guidance documents to assist with transitioning medical devices: (i) that were subject to certain enforcement policies issued during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), and (ii) that were issued emergency use authorizations (EUAs). These guidance documents finalize the corresponding draft guidance documents that were issued on December 23, 2021.

CCHP April 4, 2023

VDOT FOR TRETMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS (FINALLY) GETS RECOMMENDED BY THE CDC

In 2015 with funding from the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) and working with researchers at the University of California, San Diego, the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) began a study on the use of synchronous video to provide direct observational therapy (DOT) for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB).

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 04, 2023

Digital Divide Limits Telehealth Use in Rural Areas

New research shows that the digital divide, such as lack of access to the internet and technology, likely exacerbates telehealth access disparities, mainly in rural areas.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 3, 2023

Social Workers Can Expand Telehealth Access for Stroke Survivors

New research described various resources for supporting stroke survivors who struggle to receive care through telehealth, including social workers and the use of cellular devices.

Foley & Lardner LLP April 3, 2023

FDA Publishes Framework for Digital Health Technologies in Clinical Trials

On March 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a framework to guide regulatory decision-making on the use of digital health technologies (DHT) in clinical drug trials.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 3, 2023

Telehealth Use Dropped Significantly Between 2020 and 2021

A report described that despite the gradual increase in telehealth use over the last several years, it fell 76 percent between 2020 and 2021.

healthleaders April 3, 2023

States Step In as Telehealth and Clinic Patients Get Blindsided by Hospital Fees

Hospitals argue that facility fees are needed to pay for staff and overhead expenses, particularly when hospitals don’t employ their own physicians. But consumer advocates say there’s no reason hospitals should charge more than independent clinics for the same services.

AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine April, 2023

Could New AMA Telemedicine Codes Impact Parity? Plus...More Federal and State Policy Updates

Is your practice interested in improving the cancer diagnostic process in the telemedicine and hybrid environments? AHRQ is recruiting practices for a free 18-month program to improve diagnostic verification, timeliness, and communication with patients. Practices will receive training and one-on-one expert coaching to implement sustainable improvements to close the loop at critical points in the cancer diagnostic process, which has the potential to prevent harm associated with missed or delayed diagnoses. Participants will also be eligible for CEUs, CMEs, and ABIM MOC points. Learn more and sign up for an upcoming informational webinar on May 8, 18, or 24th.

Healthleaders March 31, 2023

Telehealth Lessened Overdose Risk Among Patients with Opioid Use Disorder

The uptake of telehealth services led to a reduced risk of fatal drug overdose for Medicare patients with opioid use disorder, new data shows.

Healthleaders March 31, 2023

'TSUNAMI OF CRITICISM' FOLLOWS DEA'S PROPOSED TELEMEDICINE PRESCRIBING RULES

Several groups have issued critical reviews of the DEA's proposed revision of rules regarding telemedicine prescriptions of controlled substances. Some say the revision will imperil thousands of patients.

Foley & Lardner LLP March 30, 2023

The Future of the 340B Program: 2023 Key Decisions

Critical decisions are pending before courts and legislators in 2023 that promise to shape the future of the 340B Drug Pricing Program (340B Program), which provides discounts on outpatient drugs for certain health care providers, referred to as “covered entities.” The resolution of these issues will have an enormous financial impact on the health care industry, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, 340B hospitals, and federal grantees.

HealthcareITNews March 30, 2023

No registry for telemedicine providers is a missed opportunity, says ATA

In response to the DEA, ATA stresses telehealth's efficacy in reaching previously unreachable populations, details the operational complications and confusion that will ensue and makes requests to ease provider burdens.

Telehealth.org March 29, 2023

Practicing Telehealth Across State Lines: Spring 2023 Update

Practitioners of all healthcare professions will be impacted by the upcoming end of the public health emergency (PHE). Behavioral health professionals stand out as the biggest winners, with more recent legislative action in their favor than any other professional group, particularly with regard to practicing telehealth and telemedicine across state lines. This article answers common questions and summarizes some of the key legal issues involved.

Foley & Lardner LLP March 29, 2023

2023 Telemedicine & Digital Health Trends

Medicare telehealth post-Public Health Emergency (PHE): With the COVID-19 PHE concluding on May 11, 2023, many of the telehealth flexibilities the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented during the PHE will sunset at varying times.

CCHP March 29, 2023 March 28, 2023

ONC Data Brief Findings on Office-Based Physician Telemedicine Utilization in 2021

In March, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology released a data brief entitled “Use of Telemedicine among Office-Based Physicians, 2021.”

Telehealth.org March 27, 2023

Gender-Affirming Transgender Telehealth: TDG Youth Utilization Study

Safe access to healthcare has been a safety oasis to many transgender and gender-diverse (TDG) people seeking gender-affirming care during the COVID pandemic. Authors of a recent study published in Telemedicine and e-Health evaluated telehealth services supported healthcare access for transgender and gender-diverse (TDG) youth within Seattle Children’s Gender Clinic (SCGC) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HealthAffairs March 23, 2023

DEA Telehealth Proposal Brings Risks, Not Patient Protections

You may have missed the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) recent telemedicine proposal. That was intentional. Released on a Friday evening, the proposal aims to reinstate requirements that mental health patients have in-person visits to get prescriptions for certain psychiatric and addiction medications.

healthleaders March 21, 2023

HOW TO USE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION

With the nation's maternal mortality rate rising, hospitals are turning to text messages to make a connection with at-risk mothers.

CCHP March 21, 2023

Springing Forward to Look At 2023 State Telehealth Legislation Trends!

As the first quarter of the year begins to wind down, now is a good time to check in on the state telehealth legislation that has been introduced thus far in 2023.

healthleaders March 21, 2023

MENTAL HEALTHCARE BY VIDEO FILLS GAPS IN RURAL NURSING HOMES

Patients don't have to travel to a clinic. They don't even have to get cleaned up and leave their bedrooms.

HealthcareITNews March 20, 2023

Hold off telehealth rule changes, health tech industry urges Medical Board of Australia

MSIA warns of "serious unintended" consequences from the proposed changes.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 20, 2023

Telehealth Expands Care Access for Transgender, Gender-Diverse Youth

A recent study found that telehealth supported gender-diverse youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing visit completion and lowering cancellation rates.

CCPH March 20, 2023 

DEA Proposed Regulations Post-PHE-Video

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has published two proposed regulations to address how telehealth may be used to prescribe controlled substances in a post-PHE environment. The DEA is proposing new exceptions that along with what is already in current law, will open up more ways for telehealth to be used to prescribe a controlled substance, but they are highly specific.

HealthcareITNews March 20, 2023

Telemedicine will become default, with more virtual treatments, expert says

Sean Mehra, a telehealth specialist, predicts the next 10 years of virtual care – and explains why the trend of virtual-first is the way to go, in the view of many.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 17, 2023

Remote Tool Boosted Blood Pressure Management Amid Pandemic

A new study shows that a Mass General Brigham remote hypertension program improved blood pressure management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 17, 2023

Provider-Library Collab to Enhance Telehealth Access, Digital Literacy

Mount Sinai Health System and the New York Public Library are partnering to provide free classes to improve telehealth access and digital literacy in an effort to boost health equity.

HealthcareITNews March 17, 2023

HIMSSCast: Telehealth is improving the care experience for cancer patients

Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, discusses how connected health tools are enabling cost savings, convenience and other specialty care innovations.

FIERCEHealthcare March 16, 2023

Babylon Health rolls out programs for value-based care members to help manage chronic conditions

Babylon Health, a digital primary care provider, has launched personalized programs for high-risk members living with chronic conditions.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 15, 2023

ONC: Majority of Office-Based Physicians Used Telehealth in 2021

A federal data report found that 87 percent of office-based physicians used telehealth in 2021, with 80 percent saying they will continue to use it after the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 14, 2023

Virtual Behavioral Health Use Increases 45-Fold During Pandemic

New data shows that the share of behavioral health services delivered via telehealth rose from 1 percent in 2019 to 33 percent in 2022, with rates of virtual prescribing also reaching new heights.

healthleaders March 14, 2023

HOW PROVIDERS SHOULD USE TECHNOLOGY TO MEET THE EPCS MANDATE

Digital health tools that allow providers to electronically prescribe controlled medications can improve care management and curb drug misuse if they're used correctly.

CCHP March 14, 2023

Diving Deeper Into the DEA Telehealth Proposed Regulation Requirements

DEA Proposes In-Person Requirement, Resumes with Narrow Telehealth Allowances after PHE.

Healthleaders March 14, 2023

USING TELEHEALTH TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE ACCESS IN RURAL AMERICA

HealthLeaders Innovation and Technology Editor Eric Wicklund talks with Danielle Louder, a program director at the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center and member of the Maine Connectivity Authority, about healthcare access in a rural state like Maine and how telehealth and digital health are closing gaps in care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 10, 2023

Wearable Sensor Assists Process of Diagnosing Heart Attacks

New research shows that a wrist-worn wearable sensor can assess troponin levels to predict heart attacks with 90 percent accuracy within a five-minute timeframe.

Telehealth.org March 9, 2023

Telehealth Reimbursement: End-of-Pandemic Emergency Update

Based on current COVID-19 recovery trends, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that the US federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) waivers will end on May 11, 2023. Emergency declarations, Congressional legislative actions, and state regulations implemented unprecedented changes to many healthcare delivery aspects.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 9, 2023

Telehealth Use Rose Almost 4% Percent Nationally in December

New FAIR Health data shows that national telehealth utilization jumped 3.8 percent in December, encompassing 5.5 percent of all medical claim lines.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 7, 2023

Remote Patient Monitoring Improves Outcomes for COPD Patients

A recent study found that remote cardiorespiratory monitoring lowered all-cause hospitalization rates among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 6, 2023

Telehealth Initiative Aims to Provide Virtual Care in GA School Settings

A recent partnership aims to reduce barriers associated with healthcare for students in school through a new telehealth initiative to increase access and efficiency.

Telehealth.org March 6, 2023

Federal Bureau of Prisons Partners with Bicycle Health & Wellpath Team for Telehealth-Based Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

In late February, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Bicycle Health, and Wellpath announced a collaboration to address the severe SUD crisis in prison inmates and the overdose deaths associated with incarceration.

HealthcareITNews March 6, 2023

At ATA, stakeholders get say over DEA proposed rule on remote prescribing

A representative from the DEA was invited to attend the special listening session.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 3, 2023

Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Cuts Death Risk Among Veterans

Recent research found that home-based cardiac rehabilitation led to a 36 percent drop in the risk of death for US Veterans, among other benefits.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 2, 2023

Remote Patient Monitoring Use Skyrockets 1,300%

New data shows that remote patient monitoring adoption spiked between 2019 and 2022, with high usage among internal medicine, cardiology, and family practice providers.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 2, 2023

Most Virtual Primary Care Visits Do Not Require In-Person Follow-Ups

Recent research shows that over 60 percent of primary care-related telehealth visits did not require in-person follow-up care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 1, 2023

Income, Race Among Factors that Influence Telehealth Literacy

A recent study found that several patient demographics, such as income, race, and location of residence, correlate with telehealth literacy and influence patient access to care.

Telehealth.org March 1, 2023

DEA Proposes New Rules for Telehealth Prescriptions

On February 24, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced its long-awaited proposal for permanent rules regarding telehealth prescriptions for controlled medications. They explained their focus on expanding patient access to critical therapies beyond the May 11 end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

NTIA, Office of Public Affairs March 1, 2023

Biden-Harris Administration Requests Input on Upcoming Digital Equity Programs

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) said today it is seeking input on how to structure nearly $2.7 billion in grant programs to ensure everyone in America has the digital skills and devices they need to realize the full potential of high-speed Internet access.

CCHP February 28, 2023

FQHC & RHC CMS POLICY MANUAL UPDATES

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released an update to the Policy Manual for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 28, 2023

Telehealth Use Among Older, Rural, Uninsured Adults Spikes

From 2021 to 2022, telehealth use rose across various demographic groups, with 12 to 13 percentage point increases among some traditionally underserved groups.

HealthcareITNews February 27, 2023

Telehealth trends in 2023: Virtual-first, health equity and more

A greater focus on care coordination and further embrace of telemedicine by payers will also be hallmarks this year, says one virtual care expert.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 27, 2023

DEA Proposes Limits on Telehealth Prescriptions of Controlled Substances

The proposed rules extend some telehealth safeguards to ensure that patients have reliable access to medications post-pandemic, but they limit the virtual prescription of certain controlled substances.

HFoley & Lardner, LLP February 27, 2023

DEA’s Proposed Rules on Telemedicine Controlled Substances Prescribing after the PHE Ends

On February 24, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Agency announced proposed rules for prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency expires. The proposed rules are open for public comment for only thirty days, after which DEA will issue final regulations.

HealthcareITNews February 27, 2023

American Hospital Association voices support for telehealth expansion bill

The American Telemedicine Association and Alliance for Connected Care detailed their concerns regarding an upcoming meeting to determine coverage for remote patient monitoring services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 24, 2023

Telehealth Advocacy Groups Raise RPM Coverage Decision Concerns

The American Telemedicine Association and Alliance for Connected Care detailed their concerns regarding an upcoming meeting to determine coverage for remote patient monitoring services.

Telehealth.org February 23, 2023

7 Quick Steps to Preventing Telehealth IT Security Threats

With the Public Health Emergency (PHE) ending on May 11, administrators, managers, supervisors, and clinicians may want to quickly run through a checklist of cybersecurity precautions.

Healthleaders February 23, 2023

HOW AUTOMATED CARE HELPS NORTHWELL HEALTH STAY IN TOUCH WITH PATIENTS AT HOME

The New York-based health system is closing care gaps and improving clinical outcomes through a platform that offers multiple opportunities to connect with patients in between medical visits.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 23, 2023

Over a Third of Adults Use Health Apps, Wearables in 2023, Up From 2018

According to new survey results, about 40 percent and 35 percent of adults are using health apps and wearables, respectively, with most using the technologies at least once a day.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 22, 2023

4 Ways States Can Advance Telehealth Policy to Support Care Access

A recent report provided a set of suggestions for states to enhance patient care by maximizing advancements in telehealth-enabled care.

Telehealth.org February 22, 2023

Telehealth Controlled Substances: Evidence Mounts Against DEA Restrictions

With the COVID public health emergency (PHE) scheduled to end on May 11, 2023, the issue of prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine and telehealth has taken center stage.

HealthcareITNews February 22, 2023

Baptist Memorial Health Care to expand inpatient monitoring with AI

The hospital system will eliminate hardware costs with a virtual command center that uses advanced computer vision and AI technology to support patient care.

Foley & Lardler, LLP February 28, 2023

DEA’s Proposed Rules on Telemedicine Controlled Substances Prescribing after the PHE Ends

On February 24, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Agency announced proposed rules for prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency expires. The proposed rules are open for public comment for only 30 days, after which DEA will issue final regulations.

HealthcareITNews February 22, 2023

Baptist Memorial Health Care to expand inpatient monitoring with AI

The hospital system will eliminate hardware costs with a virtual command center that uses advanced computer vision and AI technology to support patient care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 22, 2023

New AI-Based App Aims to Prevent Suicides Among Veterans

An artificial intelligence-based app that aims to support veterans' mental health and curb suicides has received financial support from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

CCHP February 21, 2023

COURT CASES CAN ALSO IMPACT TELEHEALTH POLICY

When discussing telehealth policy the focus is usually on laws, regulations or an administering agency’s policies. What sometimes gets overlooked or forgotten is the impact court decisions can have on how and how extensively telehealth can be used.

HealthcareITNews February 21, 2023

Women's telehealth program diminishes stigma via technology

For pregnant and postpartum women, the Medical University of South Carolina has replaced face-to-face mental health screenings for stigmatized conditions with a text messaging-based telemedicine system.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 21, 2023

Telehealth Boosts Visit Frequency Among Type 1 Diabetes Patients

TA recent study found that an increase in telehealth use led to greater visit frequency among adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes.

HealthcareITNews February 20, 2023

Zoom is helping MaineGeneral Health boost its telehealth success

The health system was using another telemedicine vendor's tools when the pandemic first hit. But it quickly saw what Zoom could do for virtual care innovation across several departments and specialties.

HealthcareITNews February 20, 2023

VA awards millions to veteran suicide tech challenge winners

The 10 winning digital care tech companies will use apps, algorithms, gaming, virtual reality and more for mental health support and veteran suicide prevention.

healthleaders March 21, 2023

MENTAL HEALTHCARE BY VIDEO FILLS GAPS IN RURAL NURSING HOMES

Patients don't have to travel to a clinic. They don't even have to get cleaned up and leave their bedrooms.

HealthcareITNews February 16, 2023

A Telestroke doubles rural treatment capacity after cloud shift

It also reduced unnecessary hospital-to-hospital transfers by 72%.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 16, 2023

Telehealth Effective in Providing Preoperative Care for Bariatric Surgery

Recent research found that using telehealth to provide preoperative care for bariatric surgery produced similar clinical outcomes to in-person methods.

HealthcareITNews February 15, 2023

Prescribing Psychedelics via Telehealth?

Research has been mounting in support of prescribing psychedelic medications to treat various mental health and substance use disorders, including treatment-resistant depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, traumatic brain injury, and opioid addiction.

HealthcareITNews February 15, 2023

Why healthcare leaders should embrace home-based technologies

Chronic diseases cost the U.S. $3.7 trillion per year. Focusing on preventive care is central to physical and economic survival – and home-based tech can make a big difference, one expert contends.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 15, 2023

Video Telehealth Linked to Reduction in Pediatric Hospital Transfers

Recent research describes how video telehealth resources helped reduce pediatric hospital transfers within rural emergency departments.

CCHP February 14, 2023

Anticipation Builds for Expected DEA Controlled Substance Rule

Study Finds COVID Flexibilities did NOT Impact Buprenorphine Overdoses & Potential for New Permanent Controlled Substance Prescribing Rule .

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 13, 2023

AAFP: Telehealth Policies Provide Opportunities but Need Improvements

Two recent letters from the American Academy of Family Physicians underscored the need for telehealth policies to accommodate behavioral health issues and patient relationships.

HealthcareITNews February 13, 2023

An inside look at AdventHealth's powerful telemedicine program

The health system has achieved much success. For example: With remote patient monitoring, there was a 60% reduction in hospital admissions for those who were ongoing users of the emergency departments for chronic conditions.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 13, 2023

Telehealth Boosts Postpartum Visit Attendance Among Black Patients

Attendance rates among Black patients, helping address racial healthcare disparities in maternity care.

HEALTHCAREDIVE February 10, 2023

HHS readies for PHE wind down, end of pandemic flexibilities

A number of pandemic-era policies tied to the federal public health emergency will soon expire on May 11, affecting providers, payers and others in the industry that have relied on some of those flexibilities over the past few years.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 10, 2023

Clinician Use of Video, Audio-Only Telehealth for OUD Treatment Drops

A new survey reveals that overall telehealth use for opioid use disorder treatment declined between 2020 and 2022, with audio-only visits halving from 20 percent of all OUD visits to 11 percent.

HEALTHCAREDIVE February 9, 2023

Following decline, telehealth visits notched up 1.9% in November

National telehealth utilization increased 1.9% month-over-month among the privately insured population in November 2022, following a one-month period of decline, according to a new analysis from Fair Health’s monthly tracker.

healthleaders February 8, 2023

TELEHEALTH PROGRAMS ARE HELPING TO PUT HEALTHCARE ON THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

School districts across the country are partnering with local health systems and telehealth companies to give students access to primary and chronic care services, along with much-needed behavioral and mental health services.

Telehealth.org February 8, 2023

Long-Term Telehealth Coverage in Question for Physicians and Hospitals

The White House recently announced a two-year extension for telehealth waivers. However, the higher reimbursement rates for telehealth coverage paid to physicians and hospitals due to COVID public health emergency have only been approved for one year through the end of 2023. The discrepancy has many hospitals and medical providers on edge.

Foley & Lardner, LLP February 7, 2023

Public Health Emergency Ends May 11: What Telehealth Companies Need to Know

The PHE has been in place for over three years during which time many telehealth and other health care related flexibilities were relied upon by both patients and clinicians. While some telehealth waivers will survive the end of the PHE, not every pandemic-era policy will continue. Digital health companies relying on the PHE waivers should take steps now to bring operations into compliance with the post-PHE world before the PHE ends in May.

JDSUPRA February 7, 2023

Telehealth Issues to Watch in 2023

One of the key issues that will impact telehealth providers in 2023 is the expiration of waivers related to telehealth implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic once the public health emergency (PHE) ends, which is currently expected to occur on May 11, 2023.

FIERCEHealthcare February 7, 2023

Telepsychiatry providers plan for the worst as PHE winds down

Telepsychiatry experts are urging providers to create contingency plans following the announcement of the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11.

TELEHEALTH.HHS.GOV February 7, 2023

Telehealth policy changes after the COVID-19 public health emergency

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took a range of administrative steps to expedite the adoption and awareness of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these telehealth flexibilities have been made permanent while others are temporary.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 6, 2023

Smartphone App Can Support Stroke Symptom Detection

New research describes a machine learning-based smartphone application that can help people recognize stroke symptoms in real time.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 6, 2023

WA Health System Adds At-Home Recovery Program for High-Acuity Patients

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is working collaboratively with a care-at-home company to improve access and cost-effectiveness of high-acuity care while increasing crucial inpatient capacity.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 6, 2023

Reps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Telehealth Benefits

Six US House representatives recently introduced a bipartisan bill that aims to expand access to telehealth benefits for American workers.

USDA Rural Development February 6, 2023

Biden-Harris Administration Delivers on its Promises to Invest in Rural People, Climate-Smart Solutions, and America’s Food System

Ahead of the 2023 State of the Union address, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today highlighted the ways the Biden-Harris Administration is delivering on its promises to build a better America and rebuild the backbone of the country, the middle class.

HealthcareIT News February 3, 2023

Virtual care system designed for COVID-19 grows into a multiuse digital health tool

University Hospitals' chatbot now helps manage capacity in EDs and urgent care centers while improving care for patients with chronic conditions.

HealthcareIT News February 3, 2023

Digital health advances end with the PHE

Unless Congress acts, patients and physicians are going to lose out on digital health innovations allowed by PHE waivers, CHI says.

HealthcareIT News February 3, 2023

Bipartisan House bill proposes permanent telehealth benefits

The legislation seeks to offer workers stand-alone telehealth benefits, similar to dental and vision plans.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 3, 2023

Project ECHO Effectively Educates Providers in Managing Pediatric Pain

A recent study evaluating a pediatric Project ECHO model found that it was an impactful strategy for educating interprofessional healthcare providers on pediatric pain management.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 3, 2023

AHA Urges Congress to Permanently Expand Access to Telehealth Services

A letter from the American Hospital Association to the Senate and House of Representatives asked that Congress add provisions to eliminate restrictions on telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries.

HealthcareIT News February 2, 2023

Providence forges a new path with a virtual nursing unit

The health system has met with success so far, including upticks in nurse and patient satisfaction. Could this be an answer to the nursing shortage?

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 2, 2023

Telehealth-Enabled Cancer Care Can Lead to Carbon Emissions Savings

New research found that the use of telehealth in oncology allows for carbon emissions savings, leading to climate change mitigation.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 2, 2023

Follow-up Care Slightly More Common After Audio-Only Telehealth Visits

A recent study showed that follow-up care, including downstream emergency care, was higher after telephone-only versus video visits, but some treatment measures, like lab order rates, were lower.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 31, 2023

Follow-up Care Slightly More Common After Audio-Only Telehealth Visits

A recent study showed that follow-up care, including downstream emergency care, was higher after telephone-only versus video visits, but some treatment measures, like lab order rates, were lower.

KHN January 31, 2023

It’s ‘Telehealth vs. No Care’: Doctors Say Congress Risks Leaving Patients Vulnerable

When the covid-19 pandemic hit, Dr. Corey Siegel was more prepared than most of his peers.

REUTERS January 31, 2023

U.S. to end COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11

President Joe Biden's administration on Monday said it will end COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11, nearly three years after the United States imposed sweeping pandemic measures to curb the spread of the illness.

HealthcareITNews Janaury 30, 2023

Remote therapeutic monitoring is reimbursable – here's what you need to know

An RTM and digital care-management expert walks readers through how the new CPT codes can help provider organizations meet patients where they are: at home.

HealthAffairs January 27, 2023

Community Health Centers And Medicaid: A Deeper Dive Into FQHC Alternative Payment Reform

Medicaid payment reform for community health centers (CHCs) is a matter of longstanding interest. Experts have assessed the opportunities and challenges that can arise, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has targeted payment innovation for safety-net providers as a priority.

healthleaders January 26, 2023

LEVERAGING TELEHEALTH TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE

The healthcare system has reached a crisis point; millions of Americans who suffer from mental illnesses can't find care. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated one in five adults suffer from a mental illness, and more than half do not receive treatment.

Telehealth.org January 26, 2023

Survey Findings: Medicaid Telehealth For Behavioral Health Care

Medicaid Telehealth has emerged as a crucial component in extending and facilitating access for individuals with behavioral health needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of telehealth to deliver healthcare services safely and effectively.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 26, 2023

Race, Age, Language Barriers Fuel Telehealth Delivery Disparities

A recent study found that hurdles related to race, age, language, and access to technology lead to healthcare disparities among telehealth users.

Telehealth.org January 26, 2023

Controversy: New Mental Health Telehealth Requirement for An “In-Person Visit”

Telehealth.org is continuing its Q&A series to address questions that it frequently receives. This week’s installment concerns a recently published blog post about a controversial reimbursement requirement for telemental health telehealth after the end of the public health emergency (PHE).

Public Health Institute January 26, 2023

PHI Study Finds Telehealth Helped Bridge Striking Inequities in Healthcare Access During the Pandemic

US national study reveals disparities in general and behavioral healthcare receipt, suggests telehealth is a vital bridge to care for traditionally underserved groups

HealthcareITNews January 25, 2023

Geisinger solves behavioral health access problem with telemedicine

The result the health system's virtual care chief is proudest of: reducing the referral queue from 19,000 patients to 3,000. "That is astounding," he says.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 25, 2023

Partnership to Launch Hospital-at-Home Program in Florida

Orlando Health is working with a health technology company to provide hospital-level care at home to patients in Central Florida.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 24, 2023

Virginia Health System Creates Hospital-At-Home Program

VCU Health has implemented a hospital-at-home program, which has a goal to provide acute care at home to 2,000 patients in its first year.

HealthcareITNews January 24, 2023

Geisinger at Home offers primary care to populations with chronic or complex conditions

"We have seen a $400 per member, per month improvement in patient total cost of care," says CMO Jonathan Welch.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 23, 2023

In-Person, Virtual Consults On Par in Achieving Shared Decision-Making

Recent research found that telehealth use for first-time surgery consultations led to similar levels of shared decision-making as those appointments that occurred in person.

HealthcareITNews January 23, 2023

What's ahead for health IT policy and legislation in 2023

The government relations team at HIMSS offers some insights on what's next for telehealth, broadband expansion, interoperability rules and more in the year ahead.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 23, 2023

Group asks CMS to Issue Interim Final Rule to Preserve Telehealth Access

The Alliance for Connected Care sent a letter to CMS requesting that the agency compose an interim final rule to eliminate potential telehealth access gaps for Medicare beneficiaries.

HealthcareITNews January 23, 2023

Three 2023 telemedicine trends that advance the 'new normal' in healthcare

A telehealth and remote patient monitoring expert points to ongoing momentum, market positioning and specialty care as keys moving forward.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 20, 2023

Pediatric Hospital Combines Urgent Care Services with Telehealth

A recent effort from Seattle Children’s involved implementing virtual urgent care services to treat various conditions, including coughs and colds.

healthleaders January 20, 2023

IT'S TIME TO CEMENT TELEHEALTH'S PLACE IN US HEALTHCARE

The use of telehealth soared during the pandemic and demonstrated its value in improving the delivery of and access to health care.

healthleaders January 20, 2023

VANDERBILT STUDY FINDS VALUE IN PRE-SURGERY TELEHEALTH CONSULTS

The study found that virtual visits have the same value as in-person visits for communication and shared decision-making. And they're more convenient.

healthleaders January 19, 2023

ONLINE TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES RAISE HIPAA CONCERNS

The growing use of healthcare mobile applications and websites—and the associated use of online tracking technologies—raises privacy concerns under HIPAA that developers of such applications and healthcare organizations should keep in mind.

HEALTHCAREDIVE January 19, 2023

Study throws claims of telehealth savings into doubt

However, Kaiser Family Foundation researchers did stress telehealth’s benefit in expanding access and convenience for consumers.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 19, 2023

Private Insurer Payment for Telehealth On Par with In-Person Care in 2020

The reimbursement for privately insured individuals receiving care virtually and in person was similar early in the pandemic, raising questions about whether telehealth can help cut health spending.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 20, 2023

Collaboration to Provide Access to Virtual LGBTQ+ Care in New England

A recent collaboration between Point32Health and Included Health aims to provide virtual LGBTQ+ care to Massachusetts-based health plan members.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 19, 2023

Collaboration Adds Telehealth Center to Retail Pharmacy Location

A partnership between a South Carolina-based hospital and Publix Pharmacy aims to add a telehealth center as well as medical diagnostic equipment to a pharmacy location.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 20, 2023

Collaboration to Provide Access to Virtual LGBTQ+ Care in New England

A recent collaboration between Point32Health and Included Health aims to provide virtual LGBTQ+ care to Massachusetts-based health plan members.

HealthcareITNews January 18, 2023 

Telehealth provider carafem launches 'immediate evaluation' process for abortion pills

The company said patients living in Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico and Maryland can find out quickly if they're eligible to receive the medication by mail.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 18, 2023 

Telehealth Saves Healthcare Costs for Some Cancer Patients

A recent study found that telehealth helped reduce time and travel costs for nonelderly cancer patients, with cost savings ranging between $147.4 and $186.1.

NCTRC Staff Janaury 18, 2023

Preparing For The End Of The PHE And The End Of HIPAA Enforcement Discretion

At the start of the PHE, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Notification of Enforcement Discretion to all health care providers that are covered by HIPAA and provide telehealth services during an emergency. What it has meant is that covered health care providers would not be subject to penalties for violations of the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules that occur in the good faith provision of telehealth during the PHE.

HealthcareITNews January 18, 2023

After a big telehealth buy, Horizon Health Alliance now serves 70% of patients virtually

The provider of mental health and substance use disorder care is now fully equipped and boasts high patient satisfaction.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 18, 2023

Telehealth Gave Orgs Economic Boost, Cut Carbon Footprint

Recent research found that telehealth led to the saving of over 53 million miles in travel distance and over $22 million in travel costs.

Telehealth.org January 17, 2023

April 2023 End of the PHE? Mental Health Telehealth & Beyond

While the official end of the public health emergency (PHE) was extended to April 2023 for many federal government programs, two federal actions will further extend the deadline for federal Medicare reimbursement until at least December 31, 2024. A notable requirement for mental health telehealth providers to see their clients and patients in person was announced, despite telebehavioral health being permanently approved for medicare reimbursement in 2022.

HealthcareITNews January 17, 2023

Keck Hospital and School of Medicine of USC makes powerful strides with tele-GI

The pandemic spurred the health system's gastroenterologist professors, other clinicians, IT leaders and administrators to kick some very complex virtual care into high gear.

CCHP January 17,2023

UPDATING FEDERAL REGULATIONS ON SUD PAITENT RECORDS

Last month, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed regulations to change current rules regarding the protection of patient records in federally run substance use disorders (SUD) programs.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 17, 2023

Telehealth Can Support Care of Young Children with Developmental Delay

A recent study found that a telehealth-delivered parenting intervention combined with real-time therapist coaching highly benefited young children with developmental delay.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 16, 2023

Audio-Only Coverage of Behavioral Health Common Across Medicaid Programs

Most states took at least one Medicaid-related policy action to expand coverage of telebehavioral health services in response to COVID-19, most commonly expanding audio-only coverage of the services, a new report shows. Released by Kaiser...

HEALTHCARE FINANCE January 13, 2023

Telehealth utilization has declined almost 4%

The decline was larger than the national average in the South, Midwest and West, and there was an increase in the Northeast.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 13, 2023

MA Health Plans to Expand Access to Virtual Behavioral Healthcare

Through a partnership with Valera Health, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan members will gain access to behavioral health services delivered through telehealth.

Telehealth.org January 12, 2023

Improving Handovers in Mental Health Emergency Telehealth

Emergency departments (EDs) nationwide face numerous challenges, including the demand issue of many mental health patients and few mental health professionals to serve them. Emergency telehealth services have been tested and conducted for decades, often in Medicaid telehealth and safety-net settings.

Telehealth.org January 12, 2023

Medicare Rolls Out Telehealth Indicator for Patients to Easily Find Telehealth Providers

In January 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rolled out a new telehealth “indicator” to make information about Medicare telehealth providers on publicly-available clinician profile pages more readily available.

FIERCEHealthcare January 12, 2023 

Thousands of patients could lose mental health services if pandemic-era rules end, Talkiatry data show

As the pandemic wanes, telepsychiatry companies are crossing their fingers that the virtual care market boosted by the pandemic can continue to thrive.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 12, 2023 

Northwell Health Launches AI-Based Chatbot to Reduce Maternal Mortality

The New York City-based health system has released an artificial intelligence-based chatbot to identify urgent needs and extend virtual care for pregnant women.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 12, 2023 

New Data Shows Telehealth Usage Drops by 4% Nationally

The latest Fair Health data shows that telehealth usage fell by around 4 percent nationally in October 2022, making up 5.2 percent of all medical claim lines.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 11, 2023

Partnership to Expand Access to Integrated Virtual Care for Diabetes

A recent collaboration between Omada Health Partners and Castell, an Intermountain Healthcare subsidiary, aims to manage and prevent diabetes through integrated virtual care.

FIERCEHealthcare January 11, 2023

Medicare Advantage, telehealth expansion allies to helm key House panels

The new leaders of the influential House Ways and Means Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee have previously been fierce advocates for extending telehealth services as well as preserving Medicare Advantage (MA).

FIERCEHealthcare January 11, 2023

OPINION: WHAT IT TAKES TO CREATE A FIRST-CLASS TELEHEALTH EXPERIENCE

The new leaders of the influential House Ways and Means Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee have previously been fierce advocates for extending telehealth services as well as preserving Medicare Advantage (MA).

healthleaders January 10, 2023

BEHAVIORAL TELEHEALTH LOSES MOMENTUM WITHOUT A REGULATORY BOOST

Feds are working piecemeal to codify new rules for prescribing controlled substances.

Foley & Lardner, LLP January 10, 2023

2023 Forecast for Digital Health Startups and Telemedicine Law

With 2022 closed, there is growing anticipation (trepidation?) about what is in store for digital health in the new year. Will venture funding trickle or will 2023 see more liquidity in the markets? What legal and policy changes can we expect to see? And how will the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) waivers affect telemedicine services and patient care?

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 10, 2023

Telehealth Offset Declines in In-Person Mental Healthcare in 2020

A new study shows that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 16- to 20- fold increase in telehealth use for treating mental health conditions, counteracting the drop in in-person care volumes.

healthleaders January 10. 2023

USING VIRTUAL REALITY IN PALLIATIVE CARE: WHAT EXPERTS SAY

As technology advances, an increasing number of health care professionals are utilizing virtual reality (VR) as a way to improve patient care. VR is an effective tool in certain fields of patient therapy, and it’s currently being explored as a way to provide an aspect of palliative care for people with chronic and serious illnesses, including COVID-19.

CCHP January 10. 2023

Preparing for the End of the PHE: How Federal Telehealth Policy is Expected to Change in 2023

With the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) likely ending in 2023 it has become increasingly urgent for providers to start preparing themselves for its imminent termination. The PHE was initially declared by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on January 31, 2020, and has been renewed every 90 days since. The most recent renewal occurred October 13, 2022, ensuring the PHE would remain until at least January 11, 2023, however it is expected that the PHE will be renewed one more time until April 11, 2023.

healthleaders January 10. 2023

IS VIRTUAL CARE DELIVERING ON ITS PROMISE OF IMPROVING ACCESS?

Although virtual-care adoption has substantially increased, healthcare organizations can pursue additional opportunities to reduce disparities in access.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 9, 2023

Rural Hospitals to Use Grant to Enhance Virtual Care Access

A grant from MultiPlan Corp., which works with payers and providers to enhance healthcare services, will enable two hospitals to boost virtual care resources to address rural healthcare needs.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 9, 2023

New mHealth Intervention Aims to Curb Smoking Among Black HIV Patients

University of Houston researchers have launched a research project to study whether an mHealth app intervention can help Black patients with HIV quit smoking.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 6, 2023

New Federal Telehealth Program Aims to Treat COVID-19 Patients at Home

The National Institutes of Health has launched a federal COVID-19 telehealth program that will provide tests and services, such as at-home treatments, to patients in selected communities.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 6, 2023

Collaboration to Expand Access to Breastfeeding Support Via Telehealth

A new partnership aims to provide thousands of Connecticut families with pre-and perinatal breastfeeding support through telehealth.

FIERCEHealthcare January 6, 2023

How mental health made the 'remarkable transition' to virtual: study

What RAND researchers describe as “a remarkable transition in the U.S. health system from in-person to virtual care” occurred during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 for individuals seeking mental health services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 5, 2023

Telehealth Visits at Community Health Centers Rose to 21% in 2021

The jump in telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic helped sustain medical and mental health services at community health centers, according to recent Kaiser Family Foundation data.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 5, 2023

TN Hospital Operator Launches Remote Patient Monitoring Program

A new partnership will add remote care services to Ardent Health Services' healthcare facilities, enabling the monitoring of patient vital signs outside clinic locations.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 4, 2023

Report Details 4 Imperatives of Virtual Care Growth

A recent report described four imperatives to enable health systems to grow their virtual care offerings, including getting buy-in early and ensuring vendor partnerships are productive.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 4, 2023

Smartphone-Based Mental Health Apps Mainly Provide Basic Features

New research shows that although various mental health services are offered via smartphone apps, only a few provide innovative features like specialized therapies.

HealthcareITNews Janaury 3, 2023

Electronic Caregiver launches customizable, animated RPM

Designed to provide affordable health monitoring and wellness support at home, the virtual assistant could help providers increase treatment adherence rates and improve health outcomes for aging and chronically ill patients.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE Janaury 3, 2023

Long-Term Digital Health Tool Use Linked to Demographic, Health Factors

Older individuals, women, and college graduates participating in a digital health study were more likely to consistently use digital health tools over a one-year period, new research shows.

CCHP Janaury 3, 2023

Telehealth & The First Year of the Pandemic-Looking a Six Federal Programs

A new report released last month by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) focused on the use of telehealth in programs from six federal agencies.

healthleaders Janaury 3, 2023

TELEHEALTH BRINGS EXPERT SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMS TO RURAL PATIENTS

TeleSANE services are expanding across the country in rural, sparsely populated areas.

HealthcareITNews Janaury 3, 2023

Mercy Virtual Care Center: A deep dive into a virtual hospital

Health system Mercy's groundbreaking facility makes robust use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring – and has the results to prove the model's success.

VPQHC December 2022

VERMONT EMERGENCY TELEPSYCHIATRY NETWORK NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2022

In collaboration with the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center and MCD Global Health, VPQHC is pleased to share the findings of a one-year look at the needs of emergency departments (EDs) in caring for people with mental health crises.

Foley & Lardner, LLP December 29, 2022

Another Extension of Telehealth Relief for HDHP/HSA Plans

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (2023 CAA) further extends the HSA safe harbor allowing high deductible health plans (HDHPs) to offer first dollar coverage of telehealth services without ruining HDHP members’ ability to make or receive pre-tax contributions into their health savings accounts (HSAs). In other words, HDHP plans can continue to waive the deductible for any telehealth services without causing members to lose HSA eligibility.

HealthcareITNews December 29, 2022

Telehealth helps stop suicidal ideation for many patients, study finds

One person dies from suicide every 11 minutes in the U.S. A new study shows that telemedicine can be used to treat more severe mental illness – contrary to previous thought.

HealthcareITNews December 28, 202

How UVA Health's Medicine HOME program reduces hospitalizations and readmissions

One analysis found overall, inpatient and/or observational admissions dropped by 30%, readmissions decreased by 46%, and total costs of care fell by 20%.

Foley & Lardner, LLP December 22, 2023

The Future of Telemedicine Post-PHE and How to Advocate for Change: An interview with Nathaniel Lacktman

Many of the telehealth flexibilities that became popular with both patients and clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic will expire when the public health emergency (PHE) ends.

Telehealth.org December 22, 2022

2023 Preview of Telemental Health Laws & Behavioral Telehealth Regulations

After continuing COVID-related telemental health laws and behavioral telehealth regulations in 2022, many key issues for 2023 are already decided. Both federal and state legislative groups have focused heavily on passing behavioral telehealth regulations to be enacted in 2023 and are poised to extend in subsequent years.

CCHP December 20, 2022

CCHP Leadership Provides A Lookback at Telehealth Policy in 2022

As another full year of living under the public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 comes to an end, we are taking a look back to see what has happened this year with telehealth policy on both the federal and state level.

HealthcareITNews December 20, 2022

UCHealth slashes code blues up to 70% with telehealth technologies

The academic medical center uses tele-sitter and virtual ICU platforms for a program it calls Virtual Deterioration

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 19, 2022

Telehealth Remains Key Modality for Behavioral Healthcare Delivery

A Michigan-based provider leveraged a telehealth solution to expand critical access to behavioral healthcare as demand for these services skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 19, 2022

Telehealth Remains Key Modality for Behavioral Healthcare Delivery

A Michigan-based provider leveraged a telehealth solution to expand critical access to behavioral healthcare as demand for these services skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HealthcareITNews December 19, 2022

A staffing expert shows how telehealth Is stepping in to fill the staffing shortage

"As clinicians are passionate about patients receiving quality healthcare delivered in a timely manner, I see telehealth programs being the key to improving patient outcomes and the overall healthcare experience," he says.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 19, 2022

Telehealth Remains Key Modality for Behavioral Healthcare Delivery

A Michigan-based provider leveraged a telehealth solution to expand critical access to behavioral healthcare as demand for these services skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 19, 2022

Most Physicians, Hospital Execs Working to Sustain, Optimize Telehealth

A recent survey indicated that 70 percent of practice physicians and 56 percent of hospital executives are working to sustain or optimize telehealth programs.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 19, 2022

Telehealth Remains Key Modality for Behavioral Healthcare Delivery

A Michigan-based provider leveraged a telehealth solution to expand critical access to behavioral healthcare as demand for these services skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 16, 2022

Telehealth Helped Improve Attendance Rates at NICU Follow-Ups

New research found that a telehealth consultation before discharge from neonatal intensive care units improved follow-up attendance rates by 35 percent.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 16, 2022

Collab Aims to Improve Access to At-Home, Telemental Health Services

A new collaboration between Superior HealthPlan, MedArrive, and Brave Health aims to assist patients in obtaining at-home healthcare combined with telehealth and virtual behavioral health services.

HealthcareITNews December 15, 2022

Epic research shows telehealth efficacy, makes case for more reimbursement

The study of 35 million telehealth visits found that most patients did not require in-person visits within 90 days of online appointments, indicating virtual visits as an effective "alternative, rather than duplicative" care modality.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 15, 2022

US Reps Push for Extension of Telehealth Flexibilities for HDHP Members

Three US Representatives led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in submitting a request to Congress to extend telehealth flexibilities for some high-deductible health plan members.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 14, 2022

HHS Proposes Rule to Continue Expanded Access to Virtual OUD Services

The US Department of Health and Human Services has proposed a rule that would allow providers to initiate the prescription of buprenorphine virtually for the treatment of opioid use disorders.

HealthcareITNews December 13, 2022

Mount Sinai Health tackles digital health inequity with robust RPM program

The result? Greatly improved patient outcomes and big cost savings.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 12, 2022

Healthcare CFOs: Telehealth Does Not Improve Overall Financial Picture

New research based on interviews with rural healthcare CFOs showed that they see some financial value in telehealth but do not believe it improved their hospitals' financial situations.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 12, 2022

Researchers to Develop Smartwatch Device to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis

A partnership between Oregon researchers and Analog Devices engineers aims to mitigate the mental health crisis among teens through the development and use of a wearable smartwatch device.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 12, 2022

Configuring Virtual Care to Boost Pediatric Healthcare Quality, Access

Virtual care can be a boon for pediatric patients and providers alike, but the key to a successful program lies in selecting and implementing the right technolog

HealthcareITNews December 8,2022

New research urges governments to invest in healthcare digitization

The Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience emphasizes the need for digital transformation, even amid economic uncertainty. Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, global head of government and public affairs at Philips, unpacks the new report.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 8,2022

Baptist Health to Add Remote Physical Examinations to Telehealth Offerings

A partnership between Baptist Health and TytoCare aims to expand access to primary and urgent care through the implementation of remote physical examinations.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 8,2022

Enrollment in Integrated Health Plan Drove Telehealth Use in California

Enrollment in a health plan that integrated clinical and financial incentives for providers to adopt telehealth resulted in higher use of virtual care, new research shows.

HealthcareITNews December 8,2022

How AI and machine learning can predict illness and boost health equity

A healthcare AI expert offers a deep look into how these technologies can get to illnesses before they become severe, and help solve SDOH problems that cause inequities in healthcare.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 8,2022

Researchers Create mHealth Technology to Track Sleep Apnea Treatment Progress

Chicago-based researchers have developed an mhealth application that can track individualized patient needs and engagement in methods for treating sleep apnea.

HealthcareITNews December 8,2022

New Zealand expanding e-script service to cover controlled drugs

Prescribers can start issuing digital scripts for controlled drugs on 22 December.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 7, 2022

Majority of Americans Value the Convenience Associated with Telehealth

New survey results released by AHIP showed that most Americans highly value the simplicity and convenience associated with telehealth and support making pre-deductible telehealth coverage permanent.

Telehealth.org December 7, 2022

Peering Beyond the Pandemic into the Telehealth Future

Many Medicare tools involving telehealth services were made possible by emergency blanket waivers responding to the Public Health Emergency (PHE) sparked by COVID-19. The primary changes authorized providers to offer telehealth video and audio-only services and to work from their homes while billing from their offices. Hybrid care appears on the rise, providing the flexibility of in-person or telehealth appointments. It also appears that many practitioners and patients are opting for telehealth as their primary care mode, assuring a strong telehealth future.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 7, 2022

Watchdog: Federal Healthcare Programs Vulnerable to Telehealth Billing Risks

As part of the federal Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport program, Mount Sinai Health System has launched an initiative that provides telehealth for non-urgent 911 ambulance calls.

HealthcareIT News December 7, 2022

At Children's Mercy, telemedicine boosts access to highly sought-after subspecialists

The Kansas City-based pediatric health system has been improving outcomes and saving costs on care across a vast rural landscape.

CCHP December 6, 2022

2022 In Review: State Telehealth Policy LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP

As the year winds down, the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is providing its annual State Legislation Roundup. Enacted state telehealth bills in the 2022 legislative session followed trends forged in the previous 2021 legislative cycle, although at a slightly lesser volume.

CCHP December 6, 2022

State Telehealth Policy LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP

As the year winds down, the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is providing its annual State Legislation Roundup. Enacted state telehealth bills in the 2022 legislative session followed trends forged in the previous 2021 legislative cycle, although at a slightly lesser volume. While 2020 was largely focused on scrambling to meet the needs of the population during the COVID pandemic through temporary telehealth waivers and flexibilities, both 2021 and 2022 challenged states to decide how to translate their temporary COVID policies into permanent telehealth policies, and in many cases making adjustments to their previously passed laws concerning telehealth.

CCHP December 6, 2022

Telehealth Policy Landscape Looking Towards 2023

TExecutive Director, Mei Kwong, provides a brief recap of state and federal telehealth policy in 2022 and what to look forward to in a post-PHE environment.

CCHP December 6, 2022

Telehealth Policy Landscape Looking Towards 2023

TExecutive Director, Mei Kwong, provides a brief recap of state and federal telehealth policy in 2022 and what to look forward to in a post-PHE environment.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 6, 2022

Telehealth Usage Remains Stable in September, COVID-19 Diagnoses Decline

Telehealth usage remained unchanged between August and September, making up 5.4 percent of all medical claim lines each month, according to new data.

HealthcareIT News December 6, 2022

UMass Memorial Health proves RPM virtual sitting is as effective as in-person care

Remote patient monitoring has allowed the health system to maintain patient safety while reducing labor-pool costs.

Cape Code Times December 6, 2022

Digital divide: New study finds disparities in access to telehealth services

With an unprecedented uptick in mental illnesses amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, telehealth use spiked when in-person care was unavailable. But new research from the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute reveals there are disparities in who has access to telehealth services across Massachusetts.

HEALTHCAREDIVE December 5, 2022

3 compliance monitoring trends and their impact on healthcare in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the healthcare industry, and nearly two years after it began, organizations are still grappling with the challenges they faced when it started.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE News December 5, 2022

AHA Requests Information on Telehealth Prescriptions for Controlled Substances

The American Hospital Association has asked the Drug Enforcement Administration to release information regarding future telehealth regulations for prescribing controlled substances.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE News December 5, 2022

VA Health System Adds Telehealth Program to Intensive Care Unit

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System implemented a telehealth program known as TeleCritical Care in its intensive care unit to enhance care quality.

HealthcareIT News December 5, 2022

2023 may bring progress in SDOH tech, telehealth and interoperability

So say experts from Unite Us, who also offer a deep dive into health equity in 2022 and 2023.

HealthAffairs December 5, 2022

Audio-Only Telemedicine In Primary Care: Embraced In The NHS, Second Rate In The US

Use of telemedicine in primary care soared in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and remains well above pre-pandemic levels. In the US, a major enabler of this shift is equal reimbursement across video, audio, and in-person visits. Policy makers must now choose whether to extend these COVID-19-era telemedicine policies. A key decision is whether audio-only telemedicine should be covered and if so, whether it should retain parity with video-based telemedicine.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 2, 2022

TN Health System to Deploy Wearables for Continuous Inpatient Monitoring

Ardent Health Services is partnering with BioIntelliSense to implement continuous inpatient monitoring through wearable devices to improve clinical intervention.

FIERCE Healthcare December 2, 2022

Hospitals billing for time-consuming electronic patient messages

As major hospitals now bill for some patient-provider messaging, the move could usher wider adoption

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 2, 2022

Stakeholders Request Telehealth Coverage Extension for HDHPs

A recent letter from Connected Health Initiative requested that Congress extend the safe harbor for telehealth coverage by HDHPs, which is set to expire at the end of this year.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 1, 2022

Reimbursement, Patient Tech Issues Impede Telehealth Use, Health Execs Say

According to a survey of US healthcare executives, telehealth use has proven beneficial for patients, but reimbursement and technology barriers hamper the increased use of virtual care.

HealthcareIT News December 1, 2022

Franciscan Health expands its Epic-linked telemedicine offerings

One major move was increasing its remote patient monitoring, providing additional tools and support to allow patients to feel comfortable recovering in their own home.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE December 1, 2022

Virtual Care Collaboration Aims to Promote Rural Healthcare in Central NY

A partnership between Columbia University and Bassett Healthcare Network aims to expand access to healthcare in the central New York region through virtual care capabilities.

MedCityNews December 1, 2022

AHIP: Americans Want Congress To Make Telehealth Capabilities Permanent

An AHIP survey found that 73% of commercially-insured telehealth users think that Congress should make telehealth provisions permanent. These provisions were put in place to meet Americans' needs during Covid-19.

THE NATIONAL LAW REVIEW November 30. 2022

Finding Our Way Out of the Pandemic Haze: What Telehealth Tools Are Medicare Providers Allowed to Keep, and Which Must They Leave Behind?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare coverage expanded to include a vast arsenal of tools that help patients access medical services while keeping patients and practitioners safe.

Healthleaders November 30, 2022

SURVEY: HEALTH SYSTEMS SEE TECHNOLOGY AS A KEY TO IMPROVING PATIENT ACCESS

A new survey from the Center for Connected Medicine and KLAS Research finds that patient access is still top of mind for most health system leaders, with telehealth, AI and scheduling tools the most popular tools in the toolkit.

HealthcareITNews November 30, 2022

Sweetwater Medical reduces patients' blood pressure and weight with AI and RPM

"With AI-enabled remote patient monitoring, we are streamlining our clinical workflow, improving our overhead, and, most important, improving patient outcomes," the practice manager reports.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 30, 2022

82% of Americans Want Telehealth Flexibilities Extended

A recent survey indicates that 82 percent of respondents with employer-provided coverage believe that the government should extend telehealth flexibilities.

HealthcareITNews November 30, 2022

Data privacy, lack of in-person contact among major barriers to telehealth uptake among Asian PLHIV

This is despite their increasing telehealth usage over the past year.

CCHP November 29, 2022

Will Final Rules for the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Convince Rural Hospitals & CAHS?

Established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA), Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) became a new designation in the Medicare program and an eligible originating site for telehealth delivered services (to go into effect in 2023).

Foley & Lardner LLP November 29, 2022

Medicare Remote Therapeutic Monitoring: Top FAQs for 2023

On November 1, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized new policies related to remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) services reimbursed under the Medicare program.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 29, 2022

Telehealth Requires Efforts to Improve Access to Reach Full Potential.

New research found that telehealth expansion lacks benefits when efforts to improve access are not present, which may often lead to health disparities.

Telehealth.org November 29, 2022

Telehealth Expansion Reportedly Decreased Mental Health Disparities: JAMA Study 2022

Access to quality mental health care for low-income populations is an ongoing concern. While telehealth expansion efforts during COVID have significantly improved access in many groups; research associated with access to care for low-income mental health populations has been limited.

Foley & Lardner LLP November 28, 2022

Key Takeaways from the HLTH 2022 Conference

With over 10,000 people in attendance, HLTH 2022 was inspiring and covered a wide range of subjects from health equity to the future of the digital health investment environment. Some sessions were laser-focused on current developments, but many had forward-looking themes that will be useful to note as 2023 comes into view.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 28, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring Program Takes Aims at Diabetes Management

UAB and UMMC collaborate to use remote patient monitoring for type 2 diabetes management.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 28, 2022

Telehealth Boosts Access to Care in MA, But Health Equity Gaps Remain

A recent report found that broader access to telehealth has benefited many populations across Massachusetts, but several upgrades are needed in the long run to ensure health equity.

HealthcareITNews November 30, 2022

Data privacy, lack of in-person contact among major barriers to telehealth uptake among Asian PLHIV

This is despite their increasing telehealth usage over the past year.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 23, 2022

Viewpoint: Modifier Code Allows Researchers to Evaluate Audio-Only Telehealth

BA modifier code known as CPT 93 gives researchers the ability to evaluate audio-only telehealth and ensure reliable healthcare delivery, according to a new article in Health Affairs.

HealthcareITNews November 23, 2022

Patients prefer telehealth for common illnesses, study shows

But more than half are concerned about the quality of care they're receiving, according to the Software Advice survey. One of the firm's analysts dives into the results.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 23, 2022

Federal Funding to Support Nurse, Rural Public Health Telehealth Training

A recent grant from HRSA has provided South Dakota-based Avera Health with $2.5 million to support the nursing and rural public health workforce through telehealth and virtual care training.

HealthcareITNews November 23, 2022

NSW Health seeks best change management practices for virtual care integration

It is part of its Smarter Hospitals project which seeks to optimise virtual care technologies in NSW health facilities.

Healthleaders November 22, 2022

CONGRESS PRESSED TO EXTEND PRE-DEDUCTIBLE TELEHEALTH WAIVER

The waiver was included in the 2020 CARES Act but will expire on December 31 if lawmakers don't act.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 22, 2022

Despite Challenges, Telehealth Can Provide Effective Cardiovascular Care

According to the American Heart Association, telehealth can provide effective cardiovascular care despite some challenges related to accessing technology.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 21, 2022

State AGs Urge Continued Virtual Care Access for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

A group of 45 attorneys general from various US states asked the DEA and the SAMHSA to preserve access to opioid use disorder treatment through telehealth.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 21, 2022

Penn Medicine Telehealth Program Improves Access to OUD Treatment

New research conducted by Penn Medicine describes how its telehealth program helped alleviate barriers to opioid use disorder treatment and increased buprenorphine prescriptions by 89 percent.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 18, 2022

Telehealth Availability at FQHCs Linked to Engagement in Mental Healthcare

New research shows that high telehealth availability at FQHCs led to better care engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic among Medicaid beneficiaries with mental health issues.

HealthcareITNews November 17, 2022

Cornell Scott-Hill makes big strides with specialist telemedicine

More widespread use of telehealth has enabled continuity of care for patients across different specialties and helped prevent adverse outcomes, says the health center's COO.

CCHP November 17, 2022

CMS Publishes Final CY 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS)

On November 1, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released their final rule for the CY 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). CMS had previously released their proposed version on July 7, 2022. After receiving submitted feedback from the public during the comment period, CMS published the final version that, unless otherwise stated, will have policies going into effect January 1, 2023. Much of what was proposed in July remains in this final version.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 17, 2022

Healthcare Stakeholders Urge Congress to Retain Telehealth Affordability

A letter, signed by more than 350 stakeholders, asks Congress to support affordability by extending provisions that enable employers and health plans to offer telehealth services pre-deductible.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 17, 2022

States Continue to Expand Regulations to Support Access to Telemental Health

A new report highlighted how the mental health crisis continues to spur the need for expanded telehealth services supported by regulatory flexibilities.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 16, 2022

AMA Releases Blueprint to Optimize Digitally Enabled Care

A recent blueprint from the American Medical Association described how digitally enabled care can impact future healthcare and how organizations can collaborate to enhance these services.

HealthCareITNews November 15, 2022

Provider burnout rates have leveled off, says KLAS report

The rates are holding steady at 34% since 2021, but the percentage of clinicians citing a chaotic work environment has stayed at 28% over the last five years.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 15, 2022

Amazon Launches Messaging-Based Virtual Care Service

Called Amazon Clinic, the new service enables healthcare consumers to connect with clinicians via a message-based portal and receive care for common medical conditions like acne and UTIs.

HealthCareITNews November 15, 2022

A telehealth partnership between the South Dakota DOH, EMS agencies, and Avel eCare aimed to improve care delivery.

"We aim to provide convenient, high-quality, affordable care, and we are able to deliver on our pledge of putting patients first by incorporating virtual care in all strategic plans," says its CMIO.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 15, 2022

South Dakota DOH Launches Telehealth Partnership for EMS Services

A telehealth partnership between the South Dakota DOH, EMS agencies, and Avel eCare aimed to improve care delivery.

HealthCareITNews November 14, 2022

New AMA blueprint seeks to tap the full potential of digital health

Six core concepts, developed with input from industry experts and stakeholders, offer chances for healthcare organizations to evolve in digitally enabled care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 14, 2022

Remote Healthcare Delivery Program Improves Cardiovascular Health

New research showed that a remote healthcare delivery program reduced blood pressure and led to higher levels of convenience.

Foley & Lardner LLP November 14, 2022

State Regulation Compliance Tips For Telehealth Employers

Companies whose business models are based entirely on remote provision of services face a number of unique employment law challenges.

HealthCareITNews November 14, 2022

Can virtual nursing help ease clinician burnout?

Six core concepts, developed with input from industry experts and stakeholders, offer chances for healthcare organizations to evolve in digitally enabled care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 14, 2022

WHO Releases Guide to Enhance Delivery of Telehealth Services

The agency issued a consolidated guide containing recommendations and processes to assist policymakers and providers in delivering telehealth services.

HealthCareITNews November 13, 2022

Tasmania transforming outpatient services with online booking, eReferral system

These projects are part of its broader strategy to shorten wait times while building the capacity to cater to future health demands.

HealthCareITNews November 11, 2022

Kenyan online pharmacy launches HIV telehealth program

The country's first telehealth solution provides discreet access to consultation services and medications that can prevent HIV.

HealthCareITNews November 11, 2022

Google Cloud to power virtual care delivery at Manipal Hospitals

It will also adopt Google Cloud's conversational AI tools to improve patient interactions.

HealthCareITNews November 10, 2022

Northwell to Co-Launch Virtual Care Startup Providing Menopause Services Northwell to Co-Launch Virtual Care Startup Providing Menopause Services

Together with Aegis Ventures, Northwell Holdings will launch a virtual care company offering services to manage menopause symptoms following an initial rollout among nurses at the health system.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 10, 2022

With Improved Standards, Telehealth Could Significantly Enhance Senior Care

In a new editorial, researchers argue that telehealth can lead to improved care among seniors, provided they adhere to standards that ensure the most effective delivery of virtual care.

Foley & Lardner LLP November 9, 2022

2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Advances Access to Whole Person Treatment for Substance Use Disorders and Behavioral Health

Starting January 1, 2023, Medicare will expand and increase coverage of certain services and providers to advance access to prevention and treatment services for substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health services.

HealthCareITNews November 9, 2022

Rural NY health system working with Silicon Valley to expand access, digital transformation

Bassett Healthcare Network's collaboration with Andreessen Horowitz is meant to open up a suite of digital healthcare tools to enhance medical services in an eight-county region in upstate New York.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 9, 2022

Telehealth Earned a Place in Standard Healthcare Delivery Approaches

New research indicated the emergence of telehealth adoption along with the spot it now has in the new normal of healthcare delivery approaches.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 8, 2022

Clinical Trial to Assess Efficacy of Virtual Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

Funding from the NIH has enabled Ria Health to collaborate with Stanford University to launch a clinical trial testing the efficacy of its virtual alcohol use disorder treatment program.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 8, 2022

Willingness to Engage in Video Visits Spikes, Especially Among Black Americans

The willingness to use video-based telehealth grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the largest increases occurring among Black Americans and Americans with less education, a new survey shows.

HEALTHCAREDIVE November 7, 2022

Senator outlines potential cybersecurity mandates for health systems

Virginia Democrat Sen. Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has released a white paper detailing a series of potential regulatory requirements for health systems aimed at improving cybersecurity across the industry.

Telehealth.org November 7, 2022

Ria Health Awarded $2 Million from NIH for Telehealth Clinical Trial

Ria Health, a leading telehealth provider, specializing in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) treatment, announced receipt of a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a randomized, controlled trial evaluation of Ria Health’s intervention to increase telehealth screening and treatment for alcohol use disorders.

FIERCEHealthCare November 7, 2022

Patients now more comfortable with telehealth thanks to pandemic-driven surge in virtual care: study

Patients are now more comfortable using telehealth as the COVID-19 pandemic drove a surge in virtual visits.

HealthCareITNews November 7, 2022

Innovative telemedicine solutions demoed by startups during HIMSS22 APAC

The Digital Innovation Showcase saw five startups pitching their solutions to a panel of judges and healthcare industry professionals from the APAC region.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 7, 2022

National Telehealth Use Appears to be Stabilizing

According to new data, national telehealth use increased by 1.9 percent between July and August, remaining relatively stable compared to fluctuations in usage seen over the course of the pandemic.

HealthCareITNews November 4, 2022

Roundup: Queensland virtual ED now available statewide and more briefs

Also, Western Australia plans to make its tele-stroke service available 24/7 by next year.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 4, 2022

New Partnership to Launch a School-Based Telehealth Program

Through a newly formed collaboration, OU Health and Oklahoma City Public Schools will launch a school-based telehealth program.

Telehealth.org November 2, 2022

Should Graduate Schools Teach Telehealth Competency?

A 2001 Institute of Medicine report highlighted the shortcomings of healthcare professional training and ongoing proficiency assessment to enhance patient care and safety (IOM, 2001). Two years later, the IOM identified objectives for educational reform for physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurses, and other allied health professionals, including psychologists, social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and addiction specialists (IOM HPES 2003). As telehealth adoption continues to grow, telehealth competency education and training are the keys to providing safe, effective, evidence-based telebehavioral health (TBH) services.

Telehealth.org November 2, 2022

Home-Health Telehealth & Emergency Preparedness

In a new report, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that home health agency (HHA) services should be reviewed to improve emergency preparedness.

healthleaders November 2, 2022

IT'S FINAL: PHYSICIAN PAYMENTS TAKE A BIG CUT FOR 2023, EXPECT A REDUCED ACCESS TO CARE THEY SAY

Ninety percent of medical practices reported that the payment cuts found in the 2023 Medicare physician fee schedule would reduce access to care, the MGMA says.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 2, 2022

Telehealth Patient Satisfaction On Par with In-Person Care During Pandemic

New research shows that patient satisfaction with telehealth did not fall beneath the satisfaction levels associated with in-person care among a diverse population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Telehealth.org November 2, 2022

Healthcare Trends for Telehealth Primary Care

Offering the healthcare industry a ten-year view of healthcare developments in primary care, behavioral health, and more.

Telehealth.org November 2, 2022

Diversity Telehealth in BIPOC Communities

Communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) don’t have the same access to quality healthcare as the rest of the population. The pandemic highlighted this problem as BIPOC communities suffered higher infection and mortality rate.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE November 2, 2022

Most Americans Find Virtual Primary Care Effective, Appealing

New survey results show that 79 percent of Americans who engaged in virtual primary care stated that it allowed them to take charge of their health.

HealthCareITNews November 1, 2022

Study: Telemedicine abortion requests spiked after Dobbs decision

The analysis found mean daily requests for abortion medications provided through Aid Access were 82.6 during the baseline period. They reached 213.7 after the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade was announced.

Foley & Lardner LLP November 1, 2022

ATA Calls for Stakeholder Letter on Telemedicine Controlled Substances and Ryan Haight Act

A coalition of health care associations has issued a call for stakeholders to sign onto a letter urging the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to take immediate action allowing telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances after the Public Health Emergency (PHE) waivers expire.

CCHP November 1, 2022

Bipartisan Policy Center Report Highlights Telehealth Policy Considerations—Recommends 2-Year Extension of Federal Flexibilities & Further Research

Telehealth After COVID-19. The report is based upon an analysis of Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, stakeholder input and interviews, a literature review, and a national consumer survey.

HealthcareITNews November 1, 2022

Telemedicine boosts value-based care performance for Happy Kids

The biggest achievement via the new virtual care workflow has been increased productivity, enabling providers to see more patients in less time.

mhealthintelligence.com October 31, 2022

Patients Prefer Telehealth for Primary Care, Mental Health Needs

A recent report shows that amid a return to in-person care, telehealth use has dropped among some populations, but it is still a popular modality for accessing primary and mental healthcare.

HealthcareITNews October 28, 2022

HIMSSCast: How emerging tech is opening new avenues in telehealth, RPM

Virtual therapeutics, voice recognition and fast-evolving artificial intelligence tools are transforming home-based care, says Robin Farmanfarmaian, co-author of the new book How AI Can Democratize Healthcare.

mhealthintelligence.com October 27, 2022

50% of Veterans with OUD Used Audio-Only Telehealth to Access Medication

Most veterans with opioid use disorder used telehealth to access treatment, with half engaging in phone-only visits, highlighting the importance of access to audio-only services, new research shows.

mhealthintelligence.com October 27, 2022

ED Return Visit, Hospitalization More Likely After Telehealth Follow-up

Follow-ups conducted via telehealth after an ED visit may result in increased healthcare utilization, including a return visit to the ED, as compared with in-person follow-ups, new research shows.

Telehealth.org October 27, 2022

Washington Post Reported Investigation of “Done Global” ADHD Services for Telehealth Prescription Practices

On September 16, the Wall Street Journal reported the DEA’s investigation of Done Global Inc. for its telehealth prescription methods. Done Global is a digital therapeutics company specializing in the remote treatment of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In recent months, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has been investigating the telehealth prescription practices of digital therapeutics companies specializing in behavioral care. The Wall Street Journal reported the DEA’s investigation of Done Global Inc for its telehealth prescription practices.

mhealthintelligence.com October 26, 2022

Virtual Care On Par with In-Clinic Treatment of High Blood Pressure

New research shows that telehealth can be used to monitor and manage high blood pressure as effectively as clinic-based care methods.

Healthleaders October 26, 2022

DIGITAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY AIMS TO IDENTIFY FLU AT HOME

A digital health company has unveiled an app and platform that can help consumers identify flu-like symptoms at home and access resources for treatment.

mhealthintelligence.com October 26, 2022

OIG Recommends Home Health Agencies Evaluate Telehealth Activity

In a new report, HHS' Office of Inspector General described the need for home health agencies to review telehealth trends as its use continues to expand.

HealthcareITNews October 25, 2022

HIMSS promotes key policies on telehealth expansion, maternal health

During Global Health Equity Week, HIMSS is calling on its members to contact senators and state governors to make policy changes preserving virtual care flexibilities and modernizing information and technology systems to improve perinatal healthcare.

CCHP October 25, 2022

CCHP Releases New Fact Sheet: BASED ON POLICIES IN NEW FQHC CATEGORY OF POLICY FINDER

Last week’s latest update to CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder included a brand-new feature: a category specifically for federally qualified health centers' (FQHC) Medicaid fee-for-service policies.

HealthcareITNews October 25, 2022

The intersection of remote patient monitoring and AI

Robin Farmanfarmaian, a Silicon Valley AI entrepreneur and author, explains how artificial intelligence can boost the efficacy of RPM and help democratize healthcare.

mhealthintelligence.com October 24, 2022

Two Providers Join Forces to Launch Virtual, In-Home Care Company

MUSC Health and the MetroHealth System have partnered to create a comprehensive care company to deliver virtual and in-home care.

HealthcareITNews October 24, 2022

RPM leads to early detection of stroke-risk blood pressure at Boston Medical Center

The academic medical center's physician chief of maternal fetal medicine explains how remote patient monitoring technology improves care during a very sensitive time in a woman's life.

mhealthintelligence.com October 24, 2022

Virtual Health Integration Linked to Improving Healthcare Delivery

Virtual health integration with in-person care is a critical step in improving patient outcomes and care delivery for employees and their families, according to a new report.

mhealthintelligence.com October 24, 2022

Broadband Availability Linked to Video-Based Telehealth Use Among Veterans

New research shows that the extent to which patients from the Veterans Health Administration used video-based telehealth increased with access to adequate broadband internet.

mhealthintelligence.com October 21, 2022

34 States, DC Offer Some Reimbursement for Audio-Only Telehealth

A new report on state-level telehealth policies shows that 34 states and D.C. pay for audio-only telephone through their Medicaid programs, but with certain limitations.

mhealthintelligence.com October 21, 2022

New Virtual Program Aims to Expand Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation

Tampa General's heart institute and Recora are working together to expand access to cardiac rehabilitation through a new virtual recovery program.

HealthAffairs October 20, 2022

Advancing Health Equity For People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities

There are numerous health inequities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). They experience lower rates of preventive screening; higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease; lower life expectancy; and higher rates of pregnancy complications. If that’s not enough, they have been at nearly six times greater risk of dying from COVID-19.

mhealthintelligence.com October 20, 2022

Telehealth Visit Volumes Drop 37% Since Peak Usage During Pandemic

New data shows that while telehealth visits have declined since the second quarter of 2020, behavioral health patients continue to flock to telehealth, making it a key area for provider investment.

HealthcareITNews October 20, 2022

A closer look at the tech needed for new care-at-home and aging-in-place models

Connecting care teams and enabling information sharing among hospitals, group practices and, most importantly, families is crucial to helping more senior citizens get healthcare at home.

mhealthintelligence.com October 19, 2022

IN Health System Adds Virtual Care Initiatives to Expand Offerings

Parkview Health aims to expand access to clinical support through new virtual care initiatives provided from one centralized location.

HealthcareITNews October 19, 2022

Australia to restore video telehealth subsidy for rural mental health

The MBS item was previously cut, forcing some people to give up treatment and some psychiatrists to cease providing service.

mhealthintelligence.com October 19, 2022

Ochsner Digital Health Pilot Improves Diabetes, Hypertension Outcomes

A digital health pilot conducted by Ochsner Health helped about 50 percent of hypertensive patients and almost 60 percent of type 2 diabetes patients reach their outcomes goals.

Telehealth.org October 18, 2022

Ketamine Telehealth: Safety Concerns & Continued Use Post-COVID

Ketamine telehealth became popular during the pandemic when in-office visits were restricted or unavailable for months. Patients were able to receive a prescription for Ketamine treatment for use in their own homes without in-person supervision and care from their providers.

mhealthintelligence.com October 18, 2022

Telehealth Reduces No-Show Rates, Improves Access Among Surgical Patients

New research shows that telehealth services successfully connected surgical patients to care and reduced the odds of a no-show among two-thirds of patients.

Telehealth.org October 18, 2022

Telehealth Usage Report Points to Continued Telehealth Expansion for Telehealth Practice Development

Active healthcare practitioners are now enjoying the option of choosing one of three approaches to deliver care: in-person only, hybrid telehealth, and telehealth-only. As detailed in earlier TBHI articles about future opportunities in telehealth, Medicare offers unparalleled practice development and specialization opportunities. For instance, in behavioral care, Medicare has approved telephone and video teletherapy reimbursement.

CCHP October 18, 2022 Link

Just Released! CCHP’s 50 State Telehealth Policy Summary Report, Fall 2022….Trends in Telehealth Policy

Today the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is releasing its bi-annual summary of state telehealth policy changes for Fall 2022.

Healthleaders October 18, 2022

6 STEPS FOR SHORING UP YOUR REVENUE CYCLE'S TELEHEALTH BILLING

A recent OIG report contains vital information for your revenue cycle staffs' telehealth billing practices.

mhealthintelligence.com October 17, 2022

Physicians Approve of Using Telehealth to Treat Opioid Use Disorder

New research shows that a high percentage of registered physicians found telehealth a favorable method for treating opioid use disorder patients.

HealthcareITNews October 17, 2022

What an eventual end to the PHE would mean for telehealth

Among other impacts, ending the PHE would represent access challenges and a loss of Medicaid coverage for millions, and would end medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder without an in-person exam.

HCCHP October 15, 2022

State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2022

The Center for Connected Health Policy’s (CCHP) Fall 2022 Summary Report of the state telehealth laws and Medicaid program policies is now available as well as updated information on our online Policy

CCHP – Fact Sheet October 14, 2022

State Summary Chart, Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies, Fall 2022

This chart provides a quick reference summary of each state’s telehealth policy on Medicaid reimbursement, private payer reimbursement laws, professi

Healthleaders October 14, 2022

HOW TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS ENGAGEMENT, ADHERENCE IN OUD TREATMENT

In the second of a two-part interview, Brian Clear MD, chief medical officer of Bicycle Health, talks about treatment details and regulato

mhealthintelligence.com October 14, 2022

Partnership to Add Virtual Primary Care Feature to Smart TVs

Aiming to increase access to primary care, HealthTap and Samsung are working together to create and implement a virtual healthcare feature for smart TVs, allowing patients to access prima

CCHP-Fact Sheet October 14, 2022

Infographic, State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies, Fall 2022

An ‘At a Glance’ look at trends in state telehealth laws, regulations and reimbursement policies across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. See the number of states

Commonwealth October 14, 2022

EARLY DATA FINDS TELEHEALTH IS LARGELY COST NEUTRAL

ONE Of THE BIGGEST shifts in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic was the sudden launch of telehealth. Before COVID, doctors and hospitals rarely offered video visits and very few patients ever used telehealth. Suddenly, when doctors’ offices largely shut down in March 2020 and patients feared returning once they reopened, telehealth burgeoned in popularity, spurred by emergency orders requiring equal insurance reimbursement.

mhealthintelligence.com October 13, 2022

Group Recommends Policy Changes for Future Telehealth Optimization

The Bipartisan Policy Center detailed trends in telehealth use and recommended policies to support future telehealth optimization, such as removing excessive in-person visit requirements for behavioral healthcare.

Healthleaders October 13, 2022

FQHCS, RHCS, TELEHEALTH STILL HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE

With the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the horizon, some healthcare organizations are struggling to come to grips with the impending loss of telehealth freedoms.

Healthleaders October 12, 2022

USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE OPIOID USE DISORDER TREATMENT

In the first of a two-part interview, Brian Clear, MD, chief medical officer of Bicycle Health, describes an approach supported by the AMA, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and other experts.

MedCitynNews October 12, 2022

Telehealth benefits need extension with 2 key guardrails, policy expert says

If telehealth flexibilities are not protected once the public health emergency expires, many Americans will lose their access to virtual care. To prevent this, the healthcare industry must advocate for the extension of these benefits for at least two years following the end of the emergency, with guardrails placed around two key areas — the prescription of addictive medications and audio-only visits.

mhealthintelligence.com October 12, 2022

Telehealth-Enabled Observation Effective for At-Home Methadone Dosing

New research shows that video observation positively impacted rates of observed at-home methadone dosing, enhancing patient safety and reducing infection risks.

CCHP-Newsletter October 11, 2022

Telehealth Prescription Denials, Medicare Data & More Telehealth Research Studies During Pandemic

CHP’s October Newsletter is Here! This month’s topics include: Controlled Substance Prescribing During COVID-19 PHE and Cases of Pharmacy Prescription Rejections; New Medicare Telehealth Claims Data and CMS Trends Snapshot Report; New Report on Telehealth and Children of Color with Special Health Care Needs; Latest Policy Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder and Policy Trends Map; TRICARE Telehealth Policy Changes; HIPAA Covered Entity Decision Tool; Two Studies Address Telehealth Use During Pandemic for Opioid Use Disorder & Out-Of-State Telehealth; CCHP Fall 2022 Webinar Series Coming Later This Month.

HealthcareITNews October 11, 2022

About 80% of emergency patients avoided hospital admission in SA Virtual Care Service trial

The service is now being rolled out in more than 120 residential aged care facilities.

HealthcareITNews October 11, 2022

Using telemedicine when it makes sense

Patients worldwide prefer a mix of in-person and virtual care moving forward from the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews October 10, 2022

Telemedicine boosts access, decreases inequities in Montana

The University of Montana College of Health has expanded its telehealth offerings across many disciplines to reach more people, especially in tribal communities.

mhealthintelligence.com October 10, 2022

Older Adults Satisfied with Telehealth During COVID-19 Pandemic

New research showed that adults 65 and older were relatively satisfied with telehealth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and desired continued access to virtual care.

mhealthintelligence.com October 7, 2022

Researchers Win NIH Grant to Treat Opioid Overuse Through Telehealth

Researchers from New York and Connecticut aim to implement an opioid use disorder intervention that leverages telehealth following a $1.1 million federal grant.

Healthleaders October 6, 2022

THE USEFUL 5: REGULATORY ROUNDUP FOR REV CYCLE LEADERS

HealthLeaders' regulatory round up series highlights five essential governing updates that cover every aspect of the revenue cycle that leaders need to know. Check back in each month for more updates.

CCHP October 6, 2022

Leaving No One Behind: Assessing the State of Access to Virtual Care for California’s Older Adult Population - Recorded Webinar

Over two and a half years into the pandemic, a series of telehealth policy changes have been made on both the federal and state levels that will impact the ability of Californians to receive care through technology, particularly the senior population. Join the California Telehealth Policy Coalition and an expert panel to discuss efforts in the state and what else may be needed to ensure seniors are not left behind.

healthleaders October 6, 2022

NEW STUDY FINDS TELEHEALTH OUTPERFORMS IN-PERSON CARE IN HEDIS MEASURES

Researchers have found that telehealth performed better than in-person care in 11 of 16 HEDIS quality performance measures, but that doesn't mean virtual care is superior to the office visit.

mhealthintelligence.com October 6, 2022

SD Health System Aims to Improve Maternal Care Outcomes Through Telehealth

Avera Health plans to use a $4 million federal grant to improve maternal care outcomes through enhanced virtual access to obstetrics services and remote patient monitoring.

HealthcareITNews October 4, 2022

Where telehealth can help curb the mental health staffing shortage

A physician and virtual care expert discusses how demand for behavioral health services is increasing and what telemedicine can do to meet these needs. He shows how the tech can help serve vulnerable populations.

Telehealth.org October 4, 2022

Post-COVID Recommendations for HIPAA Enforcement & CMS Telehealth: Government Accountability Office

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report urging more oversight of HIPAA regulations and CME telehealth. The uptake of telehealth technologies has increased the risk of telehealth fraud, waste, and abuse.

CCHP October 4, 2022

GAO REPORT RAISES POTENTIAL TELEHEALTH CONCERNS

Last week the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report to Congress regarding telehealth in Medicare, recommending additional actions related to increasing oversight and provider/patient education. Citing stakeholder interest in making pandemic telehealth expansions permanent, the GAO stressed the need for the report as a means to caution lawmakers around the potential for abuse, fraud, and privacy issues.

HealthcareITNews October 4, 2022

Telehealth now serves unmet needs, says athenahealth

Virtual care is playing a more significant role in filling gaps in delivery, having evolved from pandemic-era visit replacement, according to a new study from the cloud IT developer.

mhealthintelligence.com October 3, 2022

Michigan Establishes 13 Test to Treat Sites With Telehealth Options

The sites will enable people who test positive for COVID-19 to remain at the place they were tested, virtually consult with physicians, and receive a prescription for antiviral treatment if needed.

mhealthintelligence.com October 3, 2022

Project Increases Telehealth Access Among Veterans Facing Homelessness

Researchers expanded telehealth access for homeless veterans by 5.5 percent in 16 weeks through a quality improvement project.

Foley & Lardner, LLP October 3, 2022

FQHCs: Proposed Guidance Addresses Health Center Delivery of Telehealth Services

The federal government is requesting comments on proposed guidance for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) that provide services via telehealth. The guidance communicates key criteria for ensuring services delivered via telehealth remain within the health center’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-approved scope of project, and therefore qualify for benefits such as Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) coverage, 340B discount drug pricing, and enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.

healthleaders October 3, 2022

3 WAYS DIGITAL HEALTHCARE ADDRESSES WORKFORCE SHORTAGES

Since the “Great Resignation” began, many healthcare organizations have been struggling to maintain a standard of care that doesn’t increase costs in a time of economic uncertainty.

mhealthintelligence.com October 3, 2022

Telehealth Provider, Research Institute to Study COVID-19 Rebound

On-demand telehealth provider eMed and Scripps Research Translational Institute are launching an at-home study to examine patient responses to COVID-19 treatment.

mhealthintelligence.com September 30, 2022

Healthcare Provider to Expand Telehealth Research Collab With $2M Grant

New research shows that 57 to 80 percent of patients prefer telehealth when obtaining care, revealing high levels of satisfaction with the care modality.

mhealthintelligence.com September 30, 2022

Patients Indicate High Levels of Satisfaction Following Telehealth Use

New research shows that 57 to 80 percent of patients prefer telehealth when obtaining care, revealing high levels of satisfaction with the care modality.

mhealthintelligence.com September 29, 2022

Telehealth Care Quality Better Than In-Person For Some Measures

New research shows that telehealth can enhance healthcare quality, with telehealth patients experiencing a similar or better performance in some quality measures than patients receiving in-person care.

mhealthintelligence.com September 28, 2022

Chronic Care Patients 88% More Likely to Use Telehealth Than Their Peers

New research shows that telehealth use continues to impact healthcare delivery positively and remains popular among patients, especially chronic care, female, and mental health patients.

mhealthintelligence.com September 28, 2022

New Remote Patient Monitoring Program Aims to Assist Chronic Care Patients

Watertown Regional Medical Center has launched a new remote patient monitoring program that aims to improve care for chronic conditions such as hypertension and heart failure.

HealthcareITNews September 27, 2022

How one FQHC uses telehealth for primary care, behavioral health and addiction treatment

Harbor Care Health and Wellness Center put $800K in grant funds toward mobile and web-based platforms and network infrastructure to serve the homeless with virtual care.

CCHP September 27, 2022

Teleheatlh & Health Centers-HRSA Draft Telehealth Policy Guidance Released

Earlier this month the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) released draft telehealth policy guidance, Draft Scope of Project and Telehealth Policy Information Notice (Telehealth PIN), for HRSA-funded health centers and Health Center Program look-alikes. The guidance includes considerations and criteria for health centers to meet in order to provide telehealth services to patients. HRSA is inviting public feedback and comment on the Draft Telehealth PIN until mid-November.

mhealthintelligence.com September 26, 2022

Florida Health System to Launch RPM Platform for Heart Failure, Hypertension

Baptist Health South Florida is joining forces with Raziel Health to deploy its platform that combines remote monitoring, virtual care, and machine learning to bolster cardiac care.

HealthcareITNews September 23, 2022

Digital front doors' advantages when meeting population health needs

"This is really the future of care. Digital front doors can provide one single entry point and experience for the patient," one expert contends.

mhealthintelligence.com September 23, 2022

New Research Affirms Telehealth’s Efficacy, Role in Expanding Mental Healthcare

Researchers dismissed common concerns about telehealth and described how virtual care helped improve behavioral health access at nursing homes in two papers published in NEJM Catalyst.

HealthcareITNews September 23, 2022

ATA: What's ahead for telehealth policy after the pandemic

Federal and state advocacy team members discussed the status of telehealth policy as the public health emergency deadline looms and the industry questions, 'Is the pandemic over?'

FIERCE Healthcare September 23, 2022

Senate to vote again on ending COVID-19 national emergency

The Senate is expected to vote on a resolution to end the COVID-19 national emergency as pressure grows on the Biden administration to unwind emergencies.

mhealthintelligence.com September 22, 2022

Blue Cross NC to Expand Telehealth Coverage Following Spike in Use

After observing a massive jump in telehealth claims since March 2020, the payer decided to expand telehealth coverage for fully insured and administrative services-only plan members.

mhealthintelligence.com September 22, 2022

Out-of-State Telehealth Aided Rural Residents Amid the Pandemic

New research shows that several Medicare beneficiaries benefited from expanding out-of-state telehealth services, including rural residents and cancer survivors.

Telehealth.org September 21, 2022

Permanent Telehealth Reimbursement Update: Bipartisan Legislation for Telehealth Extension

New, bipartisan legislation has been proposed to solidify telehealth policy based on telehealth advances and supporting research. Given the overall satisfaction and success of telehealth, bipartisan interest in supporting telehealth growth and reimbursement led to the submission of a bill titled, Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2021 in support of another telehealth extension.

mhealthintelligence.com September 20, 2022

Telehealth Widely Used by Patients With Pediatric Neurology Conditions

New research shows that telehealth was widely used by pediatric neurology patients even after in-person care restrictions were lifted, particularly among those with epilepsy and ADHD.

CCHP September 20, 2022

Cross State Practice Issues: VA Proposes Rule Changes Related to Providers Practicing via Telehealth

Cross-state practice issues have become a source of great confusion during the pandemic for both providers and patients. Generally, telehealth is considered to occur at the physical location of the patient, requiring a provider to have a license to practice in the state where the patient is located, or fall under a licensure exception or participate in an eligible licensing compact in the patient’s state.

FIERCE Healthcare September 19, 2022

OIG report flags telehealth insurance fraud, recommends CMS beef up oversight

A mental health provider billed an average of four hours per visit for 37 different visits. The provider and six others who overbilled for providing telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic all worked for the same chain of mental health and substance abuse offices in Florida.

HealthcareITNews September 19, 2022

Physician burnout is at an all-time high, says AMA

Due to the extreme stressors of COVID-19, career disengagement characterizes a U.S. physician workforce already in short supply, the group says, calling for telehealth expansion and prior auth reforms.

mhealthintelligence.com September 19, 2022

Viewpoint: Telehealth Disparities Exist Among Visually Impaired Populations

An article in Health Affairs shows that visually impaired patients often experience telehealth disparities due to difficulties with accessibility and navigation and shares recommendations to alleviate these issues.

HealthcareITNews September 19, 2022

Inside a new virtual-first, Epic-based, nationwide telehealth services company

Dr. Lyle Berkowitz, CEO of just-launched KeyCare, talks about how contracting with a third-party telehealth service works, the importance of the Epic link – and where he thinks virtual care is headed next.

mhealthintelligence.com September 19, 2022

Report: Texas Provider Aims to Improve Patient Access with At-Home Care Program

Texas Health Resources has created an acute care at-home program in an effort to improve patient access and quality of care.

Healthcare IT News September 19, 2022

Physician burnout is at an all-time high, says AMA

Due to the extreme stressors of COVID-19, career disengagement characterizes a U.S. physician workforce already in short supply, the group says, calling for telehealth expansion and prior auth reforms.

mhealthintelligence.com September 15, 2022

Report: Telehealth Company’s Prescribing Practices Come Under DEA Scrutiny

Remote care tools have seen the largest increase in physician adoption since 2016, with more physicians noting their importance as digital health adoption rises, a new survey shows.

mhealthintelligence.com September 15, 2022

Limited Resources Led to Lower Telehealth Engagement Among Rural Residents

New research shows a difference of 25.1 percentage points in the increase in telehealth engagement among rural and urban residents during the pandemic, indicating the need for additional resources.

mhealthintelligence.com September 15, 2022

Physician Uptake of Telehealth, RPM Higher Than Other Digital Health Tools

Remote care tools have seen the largest increase in physician adoption since 2016, with more physicians noting their importance as digital health adoption rises, a new survey shows.

mhealthintelligence.com September 15, 2022

Limited Resources Led to Lower Telehealth Engagement Among Rural Residents

New research shows a difference of 25.1 percentage points in the increase in telehealth engagement among rural and urban residents during the pandemic, indicating the need for additional resources.

Healthcare IT News September 14, 2022

Physician adoption of digital health tools is accelerating, AMA research shows

A three-time survey of 1,300 physicians from 2016-2022 revealed growing recognition of technology's benefit, with the biggest growth seen in remote care tools and planning for digital therapeutics.

mhealthintelligence.com September 14, 2022

375 Healthcare Organizations Urge Senate to Ensure Expanded Telehealth Access

A letter, co-led by the American Telehealth Association and signed by 375 healthcare stakeholders, requests that the US Senate approve a two-year extension to allow for expanded telehealth access.

Healthcare IT News September 13, 2022

How telehealth can keep people with disabilities out of the ER

People with disabilities often are faced with higher rates of chronic conditions and experience a higher rate of financial difficulty covering the costs of care.

mhealthintelligence.com September 13, 2022

Partnership Aims to Enhance Patient Access to Digital Therapeutics

A new collaboration between Trinity Health and Orexo US aims to increase patient access to digital therapeutics to treat depression and alcohol abuse in North Dakota and Montana.

mhealthintelligence.com September 13, 2022

Telehealth Use More Frequent Among Urban, Hispanic Medicare Beneficiaries

New federal research shows that Hispanic and urban Medicare beneficiaries were more likely to use telehealth during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

mhealthintelligence.com September 13, 2022

National Telehealth Use Drops Almost 4% in June

According to new data, June saw a 3.7 percent decline in national telehealth use, dropping from 5.4 percent of medical claim lines in May to 5.2 percent.

CCHP September 13, 2022

OIG Reports on Program Integrity, Risk, State Policy Changes, Likelihood PHE Extension & More!

Last week, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that provided an overview and analysis of fraud in telehealth billing data during the first year of the pandemic, while also identifying ways that Medicare might protect against fraud, waste and abuse in the future.

Healthcare IT News September 12, 2022

How virtual reality can help address the mental health professional shortage

Low-touch digital apps and high-touch telehealth don't fully address the lack of capacity in behavioral health – VR can, says one psychologist, who explains how.

CCHP September 2022

Video-Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Licensure & Telehealth

This video addresses the most frequently asked questions CCHP receives regarding licensure and telehealth for example: (1) What does the law says if your patient is going on vacation to another state, but still needs your services? (2) Do you really need a license in another state if you’re just consulting with a provider who is already licensed in that state? (3) ….and many more! View the PPT for this video here.

mhealthintelligence.com September 12, 2022

Rural Hospital Association Expands Access to Telehealth Resources

The National Rural Health Association has partnered with Equum Medical to provide underserved rural communities with various telehealth resources, including virtual observation assistance.

mhealthintelligence.com September 9, 2022

Telehealth Supports Access to Medication Abortion Services

New research shows that telehealth can help women access secure medical abortion services through text messaging tools and at-home medications.

mhealthintelligence.com September 9, 2022

Spike in Remote Patient Monitoring Driven by Handful of Providers

New research found that the COVID-19 pandemic led to expanded use of remote patient monitoring, but the increase was largely driven by a small number of primary care providers.

mhealthintelligence.com September 9, 2022

Patient Safety Campaign Aims to Enhance Telehealth Education

The Joint Commission has launched a patient safety campaign to advance telehealth education and provider communication.

Healthcare IT News September 8, 2022

A rural Kansas FQHC brings remote patient monitoring to the underserved

"We have learned more about the huge technological and digital access barriers that many of our rural patients face," the director of patient engagement at Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas says.

mhealthintelligence.com September 8, 2022

Telehealth Billing Poses Relatively Small Risk to Medicare Program

A new federal report shows that the risk related to high billing for telehealth services provided to Medicare beneficiaries is relatively low.

HEALTHCAREDIVE September 7, 2022

Physician groups urge CMS to prevent payment cuts, protect telehealth

The American Medical Association, in comments Tuesday on Medicare’s proposed Physician Fee Schedule for fiscal 2023, urged the CMS to reform and strengthen the program’s payment system, warning it is on an “unsustainable path” that jeopardizes patient access to care.

mhealthintelligence.com September 7, 2022

Clinical Diagnoses Similar During Telehealth, In-Person Visits

New research shows that diagnoses provided during a video-based telehealth visit matched the in-person reference standard diagnoses in 86.9 percent of cases.

mhealthintelligence.com September 7, 2022

Adverse Event Rate Similar for Remote, In-Home Physician Visits

New research shows a small difference in the number of adverse events among patients receiving in-home physician visits and those receiving remote care.

Healthcare IT News September 6, 2022

Medical school's faculty physicians conquer the digital divide with telehealth and RPM

The University of Maryland School of Medicine has expanded its telemedicine program to help reach vulnerable patients in need of care, regardless of location or technological savvy.

CCHP September 6, 2022

Expanded Telehealth & Audio-Only Policies Improve OUD Treatment

A recent study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Impact of COVID-19 Telehealth Policy Changes on Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder, found that expanded policies allowing increased use of telehealth by phone and video kept veterans receiving medication-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

mobihealthnews September 2, 2022

Study: Pandemic telehealth use linked to lower opioid overdose risk

Receiving opioid use disorder-related telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with lower odds of overdose and better retention using medications like buprenorphine, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

mhealthintelligence.com September 1, 2022

Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Leads to Positive Patient Outcomes

New research shows that home-based cardiac rehabilitation resulted in positive patient outcomes, such as lower hospitalization rates among cardiovascular disease patients.

mhealthintelligence.com September 1, 2022

Telehealth Expansion Linked to Drop in Opioid Overdose Risk During Pandemic

A new study has linked expanded telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic with a decline in the likelihood of overdoses among Medicare patients with opioid use disorder.

CCHP September 2022

Video-Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Licensure & Telehealth

This video addresses the most frequently asked questions CCHP receives regarding licensure and telehealth for example: (1) What does the law says if your patient is going on vacation to another state, but still needs your services? (2) Do you really need a license in another state if you’re just consulting with a provider who is already licensed in that state? (3) ….and many more!

HEALTHCAREDIVE August 5, 2022

No ‘slam dunk fix’ in HIPAA privacy law to protect abortion patients

The Biden administration wants to lean on the decades-old privacy law to protect abortion patients. What could it actually do?

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 4, 2022

18 Health Systems Collaborate to Develop Hospital-at-Home Tools

Ariadne Labs and CaroNova brought the health systems together to develop tools to help providers set up and enhance hospital-at-home programs.

HEALTHCAREDIVE August 4, 2022

Hospitals have low level of accountability for connected device breaches

Hospitals are not taking basic security actions and have low levels of accountability regarding cyberattacks, ransomware and data theft stemming from breached medical devices, new research suggests.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 3, 2022

New Collab Aims to Improve Virtual Mental Health Services for Medicaid Patients

Brave Health has collaborated with MedArrive to enhance and expand virtual mental health services for vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 3, 2022

Medicare Remote Patient Monitoring Use Shot Up During Pandemic

A recent study showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 555 percent increase in the use of remote patient monitoring among Medicare beneficiaries.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 2, 2022

Telehealth Bolsters Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment for Veterans

New research shows that audio and video-based telehealth helped reduce opioid use disorder treatment barriers among veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 2, 2022

Washington State Launches Free Telehealth Program for COVID-19 Treatment

The Washington State Department of Health aims to improve virtual access to COVID-19 treatment by implementing a free program.

HealthcareITNews August 1, 2022

Stony Brook Medicine crafts a telehealth strategic plan that bears fruit

The health system's use of telemedicine ranges from outpatient to inpatient and remote patient monitoring via iPhones.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 1, 2022

HHS, DOJ Issue Guidance to Eliminate Telehealth Discrimination

The federal agencies' guidance provides examples of discrimination during telehealth visits and actions to ensure virtual care remains accessible to all.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE August 1, 2022

Health Literacy, Location Impact Type of Telehealth Modality Used

New research shows that factors such as health literacy and area deprivation index (ADI) can influence whether video-based or audio-only telehealth is used.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE July 29, 2022

Telehealth Bolsters Maternal Care Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction

New research shows that implementing telehealth, either in place of or as a supplement to in-person care, led to good clinical outcomes and high patient satisfaction in maternal care.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE July 29, 2022

New Clinical Trial to Assess Telehealth Strategies for Migraine Treatment

Cincinnati Children’s received a $12.9 million grant to support research on two different telehealth-enabled methods for treating migraines in adolescents.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE July 28, 2022

NY Health System to Add Telemental Health Services to Urgent Care Platform

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust provided NYC Health+Hospitals with a $3.9 million grant to support the addition of a telemental health service to its virtual ExpressCare platform.

mHEALTH INTELLIENCE July 28, 2022

House Passes Bill Extending Telehealth Flexibilities to End of 2024

The passing of HR 4040 by the US House of Representatives has resulted in a two-year extension of telehealth flexibilities enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HealthCareITNews July 27, 2022

How telehealth can help solve the physician specialist shortage

Dr. Chris Gallagher, a cardiologist and CEO of SOC Telemed, sees "the power of telemedicine to change patients' lives and make a real difference to hospitals' bottom lines."

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 27, 2022

Smartphone App Can Detect Skin Cancer Among Older People

Stanford Health researchers found that a smartphone app can help providers detect skin cancer among older people.

CCHP July 26, 20222

OIG FRAUD ALERT: Focuses on Purported Telemedicine Company Practices, Cautions Practitioners

Citing a significant increase in fraud schemes, on July 20th the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a special fraud alert to warn providers of questionable telemedicine company practices.

JDSUPRA July 25, 2022

Reproductive Healthcare Issues for Employers Series, Part 3: HHS Guidance on HIPAA and Other Privacy Issues

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overruling the constitutionally protected right to an abortion, federal agencies have issued guidance intended to help protect the privacy of patients. Employers should carefully consider this guidance because it impacts their responsibilities as a sponsor of a group health plan and the privacy rights of their employees.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 25, 2022

ATA Displays Gratitude for the Expansion of PHE Flexibilities

ATA and ATA Action shared high levels of support for new telehealth legislation supporting the expansion of PHE flexibilities.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 25, 2022

AHA Says Senate Should Codify Virtual Mental Health in Telehealth

AHA sent the Senate Finance Committee a letter offering constructive opinions, like adding virtual mental health to telehealth plans.

HealthCareITNews July 25, 2022

MaineHealth turned a COVID-19 grant into a permanent telehealth program

"There is now a robust, extensive and dynamic virtual care option for patients that did not exist prior to the pandemic," its IT director of telehealth reports.

JDSUPRA July 22, 2022

Protecting Health Information Post Roe – Part 2: Steps for Health Care Providers

State laws that restrict or criminalize abortions will require significant amounts of health information to enforce, putting new pressure on health care providers caught in the middle of competing obligations to their patients and to regulatory and law enforcement authorities making lawful requests for this information.

HealthcareItNews July 22, 2022

Roundup: Monash Health sets up virtual clinic for blood pressure management and more briefs

Also, the Australian government is subsidising the cost of teleconsultation for the prescription of COVID-19 antiviral medications.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 21, 2022

DOJ Files Criminal Charges in Telemedicine Fraud Schemes Totaling $1.2B

Thirty-six defendants were charged in the schemes, which involved telehealth providers ordering unnecessary genetic tests and durable medical equipment in exchange for kickbacks.

Telehealth.org July 21, 2022

White House Office on National Drug Policy: Telehealth Prescribing for Substance Use Disorders

The White House Office on National Drug Policy (ONDCP) supports permanent telehealth prescribing for people with Substance Use Disorders (SUD), according to the issued guidance “ Telehealth and Substance Use Disorder Services in the Era of Covid-19: Review and Recommendations” published on June 22, 2022.

JDSUPRA July 21, 2022

The Biden Administration’s Guidance on Risks to Privacy of Reproductive Health Information Post-Dobbs

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Biden Administration has outlined a framework for federal executive action designed to protect access to reproductive health care. On July 8, 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Services (the “Executive Order”) directing federal agencies, including the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take various steps to address “this health crisis.”

Telehealth.org July 21, 2022

92% of Consumers Report Convenience #1 Consideration when Choosing A Health Professional

According to a recent report, healthcare professionals believe virtual visits have increased patients’ and clients’ interest in telehealth adoption. CVS Health conducted a survey, Health Care Insights Study 2022, to understand health providers’ and consumers’ health care experience during COVID-19. They were interested in understanding which barriers may hinder their ability to improve digital health online service outcomes. CVS surveyed 1000 adults who answered 69 questions. They also surveyed 400 healthcare providers, who answered 42 questions. According to Adult Data 2022, 19.86% of American adults report mental health illnesses, which translates into nearly 50 million Americans. The CVS survey suggests that virtual care can help reduce the effect of this epidemic.

HealthcareItNews July 21, 2022

Northern Health to expand virtual ED access to COVID-19, aged care patients

This will help free up ambulances and hospitals that are currently overwhelmed with rising COVID-19 cases.

Telehealth.org July 21, 2022

Pediatric Virtual Visits: A New Approach to Pediatric Mental Health Service

Telehealth can help healthcare providers expand their pediatric mental health services to clients and patients across the US through pediatric virtual visits and pediatric telemedicine. Mental health issues in children, adolescents, and young adults have become a significant cause of concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, pediatric mental health-related visits increased 24% in just seven months among children between 5 and 11 years old.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 21, 2022

Most Americans Support Expansion of Asynchronous Telehealth Options

A new survey shows that a majority of Americans support legislation that would expand asynchronous telehealth, thereby increasing access to care, particularly mental healthcare.

HealthCareITNews November 9, 2022

Rural NY health system working with Silicon Valley to expand access, digital transformation

Bassett Healthcare Network's collaboration with Andreessen Horowitz is meant to open up a suite of digital healthcare tools to enhance medical services in an eight-county region in upstate New York.

Telehealth.org July 20, 2022

What is the Difference Between Synchronous Telehealth vs Asynchronous Telehealth?

Synchronous telehealth occurs when real-time technology allows the patient or client to interact with a practitioner using a telephone or video connection — or a combination of both. Providers and patients communicate directly, mimicking real-time interactions where the parties converse as they would in person.

JSDSUPRA July 20, 2022

HIPAA Disclosures of Protected Health Information after Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization: Foster Swift Highlights Navigating Michigan and Federal Law

After the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) was tasked with responding to how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) would be affected. Particularly, HHS’s Office for Civil Rights has released guidance regarding how the HIPAA Privacy Rule may or may not permit disclosure of an individual’s sexual and reproductive health information without express authorization from the patient.

Foley & Lardner LLP July 20, 2022

OIG Special Fraud Alert on Arrangements with Telemedicine Companies

On July 20, 2022, HHS-OIG published a new Special Fraud Alert on arrangements with telemedicine companies, setting forth seven characteristics OIG believes could suggest a given arrangement poses a heighted risk of fraud and abuse. The Alert follows dozens of civil and criminal investigations into fraud schemes involving companies that claimed to provide telehealth, telemedicine, or telemarketing services, but allegedly engaged in kickbacks and substandard medical practices to generate medically unnecessary orders and prescriptions. Those purported telemedicine companies, OIG stated in the Alert, “exploited the growing acceptance and use of telehealth” and present “the potential for considerable harm to Federal health care programs and their beneficiaries.”

CCHP July 19, 2022

PROPOSED 2023 PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE...Looking Ahead

On July 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the unpublished version of the proposals for the CY 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). CMS uses this process to make administrative updates to Medicare’s policy related to telehealth.

HealthcareItNews July 19, 2022

DiMe releases toolkits to help scale wearables, remote patient monitoring

The toolkits are based on the Digital Medicine Society's Sensor Data Integrations project, which includes organizations like Amazon Web Services, Oracle, the Moffitt Cancer Center, Takeda and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

HealthcareItNews July 19, 2022

Groups doubles down on telehealth with a mobile app to treat opioid addiction White House Issues Recommendations on Telehealth and SUD services

The value-based care provider focused on opioid-use disorder has built an effective combination of telemedicine and connected health.

HealthcareItNews July 18, 2022

FCC and other awards helped enable permanent telehealth policy changes in Virginia White House Issues Recommendations on Telehealth and SUD services

With support from a range of federal agencies the University of Virginia Health System has worked with community hospitals and other healthcare organizations on virtual care.

JDSUPRA July 18, 2022

White House Issues Recommendations on Telehealth and SUD services

In June 2022, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), via the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, released its “Telehealth and Substance Use Disorder Services in the Era of COVID-19: Review and Recommendations” (the “SUD Recommendations”). Although this publication does not have the force of law, it provides clear directions to legislators and agencies on advancements in telehealth for Substance Use Disorder (“SUD”) patients.

healthleaders July 15, 2022

PLANNING AN RPM STRATEGY FROM THE GROUND UP

Healthcare organizations are turning to remote patient monitoring to improve care management and give patients an on-demand connection to their care teams, but they need to plan carefully to make sure the program is sustainable and scalable.

Healthleaders July 15, 2022

CMS PROPOSES TO CUT AUDIO-ONLY TELEHEALTH COVERAGE

In a move expected to anger virtual care advocates, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed dropping Medicare coverage for audio-only telehealth services, including telephone calls, in its 2023 Physician Fee Schedule. The proposed action would take place 151 days after the end of the public health emergency.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 15, 2022

SC Hospital Receives $500K+ Grant to Support Telehealth Expansion

The Duke Endowment provided Conway Medical Center with a $510,000 grant to support the implementation of telehealth services.

HealthAffairs July 15, 2022

Audio-Only Telemedicine Visits: Flaws In The Underlying Data Make It Hard To Assess Their Use And Impact

In the ongoing debate about the future of telemedicine reimbursement, the role of audio-only visits has been particularly contentious. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare and other payers began reimbursing for both audio-only and video visits at the same rate as in-person visits.

HEALTHCAREDIVE July 15, 2022

Lack of payment pathway clarity hinders digital therapeutics, analysts say

The lack of clarity around payment pathways is preventing digital therapeutics companies from getting treatments to patients, according to Forrester Research.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 15, 2022

New Partnership to Implement In-Home Acute Care in Wisconsin

Marshfield Clinic Health System is working to implement in-home acute cute in Wisconsin through a collaboration with DispatchHealth.

Healthleaders July 14, 2022

HOW TO MAP OUT AN EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING PROGRAM

Health system executives at a recent HealthLeaders round-table explained how to create an effective remote patient monitoring strategy, from selecting the right patient population and technology to securing staff buy-in.

Foley & Lardner LLP July 14, 2022

Medicare Telehealth Services for 2023 – CMS Proposes Substantial Changes

On July 7, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) rule.

KHN July 14, 2022

Rural Hospital Rescue Program Is Met With Skepticism From Administrators

In West Texas, the tiny hospital in Crosbyton has only two beds, and they’re not always occupied. New Partnership to Implement In-Home Acute Care in Wisconsin.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 14, 2022

Penn Medicine Receives Grants to Further Virtual Care Innovation

Three Penn Medicine projects, including one that aims to improve access to buprenorphine through telehealth, received $200,000 each from Independence Blue Cross.

Telehealth.org July 13, 2022

Practice Alert: Proposed CMS Reimbursement for LMFTs, LPCs, Addiction Counselors, Psychologists, Social Workers & Others

After decades of seeking inclusion as providers under Medicare, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, addiction counselors, and certified peer recovery specialists are being included to the full extent of their licensure in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement proposal to change the CMS 2023 Physician Fee Schedule.

KHN July 13, 2022

US, World Bank Give Ukraine $1.7B To Pay Health Workers

Funds come from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Treasury Department, and the World Bank and are to support the complex and stressed health system in the country during the invasion. USA Today reports that telehealth assistance is also coming from U.S. doctors.

Telehealth.org July 13, 2022

Building a HIPAA Compliant Website

Several recently exposed healthcare organizations reported use of the Facebook MetaPixelhase raised eyebrows, given that using the MetaPixel can be a HIPAA violation when it collects patient information.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 13, 2022

NY Launches Virtual COVID-19 Care Service Amid Rising Omicron Cases

The New York State Department of Health is working with NYC Health + Hospitals to provide virtual care for COVID-19-positive patients who do not have a healthcare provider.

Telehealth.org July 13, 2022

Metrics Regarding the Growing Importance of Telehealth & Telemental Health

Fair Health is an independent nonprofit that collects data for and manages the nation’s largest health insurance claims databases.

healthleaders July 14, 2022

STUDY: MORE AMERICANS TURN TO TELEMEDICINE, REMOTE COUNSELING

In May of this year, a little more than a quarter of American patients (26%) sought both telemedicine and remote counseling services, versus 21% in November 2021.

CCHP July 12, 2022

Telehealth Policy Heats Up with Abortion Decisions...Plus, Telehealth SUD recommendations from White House & More

In light of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson, many are now looking to telemedicine as a potential solution to help ease the burden of individuals seeking abortions in states where it may now be illegal.

healthleaders July 12, 2022

MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM PLANS MASSIVE EXPANSION OF HOSPITAL-AT-HOME PROGRAM

Mass General Brigham plans to dramatically scale up its hospital-at-home program, a project executives say will help contain health care spending and manage an ongoing capacity crunch at its hospitals.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 12, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring Linked to Lower COVID-19 Hospitalizations

New research shows that remote patient monitoring can help reduce hospitalizations and intensive care unit stays among patients with COVID-19.

healthleaders July 12, 2022

US TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM OFFERS FREE CONSULTATIONS TO MEDICAL WORKERS IN UKRAINE

A U.S. health network is incorporating the telemedicine system it developed in the pandemic to offer free consultations to medical workers in Ukraine.

Foley & Lardner LLP July 12, 2022

Remote Therapeutic Monitoring: What You Need to Know About CMS’ Proposed Changes

On July 7, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed five new changes to Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) services under the Medicare program.

HealthcareITNews July 12, 2022

The key relationship between health equity and telemedicine

"As healthcare providers continue to navigate and find ways to improve the telehealth experience, we have to be intentional about bringing all voices to the table," one expert says.

KHN July 11, 2022

Gulf Of Mexico May Get Floating Abortion Clinic

To skirt Texas' and other Southern states' new anti-abortion laws, media outlets report on plans for a floating reproductive health center in the Gulf of Mexico, where care is instead regulated at a federal level. Also: HIPAA, abortion providers and technology, health education, vasectomies, and more.

HEALTHCAREDIVE July 11, 2022

Transforming virtual care to virtual-first care beyond the pandemic

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated the demand for and use of virtual care, current trends and individual perceptions indicate virtual care is here to stay.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 11, 2022

53% of Healthcare Providers Say Adding Telehealth Drove Up Patient Visits

Providers believe that adding virtual care services increased clinic visits as patients are more likely to make and keep appointments if telehealth is an available option, new survey results show.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 11, 2022

Florida Hospital to Provide New Option for Acute Care at Home

Through Tampa General Hospital's new hospital-at-home program, patients will have access to remote patient monitoring technologies and at-home care resources.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 8, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring Can Detect In-Hospital Patient Deterioration

New research shows that a wearable remote patient monitoring device can help detect clinical deterioration among patients in the hospital.

KHN July 8, 2022

Digital Mental Health Companies Draw Scrutiny and Growing Concerns

When Pat Paulson’s son told her he was feeling anxious and depressed at college, Paulson went through her Blue Cross Blue Shield provider directory and started calling mental health therapists.

HealthcareITNews July 8, 2022

HIMSSCast: ATA CEO says telehealth future is hybrid, outlines policy priorities and challenges

Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, offers a deep dive into a variety of telehealth topics, including the ATA's CEO Advisory Group on Using Telehealth to Eliminate Disparities and Inequities.

Telehealth.org July 7, 2022

New OCR Guidance Regarding HIPAA-Compliant Phones

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced the latest HIPAA guidelines regarding the audio-only service for all telehealth technologies.

Telehealth.org July 7, 2022

Teladoc Adds Drug Delivery, Lab Collection to Virtual Primary Care Service

The telemedicine provider's Primary360 service will now include referrals to internal Teladoc programs, medication delivery, and at-home lab sample collection.

Telehealth.org July 7, 2022

Mental Health Gaming as a Mental Health Tool?

The controversy over the pros and cons of video games and mental health has raged for decades. Now in 2022, at least one Internet startup has launched a gaming “mental health tool” to assist mental health practitioners with delivering mental health gaming services as an augmentation to their service offerings.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 7, 2022

COVID-19 Reappears on Top Five Telehealth Diagnoses List

COVID-19 appeared on the top five telehealth diagnoses list in April for the first time since January, according to new data.

Telehealth.org July 7, 2022

State Laws & Telehealth Abortion Pills for Remote Abortions

It didn’t take long for many states to take action after the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade judgment.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 6, 2022

Over Half of Americans Unlikely to Use Telehealth Post-Pandemic

A new survey shows that though a large number of Americans favor the continuation of telehealth services, a little over half do not plan to use them after the pandemic has ended.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 6, 2022

NIH Grant to Fund Study on mHealth App for Anxiety, Depression

Researchers created a mobile app to help users manage mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic through symptom monitoring and education.

CCHP July 6, 2022

What Might Happen in Telehealth Policy After the PHE

This video will look at where telehealth policy may be when the federal public health emergency is declared over. View the PPT for this video https://www.cchpca.org/2022/07/CCHP-VID-AFTER-THE-PHE-JULY-2022.pdf

HealthcareITNews July 6, 2022

At CommonSpirit Health, telebehavioral care decreases length of stay, cuts costs

Additional benefits included an increase in satisfaction and expectations of care met, and 61% of cases are seen within 30 minutes.

CCHP July 5, 2022

FAIR Health Study Showcases Importance of Telehealth to Mental Health Treatment

FAIR Health recently released an issue brief looking at “The Evolution of Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic” utilizing data from their Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 5, 2022

Researchers found that following an increase in telehealth use, there was an increase in Medicare patients with severe mental health conditions receiving the minimum levels of care.

Continuous glucose monitors can accurately measure blood sugar levels even among patients on dialysis, a population on which CGM hasn’t been widely tested.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE July 5, 2022

Continues Glucose Monitors Effective RPM for ESRD Patients

Continuous glucose monitors can accurately measure blood sugar levels even among patients on dialysis, a population on which CGM hasn’t been widely tested.

HealthcareITNews July 11, 2022

How AI and NLP can boost care via remote patient monitoring

Project Ronin, which focuses on cancer care via RPM, shows how artificial intelligence, natural language processing and EHRs come together to aid physicians.

HealthcareITNEWS July 1, 2022

HIMSSCast: Henry Ford director of virtual care talks telehealth

Courtney Stevens at Detroit's Henry Ford Health System discusses optimizing telehealth integration into care pathways, conducting comprehensive exams via video and improving telehealth literacy.

Telehealth.org June 30, 2022

Whistleblowers Earn $$ for Reporting Telehealth Fraud and Abuse

The increased use of telehealth, along with a decrease in the enforcement of existing HIPAA laws, has spawned a new wave of telehealth, particularly telemedicine fraud and abuse. The False Claims Act and other state and federal qui tam laws protect against government-funded medical insurance schemes and reimburse whistleblowers up to 30% of monies granted in associated legal actions.

HEALTHCAREDIVE June 30, 2022

HHS issues guidance on when providers may be forced to share patient information

Healthcare providers are not permitted to disclose patient health information unless faced with a court order, the HHS said Wednesday in an attempt to provide clarity following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

Telehealth.org June 30, 2022

How to Instill a Culture of Compliance In Behavioral Services

Instilling a culture of compliance in one’s independent practice, group practice, clinic, or agency is integral to running a successful healthcare service.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 30, 2022

AHRQ Offers Tips for Picking Mental Health mHealth Apps

Providers, patients, and payers will benefit from an AHRQ brief that evaluates mental health mHealth apps.

Telehealth.org June 30, 2022

Federation of State Medical Boards Publishes New Telemedicine Guidelines

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) recently released new and updated telemedicine guidelines.

CCHP June 29, 2022

Medicaid & State Telehealth Policy – Medicaid Telehealth Policy & Substance Use Disorder

In addition to COVID-19, the United States faced another public health crisis, the opioid epidemic. During COVID-19, some substance use disorder (SUD) patients found themselves cut off from care. Telehealth was used to help alleviate some of these access issues. In this webinar, we’ll hear about various approaches to the use of telehealth to treat SUD from federal, state and local perspectives.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 28, 2022

mHealth Wearable Device Can Predict Concussion Risk

Researchers discovered that an mHealth wearable device can detect potential concussions among contact sports athletes.

HealthcareITNews June 28, 2022

How remote patient monitoring improves care, saves money for chronic care

Half the population has at least one chronic disease. Care for these sick patients is costly. RPM has the potential to help.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 28, 2022

New Toolkit Aims to Support Effective Virtual-First Care Transitions

The Digital Medicine Society and American Telemedicine Association have developed a new toolkit to support the integration of virtual and in-person healthcare.

CCHP June 28, 2022

Interstate Telehealth Use Data Seeks to Inform State Licensure Policies

A recent article in Health Affairs, titled Interstate Telehealth Use by Medicare Beneficiaries, examined the data behind interstate telehealth use before and after COVID-19 licensure waivers.

Foley & Lardner LLP June 27, 2022

Three Considerations for Health Care Providers After the Dobbs Decision

Last week, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, holding that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, and overruling precedent established by Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113,and Planned Parenthood of Southern Pa. v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833. Health care providers that provide a full spectrum of women’s health care services, including abortion, will need to understand how the Dobbs decision impacts the care they can provide to patients. Absent a federal protection of a patient’s ability to obtain an abortion, providers operating in this space will need to understand the scope of State laws that apply to abortion services. Below are three key considerations that health care providers will need to consider.

FIERCE Healthcare June 27, 2022

Digital abortion providers, doctors brace for complex legal landscape after SCOTUS ruling

Even just a few hours after the Supreme Court released its decision to overturn the legal right to an abortion in the U.S., digital abortion providers were gearing up to expand their services in anticipation of surging demand.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 27, 2022

Telehealth Use Remained Steady in 2021 for Medicare Beneficiaries

Although the future of telehealth flexibilities remains uncertain, researchers found that telehealth use was steady and did not lead to a spike in total visits among Medicare beneficiaries in 2021.

healthleaders June 27,2022

STUDY: TELEHEALTH DOESN'T LEAD TO EXCESSIVE HEALTHCARE USE

Researchers at the University of Michigan, analyzing Medicare data through 2021, are reporting that the traditional Medicare population used telehealth during the pandemic to access care, but they haven't been overusing the platform.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 27, 2022

NY Health System to Use Digital Platform to Inform Teenagers of Diabetes Risks

Mount Sinai Health System is working with mPulse Mobile to create a health program delivered via a digital solution that will inform teenagers of diabetes risks.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 24, 2022

Organizations Collaborate to Assess Impact of Virtual Care on COPD Readmissions

Hartford HealthCare and Wellinks are joining forces to conduct the POWER study, which will examine the impact of a virtual management solution on readmissions for patients with COPD.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 24, 2022

Patients Report Better Telehealth Experiences Than Providers

Patient experience with telehealth appears to be better than provider experience, with only 15 percent of patients saying they had a difficult time obtaining the care they expected, a new report shows.

Telehealth.org June 23, 2022

Prescribing Controlled Substances Across State Lines – What to Expect After Telehealth Waiver Expiration

Before the pandemic, clinicians prescribing controlled substances over state lines had to have a license in each state where they prescribed telehealth-controlled substances. This prohibition has roots in The Ryan Haight Act, which has prohibited health care providers from prescribing controlled substances over state lines since 2009.

Telehealth.org June June 23, 2022

Audio-Only Telehealth HIPAA Guidance Issued: Practitioner Update

Covered health care providers increasingly use remote communication technologies to provide audio-only telehealth. New audio-only HIPAA privacy guidance was issued on 6/13/22 by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 23, 2022

Connected Health Initiative Urges CMS to Support mHealth Innovation in IPPS

The Connected Health Initiative sent a letter to CMS expressing support for its proposed IPPS but urged the agency to bolster mobile health innovation and limit associated burdens.

Telehealth.org June 23, 2022

HHS & HRSA Award $64 Million to Expand Telehealth Innovation in Community Health Centers & Rural & Underserved Communities

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has awarded nearly $55 million to 29 HRSA-funded health centers to increase health care access and quality for underserved populations through virtual care such as: Telehealth Remote patient monitoring; Digital patient tools, and Health information technology platforms.

CCHP June 22, 2022

Medicaid & State Telehealth Policy: Telehealth Private Payer Laws

The majority of states have passed laws impacting private health plans’ coverage of telehealth-delivered services. This webinar will focus on the path of these laws by looking at how one came into being with legislation, how a health plan implements and reaction to such a policy and does the entity that would enforce such a law have to say.

The White House June 22, 2022

ONDCP Announces Report on Improving Telehealth Services for Substance Use Disorder

The report by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) found telehealth services can provide increased access to vulnerable individuals with substance use disorder, decrease costs, and reduce spread of communicable diseases. It recommended expanding and making consistent current state and federal telehealth policies. Beating the opioid epidemic is a key pillar of President Biden’s Unity Agenda.

CCHP June 21, 2022

OCR CLARIFIES POST-PHE HIPPA COMPLIANCE FOR AUDIO-ONLY TELEHEALTH

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently released guidance on the use of remote communication technologies for audio-only telehealth to assist health care providers and health plans, or covered entities, bound by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules (HIPAA Rules).

HEALTHCAREDIVE June 21, 2022

As cross-state telemedicine waivers expire, virtual care advocates focus on long-term policy changes

There’s a complication: No one solution to the U.S.’ patchy physician licensing infrastructure has universal buy-in

HEALTHCAREDIVE June 21, 2022

The cultural and mental health skills that medical and health science students need in today’s world

From memorizing facts about illnesses to learning how to perform procedures, every medical and health science university offers curricula and opportunities to ensure that its students hone their hard skills.

HealthITNews June 20, 2022

How telehealth can help inpatient care, and what a hybrid future looks like

A telemedicine expert discusses how virtual care will evolve beyond its current use. KY Health System to Implement Hospital-at-Home Program.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 20, 2022

Interest in RPM, Personal Health Tech Adoption Lagging Among Clinicians

Only about a third of rural and non-rural clinicians currently use remote patient monitoring and personal health technologies, and one-fourth have expressed no interest in either.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 20, 2022

Smartphone-Based Tympanometry System Can Test Ear Function

Researchers determined that a smartphone-based tympanometry system can evaluate middle ear function on par with standard tympanometry systems.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 20, 2022

Telehealth Effective in Referring Rural Children to Hearing Care

Researchers found that referring rural children to hearing care specialists using telehealth promotes faster access to care compared to standard care methods.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 17, 2022

Patient Characteristics Strongly Tied to Telehealth Use

Although more information is needed, researchers believe that patient characteristics like race and insurance status are closely associated with telehealth use.

Foley & Lardner LLP June 16, 2022

HIPAA & Telehealth: FAQs from HHS Guidance on Audio-Only Telehealth

Preparation for operations after the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) have commenced. HHS released guidance on using remote communication technologies for audio-only telehealth services in compliance with HIPAA. In March of 2020, HHS stated it would exercise enforcement discretion for noncompliance with HIPAA in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth services using non-public facing audio or video remote communication technologies during the PHE. That enforcement discretion will end when the PHE ends.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 16, 2022

PCORI to Fund Research on Chronic Care Management Using Telehealth

The nonprofit will provide $50 million in funding for research on telehealth-based strategies to improve chronic care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 16, 2022

Mental Health Remained Common Telehealth Diagnosis Through Pandemic

Despite various changes in telehealth utilization, mental health conditions were the most common telehealth diagnosis nationally throughout the pandemic.

JDSUPRA June 15, 2022

Congress Releases Draft American Data Privacy and Protection Act

Last week, congressional leaders released a draft bipartisan bill that, if adopted, would establish the nation’s first comprehensive federal privacy law.

Telehealth.org June 15, 2022

Proposed Changes to Medicare Requirements for Telehealth, Including In-Person Visits

In 2020, in response to COVID-19 restrictions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded the scope of CMS telehealth services. Under the new telehealth policy, Medicare telehealth reimbursement became available for video and audio services, but an unpopular Medicare requirement for in-person meetings has continued for telebehavioral health services.

HealthcareITNews June 15, 2022

Assessing the success of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy

Physician, researcher and scientist Dr. Jorge Palacios explains how this style of care works and how it can help combat today's mental healthcare crisis.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 15, 2022

FDA Approves Smartwatch-Based Solution to Monitor Parkinson’s Disease

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of the StrivePD Ecosystem for Parkinson’s disease monitoring through the Apple Watch.

HealthcareITNews June 14, 2022

The challenges of telemental health, and how they can be overcome

Mental healthcare may be among the more intuitive specialties to deliver via telemedicine – but privacy demands, technology difficulties and the need for safe places deter some from taking advantage.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 14, 2022

State Medical Board Group Offers Guidelines for Appropriate Telehealth Use

The Federation of State Medical Boards has provided updated guidelines for providers to ensure appropriate telehealth use when providing care.

healthleaders June 14, 2022

HHS ISSUES GUIDELINES ON AUDIO-ONLY TELEHEALTH USE

The Health and Human Services Department's Office for Civil Rights has released guidelines on how healthcare providers can use audio-only telehealth platforms, including the phone, that meet requirements set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Foley & Lardner LLP June 13, 2022

3 Considerations for Telemedicine Companies Shifting Reimbursement Models

This article originally appeared in Entrepreneur on May 31, 2022, and is republished here with permission. In what feels like an instant, telemedicine has gone from an emerging niche to a must-have. The pandemic created an opportunity for telemedicine providers to grow — rapidly — giving even more reason for venture capital and private equity firms to accelerate that growth and back many new entrants. With loads of capital supporting expansion, coupled with a material uptick in consumer use of ecommerce, the emphasis has been growth and market share. Many emerging telemedicine companies have prioritized planting flags and building a user base as quickly as possible.

Healthleaders June 7, 2022

TELEHEALTH COULD GET MORE EXPENSIVE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY SET TO END THIS YEAR

Telehealth legislation continues to be introduced at the federal level, including the recently released Telemental Health Access to Care Act and the Connecting Rural Telehealth to the Future Act. On May 26th a bipartisan group of several U.S. Senators put out a discussion draft of the Telemental Health Access to Care Act as part of the Senate Finance Committee’s work regarding improving mental health access through telehealth.

CCPH June 7, 2022

New Federal Bills, Limited Movement

Telehealth legislation continues to be introduced at the federal level, including the recently released Telemental Health Access to Care Act and the Connecting Rural Telehealth to the Future Act. On May 26th a bipartisan group of several U.S. Senators put out a discussion draft of the Telemental Health Access to Care Act as part of the Senate Finance Committee’s work regarding improving mental health access through telehealth.

Healthleaders June 7, 2022

WHAT ARE MEDICAL DESERTS, AND HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY ALLEVIATE THEM?

Medical deserts create a shortage of care in both rural and urban areas due to geographical and economic causes, but AI-infused health IT tools and telehealth can help.

FIERCE Healthcare June 7, 2022

Interstate telehealth visits in jeopardy as pandemic licensure waivers expire

Temporary measures implemented by insurers and state governments during the COVID-19 pandemic have made it easier for patients to seek care from out-of-state clinicians via virtual care visits.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 7, 2022

Rollback of Telehealth Flexibilities Will Affect Each State Differently

According to researchers, states must individually consider how the return of more restrictive interstate telehealth policies will impact residents based on usage rates.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 7, 2022

National Telehealth Use Declines for 2nd Consecutive Month

New data from FAIR Health shows that telehealth use continued to decline in the first quarter of the year, falling by 6.1 percent in March.

Healthleaders June 6, 2022

HOW THE EXPANSION OF 5G WILL TRANSFORM TELEMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE DELIVERY

With increased bandwidth, 5G connectivity brings latency low enough to provide real-time information that will advance telemedicine and revolutionize future health-care delivery.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 6, 2022

Virtual Frailty Exams Improve Patient Comfort, Diagnostic Accuracy

Researchers found that performing frailty exams virtually result in accurate diagnoses and help ensure high comfort among blood cancer patients.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 6, 2022

Economic Disadvantage Linked to Missed Pediatric Telehealth Appointments

Researchers found that a higher probability of economic disadvantage was associated with a higher rate of missed telehealth appointments for pediatric patients.

News wise June 6, 2022

Doctors Across State Borders: Telehealth Study Could Inform Policy

As special pandemic rules end, new analysis shows potential outsize impact on patients in some states and rural areas of others

Healthleaders June 6, 2022

TELEHEALTH-FRIENDLY MEDICAID PATIENTS COULD GET LEFT BEHIND BY THEIR CLINICIANS POST-PANDEMIC

Therapists who are treating families, Medicaid beneficiaries, or patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to continue offering teletherapy post-pandemic, according to a new study published in JMIR.

Telehealth.org June 3, 2022

HHS Awards Nearly $55 Million to Increase Virtual Health Care Through Community Health Centers

In February, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded nearly $55 million to 29 HRSA-funded health centers.

HealthcareITNews June 3, 2022

There's broad-based support to stop telehealth cliff

Congress will act prior to the end of flexibilities allowed under the public health emergency, ATA says.

Telehealth.org June 3, 2022

Research Confirms OCD Teletherapy Benefits

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is recognized as one of the most effective therapies for managing the symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Telehealth.org June 3, 2022

Will You Get Involved? Remote Patient Monitoring Device Market to Exceed USD 101.02 Billion by 2028

The global impact of COVID-19 has created a “demand shock” of interest in remote patient monitoring devices (RPM) and associated clinical services.

CCHP June 3, 2022

Medicaid & State Telehealth Policy: School-Based Telehealth

This webinar is a part of CCHP’s Medicaid and State Telehealth Policy webinar series and will focus on the use of telehealth to deliver services in a school-based program. Learn how Medicaid and Education departments work together to ensure children receive the services they need.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 2, 2022

Remote Monitoring Using Wearable Effective in Tracking Parkinson’s Disease

Researchers at Verily found that remote patient monitoring through a wearable can effectively track Parkinson’s Disease and measure patient response.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 2, 2022

Initiating Telehealth Visits Through Text Messaging Benefits Patients

Researchers found that connecting with a patient through text messaging to let them know when their provider was ready to see them provided patients with scheduling flexibility.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 2, 2022

Telehealth Raises Visit Completion Rate by 20% for Rural Residents

A study found that telehealth can be used to expand access to primary care in rural areas as it can help increase the proportion of appointments completed.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 2, 2022

Hospitals’ Telehealth Partnership Aims to Cut Down on Long Travel Times

A new virtual care collaboration between Ascension St. Vincent’s Chilton and UAB Medicine aims to provide care while eliminating travel constraints.

Forbes June 2, 2022

The Future Of Telehealth In A Post-Pandemic World

The Covid-19 pandemic changed healthcare. We saw clinic closures, overflowing emergency rooms, disruptions to routine care, doctor shortages and the entire industry stretched thin.

Corporate.walmart.com June 1, 2022

Rural Healthcare

Walmart is on a mission to transform the cost and convenience of healthcare in the communities we serve, by ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable and convenient care. Ninety percent of the population is located within 10 miles of a Walmart, with 4,000 of our stores located in HRSA designated medically underserved areas, which puts us in a unique position to the front door of healthcare for all Americans.

HealthcareITNews June 1, 2022

River Valley Counseling Center boosts productivity and experience with telehealth

From putting band-aids on decades-old computers to conducting high-quality telemedicine visits, the mental health organization is making its clinicians and patients happy.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE June 1, 2022

2 New Telehealth Bills Aim to Solidify Expanded Virtual Care Access

Congress will consider two new bills that intend to create accessible options for virtual healthcare, particularly for some Medicare beneficiaries and rural residents.

CCHP May 31, 2022

Licensure, Billing and Post-PHE Telehealth Policy-Your Questions Answered

As the federally designated National Telehealth Policy Resource Center, CCHP develops educational telehealth policy resources and provides technical assistance to those who have questions regarding state and federal telehealth policies.

mHealthIntelligence May 31, 2022

Partnership Aims to Provide 911 Patients With Virtual Care

The 28-state health system is using telemedicine to greatly expand its footprint for its specialists, who are concentrated in a metro area of northwest Ohio.

CCHP May 28, 2022

Telehealth Policy at Different Levels of Different Levels of Government Diagram

CCHP has created a quick reference diagram outlining telehealth policy as it falls within different levels of government for both state and federal policy.

HealthcareITNews May 27, 2022

CVS Health unveils new virtual primary care platform

The integrated telehealth offering will be available to Aetna plan sponsors and CVS Caremark members in early 2023.

JDSUPRA May 26, 2022

Public Health Emergency Set for Extension: Lack of Notice Implies Renewal through Mid-October

The declared Public Health Emergency (PHE) under the Public Health Service Act will apparently be renewed at least one further time beyond its current July 15, 2022 expiration, as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has repeatedly committed to provide a 60-day notice prior to the termination or expiration of the PHE, and mid-May has passed without any such notice. Assuming that HHS issues the maximum 90-day renewal in line with the length of past renewals, such a renewal would extend the PHE through October 13, 2022.

HEALTHCAREDIVE May 26, 2022

Millions of people counting on Congress to protect telehealth access

“We need more help.” These words from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra during recent testimony on Capitol Hill capture the urgency for Congress to act on permanent solutions to protect access to telehealth.

Telehealth.org May 26, 2022

How to Establish a Strong Telepresence in Video Relationships

While most healthcare practitioners today will agree that telehealth services can be helpful, most are still unclear about the video-related factors that can help or hinder video relationships with their patients and clients through telehealth visits. The simple steps below can help to strengthen telehealth telepresence to ensure patient satisfaction.

mHealthIntelligence May 25, 2022

US Senators Release Draft Telehealth Policies for Mental Healthcare

Four US Senators have released a draft for telehealth policies that aim to bolster mental healthcare amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Telehealth.org May 25, 2022

Teladoc Health: Partnership with Tech Giants to Expand Telehealth Services

Teladoc Health, a leader in whole-person virtual care has been in the news since the start of 2022. The digital healthcare provider announced a major new collaboration with Amazon Alexa to expand Teladoc telehealth services. Here’s a brief look at what efforts Teledoc Health is making to make telehealth services more accessible.  

mHealthIntelligence May 25, 2022

Organizations Collaborate to Eliminate Virtual Healthcare Disparities

Various organizations across healthcare and academia have created an alliance to eliminate virtual healthcare disparities by increasing care access and building on digital health innovations.  

CCHP May 24, 2022

Studies Show How Telehealth Can increase Equitable Access to Care

Focus on the relationship between telehealth and disparities in access to care continues to result in new research examining pandemic era data and the use of telehealth among disadvantaged populations. While policymakers and studies often try to put findings into two groups, whether telehealth increases or decreases inequities, recent research shows that the study framework used and considerations made may impact outcomes more so than telehealth itself.  

FIERCE Healthcare May 24, 2022

Howard University, Teva Pharmaceuticals launch coalition to advocate for equity through digital health

A cross-industry coalition called the Digital Health for Equitable Health (DHEH) Alliance launched last week with the goal of reducing disparities through digital health.  

healthleaders May 24, 2022

HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE MOVING BEYOND THE VIDEO VISIT

Propelled by more engaged consumers and available digital health devices, healthcare providers are taking that next step and replicating the physical exam at home.

Forbes May 24, 2022

Telehealth’s Newest Frontier: Emergency Medicine

Telehealth has been a prominent buzzword for the last few years. With the emergence of Covid-19 and a newfound respect for remote healthcare services, telehealth/telemedicine have been a large focus of healthcare organizations and physicians alike.

HealthcareITNews May 24, 2022

Is telemedicine an answer to physician burnout and staffing shortages?

A physician who works full time via telehealth – and in brick-and-mortar ERs on the side – discusses the benefits to herself and the industry.

mHealthIntelligence May 24, 2022

Telehealth Widely Used by Allergy, Immunology Providers

An AMA survey shows that 92 percent of allergy and immunology providers used a telehealth modality for care delivery in 2021.

JDSUPRA May 23, 2022

Executive Summary: Tracking Telehealth Changes State-by-State in Response to COVID-19 - May 2022

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 actionable guidance on the evolving telehealth landscape, Manatt Health has developed a federal and comprehensive 50-state tracker for policy, regulatory and legal changes related to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is the executive summary, which outlines federal developments from the past two weeks, new state-level developments, and older federal developments.

mHealthIntelligence May 23, 2022

New mHealth App Aims to Support Patients with Opioid Use Disorder

A new smartphone application developed by the University of Virginia Health provides access to remote care for patients struggling with opioid use disorder.

HealthcareITNews May 23, 2022

Study: Teletherapy program reduces OCD symptoms

Researchers found a 43.4% mean reduction in patient-rated obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

mHealthIntelligence May 23, 2022

Digital Health Literacy Screening Tool Can Help Close Care Gaps

Researchers developed a scaled approach to assess digital health literacy across various populations, helping identify those who cannot reap the benefits of telehealth.

NYS DOH May 23, 2022

Tell the NYS DOH about your thoughts and experiences with telehealth!

The survey will take approximately five minutes to complete and is available in 11 languages. Whether you have used telehealth or not, please click on the link below to complete the survey, then share it with your friends and family members so they can complete it, too. The survey will close on 7/01/2022.

HealthcareITNews May 20, 2022

AMA, Brigham and Women's, Joint Commission target equity, quality & safety

Their new peer network of major health systems is designed to boost health outcomes for marginalized patient populations, helping hospitals "apply an equity lens to all aspects of quality and safety." .

Bloomberg Law May 19, 2022

Post-Covid Telehealth Rules: What Providers Need to Know

Holland & Knight’s Suzanne Joy looks at some of the Covid-19 public health emergency flexibilities that helped broaden access to telehealth services for Medicare patients during the pandemic. She says those provisions have been extended through July 15, but providers need to prepare for changes to come afterward regarding access, payment, and new regulations.

mHealthIntelligence May 19, 2022

Use of Virtual Care Tools in Some Underserved Populations is Rising

Though various underserved populations, like those living in rural areas, are still lagging in digital health adoption, some groups are using these tools at higher rates.

mHealthIntelligence May 18, 2022

Telehealth Remains Popular Among Adults Over 50

A 2022 study revealed that one-third of adults 50 years or older are interested in using telehealth themselves or for a loved one, which is similar to interest levels among older adults in 2020.

mHealthIntelligence May 18, 2022

MD Anderson, Business School Develop Design Framework for Virtual Care

University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School created a framework to help healthcare organizations design and implement virtual care services.

mHealthIntelligence May 17, 2022

Leveraging Telehospitalists in the Age of COVID-19

Providence expanded its telehospitalist program to include cross-cover capabilities and daytime coverage at smaller facilities, helping them manage COVID-19-related volume surges during the pandemic.

CCPH May 17, 2022

Use of Telemedicine to Facilitate Medication Abortions

As a result of the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on Roe V. Wade and the fate of abortions, Politico is reporting that telemedicine companies are seeing a surge in interest and web traffic. According to the article, 20 states currently ban virtual abortions, while the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks telemedicine laws and pending legislation nationwide, reports that 19 states require the clinician providing a medication abortion to be physically present when the medication is administered, thereby prohibiting telemedicine from being use to prescribe abortion medication.

mHealthIntelligence May 17, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring Did Not Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions

A new study found that a year-long remote patient monitoring program to care for previously hospitalized heart failure patients did not reduce readmissions or mortality.

Telehealth.org May 16, 2022

Legislators Pave the Way to Improved Access and Coverage for Telehealth Visits

The past two years have seen an exponential increase in telehealth policies regarding telehealth visits and coverage.

mHealthIntelligence May 16, 2022

CDC: Children with Chronic Conditions More Likely to Use Telehealth

Children with chronic conditions, like asthma or a developmental condition, were more likely to use telehealth because of the pandemic, according to new CDC data.

HealthcareITNews May 16, 2022

Telehealth can be a safe technique in high-risk pregnancies, study shows

A recent meta-analysis found that telemedicine interventions had a positive impact on many maternal and neonatal health measures.

Foley & Lardner, LLP May 16, 2022

Alabama Enacts New Telemedicine Law

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey recently signed SB 272 into law, setting forth telemedicine practice standards and abolishing Alabama’s previous “special purpose license” that allowed physicians licensed in other states to practice across state lines into Alabama. The law is effective July 11, 2022.

mHealthIntelligence May 16, 2022

NCQA Report: 3 Strategies to Close Telehealth Access Gaps

The National Committee for Quality Assurance released a telehealth report that highlighted care disparities and strategies for improvement.

Bloomberg May 16, 2022

US Set to Extend Covid-19 Public Health Emergency Past July

The US government will extend the Covid-19 public-health emergency past mid-July, continuing pandemic-era policies as the nearly 2 1/2-year outbreak drags on.

Telehealth.org may 15, 2022

HIPAA and Social Media: Best Practices

Social media has become an essential part of promoting business, but you must consider how HIPAA and social media intersect as a healthcare provider or company.

mHealthIntelligence May 13, 2022

NC Health System to Expand Remote Patient Monitoring Services

Novant Health is working with Health Recovery Solutions to expand remote patient monitoring by providing electronic devices to patients.

FIERCE Healthcare May 12, 2022

Study: Medicare needs to improve reimbursements for home care to entice more ACO investment

Medicare needs to make more home care services reimbursable for accountable care organizations to entice more providers to offer such care, a new study found. 

HealthcareITNews May 12, 2022

Broadband access, outdated laws among hurdles to equitable telehealth, says NCQA

The National Committee for Quality Assurance identified three key opportunities to improve virtual care delivery, including tailoring telehealth use to individual needs.

mHealthIntelligence May 10, 2022

U of Maryland Medical School to Establish Virtual Reality Care Center

Following a grant from the National Science Foundation, the University of Maryland School of Medicine aims to enhance virtual reality-based care by creating a new center.

HEALTHCAREDIVE CCHP May 10, 2022

50 STATE TELEHEALTH POLICY REPORT: Trends in Telehealth Policy Show States Prepping for the End of COVID PHE

Today the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is releasing its bi-annual summary of state telehealth policy changes for Spring 2022.

HEALTHCAREDIVE May 10, 2022

Telehealth use fell in February as omicron retreated

Telehealth visits for COVID-19 diagnoses fell in February, mirroring the sharp decline in new cases of the virus reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after January’s omicron-driven peak, according to Fair Health’s monthly telehealth claims tracker.

HealthcareITNews May 10, 2022

HHS awards $16.3M toward telehealth for family planning

More than two-dozen grantees throughout the country will have access to up to $700,000 in funding to expand their virtual care capacity.

HealthcareITNews May 9, 2022

How telehealth can improve efficiency and increase revenue

Juli Stover, chief strategy officer at eVisit, outlines three ways health system CIOs and virtual care execs can boost the ROI of their telemedicine investments.

CCHP May 9, 2022

State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Spring 2022

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is releasing its Spring 2022 Summary Report of the state telehealth laws and Medicaid program policies catalogued in CCHP’s online Policy Finder tool. The information for this summary report covers updates in state telehealth policy made between January and mid-April 2022.

mHealthIntelligence May 9, 2022

PA Provider, Public Health Dept. to Boost Virtual Access to OUD Treatment

Penn Medicine and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced that they will work together to improve virtual care access for opioid use disorder treatment.

CCHP May 9, 2022

State Summary Chart, Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies, Spring 2022

This chart provides a quick reference summary of each state’s telehealth policy on Medicaid reimbursement, private payer reimbursement laws (both if a law exists and whether or not payment parity is required), and professional requirements around interstate compacts and consent based on information gathered between January and April 2022

Telehealth.org May 8, 2022

Did You Violate HIPAA? How to Effectively Compose a HIPAA Breach Notification

Businesses operating in the healthcare field must protect their patients’ sensitive personal data. Companies must maintain the security and privacy of the information by the guidelines defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Telehealth.org May 8, 2022

Hybrid Healthcare is Here to Stay

While in-person healthcare is undoubtedly necessary, many technical innovations have already and will continue to improve healthcare.

Telehealth.org May 8, 2022

Over-the-Phone-Therapy: Rand Report Findings

A recently published RAND Corporation report confirms telehealth can improve healthcare access and high utilization of over-the-phone-therapy visits, also known as audio-only telehealth visits.

Telehealth.org May 8, 2022

Healthcare Information Security vs HIPAA Compliance: What’s the Difference?

Healthcare information security and HIPAA compliance: how do they differ, and where do they overlap? There are significant differences, and ultimately, you need both to run a successful healthcare service.

POLITICO May 8, 2022

Telemedicine abortion providers see a surge in interest

If the Supreme Court adopts the draft opinion, experts forecast that people seeking abortions will turn to telemedicine and abortion pills that can be mailed discreetly to a home.

mHealthIntelligence May 6, 2022

Understanding Key Telehealth Disparities & Patient-Facing Barriers

Though the telehealth spike in recent years has largely been beneficial for patients, there are several entrenched care gaps and access barriers widening health inequities that must be addressed.

FIERCEHealthcare May 6, 2022

Medicare patients in poor neighborhoods benefited most from CMS telehealth expansion, study finds

Expanding Medicare coverage of telemedicine during the pandemic increased odds of use among minority populations and patients in metropolitan areas, a new study found.

ebn May 5, 2022

Virtual care programs for addiction, popular during COVID, are here to stay

Not surprisingly, since early 2020, there’s been a noticeable increase in substance use disorders. A study of American adults showed psychological distress related to the pandemic was strongly associated with alcohol use quantity and frequency, as well as heavy drinking, and the National Laboratory Services’ Millennium Health reported a 32% increase for non-prescription fentanyl, a 20% increase for methamphetamines, and a 10% increase for cocaine from mid-March to May 2020.

healthleaders May 5, 2022

HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS ARE TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT TELEHEALTH KIOSKS

Self-contained telehealth kiosks had a short-lived heyday about 10 years ago. Now they're getting a second chance, as healthcare organizations look at new ways to improve access and deliver care to remote populations.

mHealthIntelligence May 5, 2022

Telehealth Vendors Share New Solutions, Progress at ATA2022 Conference

Telehealth vendors such as TytoCare and Connect America unveiled new products and shared data at the 2022 ATA conference and expo.

mHealthIntelligence May 5, 2022

Boston Children’s to Expand Virtual Access to Specialists Via New Collab

Boston Children's Hospital and Summus Global, are working together to expand access to specialist expertise virtually and bolster hospital's second opinion program.

HealthcareITNews May 4, 2022

How one grant can enhance care delivery and health education across the board

Decatur County Memorial Hospital used nearly $700K from the FCC to implement telehealth and remote patient monitoring and improve network infrastructure, helping both providers and rural patients.

HEALTHCAREDIVE May 4, 2022

Telemedicine reached disadvantaged communities during pandemic, study finds

As large numbers of providers and patients turned to telemedicine during COVID-19, the highest increase in the use of virtual care occurred among people in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods, according to a new study in Health Affairs that tracked Medicare beneficiaries.

HealthcareITNews May 4, 2022

How telehealth can improve efficiency and increase revenue

Juli Stover, chief strategy officer at eVisit, outlines three ways health system CIOs and virtual care execs can boost the ROI of their telemedicine investments.

mHealthIntelligence May 4, 2022

ATA, Others Release Digital Health App Assessment Framework

In collaboration with its partners, the American Telemedicine Association has released an open framework to help clinicians and patients select and adopt high-quality digital health tools.

HealthcareITNews May 4, 2022

ACP, ATA, ORCHA announce new framework supporting health app safety

The Digital Health Assessment Framework includes components to analyze tools' data and privacy, clinical assurance and safety, usability and accessibility, and technical security and stability.

mHealthIntelligence May 3, 2022

NY Health System Strikes Partnership to Provide Remote Physical Exams

A partnership between Rochester Regional Health and TytoCare aims to enhance telehealth through the addition of remote physical examinations.

HealthcareITNews May 2, 2022

Telehealth can play a vital role in reducing carbon emissions

Researchers from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that telehealth appointments saved 2.2 million gallons of gas for patients since the start of the pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence May 2, 2022

Emergency Room Follow-Ups Similar After Telehealth, In-Person Visits

In most cases, emergency department follow-up rates were similar among patients who received care through telehealth and those who sought care in person, a new study shows.

HealthcareITNews May 2, 2022

How UCHealth's Virtual Health Center has enabled innovation and scaled capability and capacity

The telehealth and RPM use cases the Colorado health system had been prioritizing prior to the pandemic shifted gears when it was forced to fast-track many of its initiatives in a more controlled approach.

HealthcareITNews May 2, 2022

Walmart launches telehealth program aimed at diabetes

The initiative was developed for employers and payers to help workers and members improve management of the disease.

Healthleaders May 2, 2022

CAN TELEHEALTH BRING THE HUMANITY BACK TO HEALTHCARE?

The American Telemedicine Association kicked off ATA2022 this week with an examination of the challenges faced by care providers, and a plea that telehealth could be the avenue by which providers reconnect with their patients and understand the patient experience.

mHealthIntelligence May 2, 2022

Various Strategies Can Guide the Future of Telehealth

Although telehealth has provided various benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, several efforts further enhance services.

healthleaders April 28, 2022

VERMONT AMENDS ASSISTED SUICIDE LAW TO INCLUDE TELEMEDICINE

The state is one of 10 and Washington DC that allow patients with a terminal illness to request help in dying from a healthcare provider, but had been the only one that didn't specifically allow that request to be made via a video visit.

FIERCE Healthcare April 28, 2022

Walmart Health rolls out virtual diabetes program as retail giant moves deeper into treating chronic conditions

Building on its acquisition of telehealth provider MeMD last year, Walmart Health is rolling out a virtual care diabetes program for employers and payers.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 28, 2022

Telehealth More Likely to Prompt Follow-up for Acute Conditions

New research shows that telehealth appointments for acute conditions were more likely than in-person appointments to result in a follow-up visit.

FIERCE Healthcare April 28, 2022

Telehealth grad programs train providers in virtual care

Despite exploding in popularity during the pandemic, telehealth has been around in healthcare for years. But the sudden shift to virtual care in 2020 forced the pace of innovation in health tech to accelerate—and some providers have struggled to keep up.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 28, 2022

Digital Health Interventions Reduced Heart Failure Mortality

New research shows that all-cause and cardiovascular mortality decreased following the implementation of digital health interventions.

Telehealth.org April 27, 2022

Social Work Telehealth Leads in January 2022

The pandemic has caused a boost in telehealth utilization that continues to increase. According to FAIR Health’s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, the expansion of the Medicare telehealth industry had been on the rise for three straight months before January 2022.

Telehealth.org April 27, 2022

Anxiety Patients Seem to Prefer Telehealth

New research from the Oregon Health & Science University reports findings after reviewing the records of 101.7 million outpatient mental health visits. Noting variability in telehealth adoption in their sample, Jane Zhu, MD, and colleagues found that the highest adoption rate was among people who struggle with anxiety disorders.

CCHP April 26, 2022

Telehealth Policy is More Than Just Laws – Best Practice Guidelines & Guidances

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influx of providers new to utilizing telehealth to deliver services not only sparked an increase in demands for individualized technical assistance but also for best practice guidelines. Prior to the pandemic, best practice guidelines for the most part were created by professional organizations/societies or individual institutions to be used solely by their organizations.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 26, 2022

Disparities Common in Telehealth Use Among Pediatric CHIP Patients

Researchers found that publicly insured pediatric patients who used telehealth less frequently lived in rural areas with lower family incomes.

healthLeaders April 26, 2022

AMERICAN TELEMEDICINE ASSOCIATION TOUTS THE NEXT PHASE OF VIRTUAL CARE

ATA2022, taking place next week in Boston, will give the organization an opportunity to plan the evolution of telehealth beyond the pandemic, and to talk about bringing virtual care to an 'inspirational level.

healthLeaders April 26, 2022

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: TRACKING TELEHEALTH CHANGES STATE-BY-STATE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 - APRIL 2022

Below is the executive summary, which outlines federal developments from the past two weeks, new state-level developments, and older federal developments.

HEALTHCAREDIVE April 25, 2022

Massive pandemic pivot to telehealth tallied in Fair Health report

Telehealth usage expanded by more than 7,000% across the U.S. in 2020, compared to the year before, according to nonprofit Fair Health’s fifth annual healthcare indicators report. The newly released report, culled from a database of 36 billion private insurance claims, documents the tremendous scale up of virtual care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospital services were limited or patients avoided in-person visits to decrease their risk of infection.

FIERCE Healthcare April 25, 2022

Northwell Health taps Teladoc to expand virtual care across health system

Northwell Health is set to deploy Teladoc Health’s virtual care platform across the health system to expand its telehealth offerings.

HEALTHCAREDIVE April 25, 2022

Managing provider licensure amid expanding telehealth

If there’s one thing the healthcare industry has learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the widespread appetite for virtual care and the opportunity for expanded telehealth services across the healthcare continuum.

HealthcareITNews April 25, 2022

How a single COVID-19 telehealth grant will help one provider for years to come

Burrell Behavioral Health's CIO tells the organization's story of telemedicine expansion spurred by the pandemic – and fueled by patient and clinician desire.

HealthcareITNews April 25, 2022

With telehealth, Behavioral Nutrition sees many more patients

While patients might have traveled from 45 minutes away before telehealth services were available, now the organization is seeing people who live an hour and a half drive away.

HealthcareITNews April 25, 2022

AMA survey: Majority of physicians say telehealth enables more comprehensive quality care

Most respondents, however, point to the digital divide as the biggest obstacle to accessing virtual services.

HealthcareITNews April 21, 2022

Northwell to expand virtual care offerings through Teladoc partnership

The companies say the platform will allow patients at New York's largest healthcare provider to access a broad spectrum of clinical services.

HealthcareITNews April 21, 2022

WELL Health, OSIS bring communications tech to community health centers

WELL's platform aims to facilitate conversations among patients and providers via secure texting, email or phone messaging.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 20, 2022

Loyola Medicine Adds American Sign Language Feature for Telehealth

The health system implemented the new feature with the aim of expanding telehealth access to deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.

CCHP April 19. 2021

Audio Only Telehealth Policy

Audio-only has become one of the most discussed telehealth policy issues over the course of the pandemic. Its utilization, quality, and overall importance to access to care continue to be of focus in some of the latest telehealth surveys and studies. The American Medical Association (AMA) released their 2021 Telehealth Survey Report at the end of March, showcasing that more than two-thirds of providers utilizing telehealth use audio-only in particular.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 19, 2022

Rural Providers to Use USDA Grants to Boost Telehealth Capabilities

USDA is providing $43 million in new funds to rural healthcare providers, many of whom have earmarked the funds to implement and support telehealth services.

Telehealth.org April 18, 2022

Telehealth Telepresence

To maximize the effectiveness of your telehealth telepresence in sessions with clients or patients, replicate an in-person clinical encounter as closely as possible. Issues can be separated into two categories: maximizing telepresence workflows and maximizing appearance, popularly known as the “Zoom look.”

Telehealth.org April 18, 2022

Opioid Crisis: Money, Telehealth Addiction Treatment with Suboxone Telemedicine & Tele-MAT

The addiction rehabilitation industry has grown substantially in response to the opioid crisis, responsible for over 100,000 deaths in 2021. Among US veterans diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), estimates were 69,132 in 2017. Since the COVID pandemic, telehealth technology has been used to bridge that gap nationwide by patients and clients to consult with prescribers for suboxone telemedicine and buprenorphine telemedicine.

HealthcareITNews April 18, 2022

At Baptist Health, Epic-linked asynchronous telehealth boosts provider and patient experience

The health system has kept the time for patients to get their diagnosis, treatment plan and any prescriptions from their provider through the telemedicine system to less than 25 minutes on average.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 18, 2022

UT Health San Antonio to Expand Access to Substance Use Disorder Support App

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is expanding the availability of the WEconnect Recovery app to people in Texas suffering from substance use disorders.

HealthcareITNews April 18, 2022

Five recommendations for improving clinical communication

Real-time, contextual communication improves patient outcomes, care team collaboration and the clinician experience.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 18, 2022

Genetics, Behavioral Health Pediatric Subspecialists Use Telehealth Most

A recent study showed that pediatric telehealth use among different subspecialties was inconsistent, indicating variation in patient needs.

Telehealth.org April 17, 2022

PHE Renewal & Telehealth Reimbursement

Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists. This action has solidified the forward movement toward telehealth reimbursement, other telehealth funding for rural areas, and the MedPAC report for further telehealth reimbursement, including the 99441 CPT code reimbursement for audio-only telehealth.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 15, 2022

Black, Hispanic Patients Less Likely to Use Telehealth, New Study Shows

A new study shows that telehealth use remains inconsistent among racial and socioeconomic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to the digital divide.

The National Law Review April 15, 2022

OIG CREATES TELEHEALTH RESOURCES WEBPAGE

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently created a new webpage related to telehealth. The purpose of the webpage is to summarize the OIG’s telehealth oversight work to provide a summary of its findings and recommendations that can be used by policymakers and other stakeholders to evaluate potential changes to federal telehealth policies.

FIERCE Healthcare April 13, 2022

Bipartisan bill aims to create incentives for mental health providers to adopt electronic records, health IT systems

New legislation aims to ensure that mental health providers are not left out in the push to adopt electronic health records (EHRs) and other health IT systems.

HealthcareITNews April 13, 2022

HHS extends public health emergency for another 90 days

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has announced a 90-day extension of the public health emergency that was due to expire on April 16.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 13, 2022

Anxiety Disorder Patients Used Telehealth More During Pandemic

A greater proportion of people with anxiety and fear-based mental health disorders received care through telehealth rather than in-person in 2020, a new study shows.

HealthcareITNews April 12, 2022

FDA releases medical device cybersecurity draft guidance

The agency is seeking stakeholder feedback on the guidance, which seeks to clearly outline its recommendations for premarket submission content when it comes to cybersecurity concerns.

CCHP April 12, 2022

Anticipated Telehealth Changes When/If PHE Ends: What Stays, What Goes and When Could it Happen?

As the Biden Administration contemplates allowing the federal COVID-19 public health emergency to expire on April 16, 2022, many will start wondering which telehealth flexibilities they enjoyed during the PHE will come to an end and which will stay.

HealthcareITNews April 12, 2022

VA study shows benefits of telestroke program for patients

The initiative allows a remote specialist to evaluate individuals via a mobile device and provide a treatment plan for on-site staff to carry out.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 12, 2022

Bipartisan Bill Aims to Increase Access to Virtual Mental Health Services

Three US senators have introduced legislation to increase access to virtual mental health services for children and underserved populations.

Medical Express April 11, 2022

MEDICAL ASSISTANTS HELP CLOSE VIRTUAL-VISIT DIGITAL DIVIDE

Patients participating in video visits with their primary care doctors in fall 2020 benefited from having a medical assistant help connect the call, particularly if they needed language interpretation or lived in a low-socioeconomic-status neighborhood, according to Kaiser Permanente research published April 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

JDSUPRA April 11, 2022

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: TRACKING TELEHEALTH CHANGES STATE-BY-STATE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 - APRIL 2022

Manatt Health has developed a federal and comprehensive 50-state tracker for policy, regulatory and legal changes related to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthleaders April 11, 2022

TELEHEALTH: THE CURRENT PHE STATUS AND WHAT TO EXPECT

While the 151-day extension of telehealth coverage beyond the PHE may not provide much long-term clarity regarding telehealth policy, the de-linking of telehealth coverage from the PHE is notable and necessary.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 8, 2022

Tablet Devices Assisted Mental Healthcare Services For US Veterans

Researchers found that tablet devices were successful in delivering mental healthcare services to US Veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MedCityNews April 7, 2022

What’s at stake if Congress doesn’t extend Covid-era telehealth rules?

Congress will have to debate whether pandemic era telehealth reimbursement and relaxation of rules should be made permanent. Given that those rules helped historically underserved populations access care as well as those seeking mental health services, experts believe there's too much to lose to simply go back to the old ways.

FOLEY, Foley & Lardner, LLP April 7, 2022

Health Providers Must Avoid COVID Reimbursement Missteps

One Health Resources and Services Administration program, “COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured,” has been a huge source of funding for COVID-19 services during the public health emergency.

HEALTHCAREDIVE April 7, 2022

Telehealth use rose for third straight month in January as omicron spread

Telehealth use increased for the third straight month in January, when the highly infectious omicron variant was raging. The number of claims that were for telehealth visits increased more than 10% between December and January, according to Fair Health's monthly tracker out Wednesday.

FOLEY, Foley & Lardner, LLP April 7, 2022

New Florida Law Allows Telemedicine Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Florida has taken another step towards expanding telemedicine. On April 6, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation to remove Florida’s prior restrictions on telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances. Previously, Florida had a general prohibition on prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine, with only narrow exceptions.

HealthcareITNews April 7,2022

Roundup: Bayer to launch 27 telemedicine centres in India and more briefs

Also, Vietnam is set to release vaccine passports on 15 April.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 6, 2022

Telehealth Usage Jumped 10% Nationally in January

Telehealth utilization increased 10.2 percent in January, making up 5.4 percent of all medical claim lines, according to new data.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 6, 2022

57% of Medical Practices Use Remote Physiologic Monitoring

Remote physiologic monitoring is expected to increase even further, with 76 percent of medical practice leaders saying they will deploy these services in the next year or two, per a new survey.

HealthcareIT News April 6, 2022

Government Accountability Office asks CMS to assess telehealth quality for Medicaid beneficiaries

The number of Medicaid beneficiaries using the technology is on the upswing, with five states showing big increases during the pandemic

healthleaders April 6, 2022

STATES CONSIDER CUTTING BACK ON TELEHEALTH FREEDOMS

The pandemic created a surge in virtual care as state and federal lawmakers relaxed the rules to expand telehealth access and coverage, but now some states are looking to tighten the regulations

CCHP April 5, 2022

Increased Importance in Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment via Telehealth

A focus around accessing substance use disorder (SUD) treatment via telehealth has strengthened during the course of the pandemic both in terms of policy and research.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 5, 2022

4 States Advance Telehealth Bills

As the healthcare industry awaits word on federal laws that would make telehealth flexibilities permanent, states are working to solidify regulations around virtual care delivery.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 5, 2022

Boston Researchers’ 3-Pronged Approach to Combating ‘Digital Redlining’

Researchers from Boston University and Boston Medical Center examined how telehealth widens the digital divide and developed strategies to eliminate digital health inequities.

Telehealth.org April 5, 2022

Feeling Cybersecure Yet? Cybersecurity for Telehealth Professionals

As a digital mega-trend that is difficult to ignore, the “Great Dispersion” refers to the sidestepping of traditional channels to have faster, more comprehensive, contactless, and more convenient delivery of products and services.

Telehealth.org

“Extremely High Adherence” to AAP Guidelines Reported by ADHD Telemedicine Clinics

About 6 million children in the United States suffer from attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Seventy-seven percent of these children require medication or behavioral intervention.

HealthcareIT News April 4, 2022

Telehealth platform Coviu adds language interpretation service

The new service offers on-demand access to interpreters via video telehealth.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 4, 2022

GAO Urges Medicaid to Study the Effects of Telehealth Use

As telehealth use increases, the Government Accountability Office urged Medicaid to ensure that agencies provide beneficiaries with optimal care levels.

The Boston Globe April 4, 2022

The pandemic-era telemedicine boom has peaked. Here’s why.

As the public health emergency subsides, doctors, Medicare, and private insurers are evaluating how much of a role virtual care will play going forward.

Telehealth.org April 3, 2022

Social Work Telehealth Services Increase Patient Satisfaction

A pilot project conducted at the Mayo Clinic by Fibbs and colleagues examining the feasibility of social work telehealth services was recently reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry. Expanding Access to Social Support in Primary Care via Telemedicine showed increased telehealth patient satisfaction when patients used a tablet to digitally connect with social workers in two busy primary care clinics.

Telehealth.org April 3, 2022

Audio-Only Telehealth & Other Telehealth Services Permanently Approved for Reimbursement

For the first time, patients during COVID could meet with their healthcare providers without sitting in waiting rooms with potentially distressingly ill patients. Routine and follow-up care were relegated mainly to audio-only telehealth visits, followed by video-based telehealth in utilization rates.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE April 1, 2022

New Bill Aims to Make Telehealth an Excepted Employee Benefit

Introduced in the House, the legislation would allow employers to offer standalone telehealth programs as a benefit separate from employees' medical health plans.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 31, 2022

Wisconsin Government Provides $5M in Grants to Bolster Telehealth Services

The state government is providing the funding to expand virtual care for child psychiatry and establish neighborhood-based telehealth access points, including at food pantries and libraries

HealthcareITNews March 31, 2022

Bipartisan legislation would broaden telehealth benefits for employees

The Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act would amend HIPAA and the Affordable Care Act to allow employers to offer standalone telehealth service programs – not unlike dental and vision plans – in addition to existing health insurance plans.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 30, 2022

Audio-Only Telehealth Supported Care Delivery at FQHCs During Pandemic

Telehealth helped safety-net facilities provide continuous care during the COVID-19 pandemic, with audio-only telehealth becoming the most used care modality for behavioral health, a new report shows.

CCHP March 29, 2022

CCHP Releases Updated 2022 Telehealth Billing Guide

The Center for Connected Health Policy's (CCHP) updated billing guide for 2022, Billing for Telehealth Encounters: An Introductory Guide on Medicare Fee-For-Service is now available!!

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 29, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring Program Effective in Treating COVID-19

Through a home monitoring program, clinicians were successfully able to identify and treat COVID-19 patients, including those who were high-risk, a new study shows. (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to extend the government’s COVID-19 public health emergency, which is set to expire April 16.

FIERCE Healthcare March 28, 2022

Provider groups again ask HHS to extend public health emergency

Industry provider groups are again asking Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to extend the government’s COVID-19 public health emergency, which is set to expire April 16.

HealthcareITNews March 28, 2022

The value of integrating in-person and virtual care

The retail industry with its e-commerce boom has lessons to teach healthcare, says an innovation leader at Teladoc Health.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 28, 2022

Project ECHO Program Cut Hospital Admissions Among Diabetics by 44%

The telementoring program operated by Rutgers medical school helped Medicaid patients with diabetes avoid hospitalizations, a new study shows.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 28, 2022

Telehealth Supported Opioid Use Disorder Treatment at Safety-Net Clinic

The implementation of telehealth due to the COVID-19 pandemic helped an FQHC retain patients in its opioid use disorder treatment program, ensuring continued access to care, a study shows.

Telehealth.org March 26, 2022

Empirical Support for Increased Demand for Telehealth, Telemental Health, Telebehavioral Health & Teletherapy

Reports consistently show that many people want to continue the option of having telehealth visits even after the pandemic. This article summarizes two studies that describe the importance and acceptance of what is variably referred to as telemental health, teletherapy, and telebehavioral health care delivery models. While telemental health and teletherapy are often used interchangeably, telebehavioral health stands on its own as a term used to refer to the telehealth delivery of either mental health or substance use services.

Telehealth.org March 25, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring & How RPM Can Be Integrated into Virtual Healthcare

Multiple CPT codes for reimbursement from payors have made the viability of using remote patient monitoring devices a reality for many healthcare services. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) determines and keeps track of health-related daily tasks and metrics such as sleep cycles, blood pressure, temperature, insulin levels, heart rate, etc.  

CCHP March 25, 2022

Billing for Telehealth Encounters – An Introductory Guide on Medicare Fee-For-Service

CCHP has released a new updated telehealth billing guide as a follow up to its 2021 billing guide to provide a helpful tool for healthcare entities trying to navigate the complexities of billing for telehealth and virtually delivered services.

Bloomberg Law March 25, 2022

More Telehealth Data Urged Before Making Eased Rules Permanent

Congress should get a clearer picture of how patients use telehealth before making pandemic-inspired relaxed rules permanent, Medicare advisers say. Lawmakers recently extended telehealth changes until five months after the end of the public health emergency is declared. This extension in the omnibus spending package eases telehealth advocates’ concerns about a “telehealth cliff,” or the abrupt cut off of coverage of most virtual care.  

Telehealth.org March 25, 2022

HIPAA Compliant Email for Therapists

Email provides a convenient way to communicate. However, there are security implications to consider. Email security is of particular concern when using it to communicate with patients. As a healthcare provider, HIPAA regulates what is appropriate for patient communications, including the tools used for communication. HIPAA compliant email for therapists takes patient confidentiality and the use of a HIPAA compliant encryption service provider into consideration.  

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 25, 2022

Remote Blood Oxygen Monitoring Helped Detect COVID-19 Deterioration

During the COVID-19 pandemic, at-home blood oxygen monitoring assisted in identifying clinical deterioration among patients infected with the disease, a new study shows.  

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 24, 2022

AMA: 69% of Physicians Use Audio-Only Telehealth

Audio-video synchronous platforms are still the most used telehealth modality, but a large proportion of physicians are also using phone-only modalities, a new AMA survey shows.  

HealthcareITNews March 23, 2022

Telehealth will endure, but providers are managing expectations

Most consider telehealth convenient, but about 28% describe it as frustrating, citing care quality and technical considerations.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 23, 2022

FCC Closes Out Connected Care Pilot With $30M in New Grants

Sixteen new projects have been selected to receive the funding in the last round of the program established in 2020 to support the advancement of connected care.

HealthcareITNews March 23, 2022

Telehealth can effectively manage COVID-19 at home, study finds

University of Iowa researchers found that a telemonitoring program could help reduce hospital resource utilization while allowing timely identification of disease progression.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 23, 2022

Telehealth Supported Care for Community Mental Health Centers

Although telehealth had a different effect on all community mental health center patients, virtual care supported care continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Law Review March 22, 2022

OIG: Telehealth “Critical” to Maintaining Access to Care Amidst COVID-19

The federal Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently published a report (OIG Report) as part of a series of analyses of the expansion and utilization of telehealth in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. In its report, the OIG concludes that telehealth was “critical for providing services to Medicare beneficiaries during the first year of the pandemic” and that the utilization of telehealth “demonstrates the long-term potential of telehealth to increase access to health care for beneficiaries.” The OIG’s conclusions are notable because they come at a time when policymakers and health care stakeholders are determining whether and how to make permanent certain expansions of telehealth for patients nationwide.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 22, 2022

Medicare Patients Received 54.5M Office Visits Via Telehealth in 2020

Office visits represented 48 percent of all telehealth services used in the first year of the pandemic, making it the service most accessed via telehealth, federal data shows. 

CCHP March 22, 2022 March 22, 2022

Telehealth PHE Expansions to Continue 151 Days Post-PHE and New MedPAC Report Recommendations

On March 15th President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. This bill will extend federal telehealth flexibilities for 151 days post-public health emergency (PHE), including PHE location, provider, and audio-only expansions, and includes new report requirements. A delay to the new in-person telemental health visit requirement in Medicare was also included for the same period of time.

HEALTHCAREDIVE March 22, 2022

The case for hybrid care models

Telehealth is increasingly being woven into healthcare organizations' future plans, giving hope to proponents of care models combining physical and digital aspects.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 22, 2022

Telehealth Helped Maintain Type 1 Diabetes Care Among Kids During Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, continuous glucose monitors and telehealth assisted clinicians in providing uninterrupted type 1 diabetes care to pediatric patients.

HealthcareITNews March 21, 2022

Is remote patient monitoring the new cybercrime target?

Find out why criminals are targeting patients at home, how criminals are trying to access hospital and health system RPM servers – and what CISOs and IT professionals should be doing to fight back.

FOLEY, Foley & Lardner, LLP March 21, 2022

Is Hospital Care at Home Here to Stay?

It has been almost two years since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) first issued blanket waivers of certain hospital conditions of participation allowing healthcare systems and hospitals to provide hospital services in locations beyond their existing walls during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE).

HealthcareITNews March 21, 2022

It takes a village: How collaboration and inclusion drive equitable health solutions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has helped bring care to underserved populations through the use of virtual care and telehealth. However, achieving true health equity will take a village: community leaders, providers, payers and, most importantly, patients themselves working together.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 21, 2022

Telehealth Cut Missed Appointments Among Kids With TB by 11%

A new study shows that following the implementation of telehealth, the rate of missed follow-up appointments among children with tuberculosis dropped.

CCHP March 18, 2022

Telehealth Policy Impacts of the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act

This chart contains a quick reference guide outlining the major impacts on federal telehealth policy on Medicare. For the most part, the policies focus on the temporary changes that were made to Medicare telehealth policy in response to COVID-19.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 18, 2022

Heart Failure Readmissions Similar After Telehealth, In-Person Follow-up

Though heart failure readmission rates were lower for those who participated in early follow-up visits, a study shows no significant difference between follow-ups conducted virtually and in-person.

National Law ReviewMarch 17, 2022

COVID-19: State Law Telehealth Considerations: State Licensure Requirements Persist, Permissible Telehealth Modalities Generally Expand, and Insurance Parity Laws Ensure Reimbursement (Part 2 of a 3-Part Series)

As the explosion of telemedicine continues during and, as many expect, after the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), state laws and regulations that affect the delivery of telemedicine services continue to expand and contract. In this three-part series, we explore key state regulatory considerations related to the provision of care through telehealth, including state licensure requirements, the establishment of the patient-provider relationship and permissible modalities, and Medicaid and insurance regulations that affect reimbursement and payment parity. Understanding each of these issues on a state-by-state basis is critical to the successful implementation of telemedicine services.

HealthcareITNews March 17, 2022

How open source innovation can mitigate digital health inequities

During HIMSS22, presenters discussed how an open source model of sharing ideas and innovation could help solve access inequities in digital health.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 17, 2022

FCC to Authorize $640M for Broadband Expansion

The new funds will help broadband carriers expand access to reliable internet in 26 states, thereby bolstering telehealth use.

FOLEY, Foley & Lardner, LLP March 17, 2022

Congress Extends Telehealth Flexibilities: 7 Things You Need to Know

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (the Act), was passed by the U.S. House and Senate on March 9th and 10th, 2022, and signed into law by the President on March 15, 2022. The Act extends certain telehealth flexibilities for Medicare patients for 151 days after the official end of the federal public health emergency (PHE). Currently, the PHE will end in mid-April unless further extended.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 17, 2022

Safety-Net Facilities Continue to Rely on Audio-Only Telehealth

Researchers found that telehealth through audio-only platforms remained popular in federally qualified health centers during the pandemic, particularly for behavioral health services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 16, 2022

Microsoft Teams Adds New Virtual Care Features

The features, which include enabling organizations to collect patient triage information, and access analytics, aim to enhance the virtual visit experience within Teams.

HEALTHCAREDIVE March 16, 2022

Pandemic hastens shift away from hospital inpatient care, Moody's reports

The long-term shift from hospital-based care toward more treatment delivered in the home and ambulatory centers picked up pace during the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to continue to gain momentum, pressuring revenue growth and margins in the hospital sector, according to new research from Moody's Investors Service.

HealthcareITNews March 16, 2022

Hospitals at home poised to save money, keep the patient in familiar environment

Panelists at HIMSS22 discussed the benefits and challenges of implementing a hospital-at-home program.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 16, 2022

Over a Third of Patients Continue to Use Telehealth for Mental Healthcare

Although virtual outpatient care has declined since 2020, 36 percent of patients with mental health and substance use disorders still use telehealth in 2022, new data shows.

FIERCE Healthcare March 15, 2022

Providers see telehealth as convenient, but frustrations remain

While providers often find telehealth as convenient as their patients do, a number of frustrations with virtual care linger, according to a new survey from Optum.

HealthcareITNews March 15, 2022

HIMSSCast: The role of telehealth in gender-affirming care

Plume cofounder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jerrica Kirkley discusses the value of telemedicine in providing care for trans and gender-nonconforming people.

FIERCE Healthcare March 15, 2022

ProposedFrom access to care coordination, U.S. primary care lags far behind other wealthy countries: report

Primary care in the United States falls far behind other high-income nations, a new report reveals.

CCHP March 15, 2022

Proposed Permanent Telehealth Policies in California Medicaid: Expansions, Exceptions, and Evaluation

As states continue to grapple with post-public health emergency (PHE) telehealth policies, California’s Medicaid agency, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), recently released their permanent proposal document. The majority of the telehealth expansions made during COVID appear to remain, including those around audio-only and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health centers (RHC). The issue of payment parity remains unclear, however, as the budget trailer bill language implementing the proposal only explicitly speaks to parity for synchronous modalities and other exceptions.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 15, 2022

51% of Clinicians Worry That Telehealth Hinders Ability to Show Empathy

The importance of soft skills, like empathy, is rising alongside a need for enhanced technical skills, and as a result, medical training will need an overhaul, a new report shows.

FIERCE Healthcare March 15, 2022

From access to care coordination, U.S. primary care lags far behind other wealthy countries: report

Primary care in the United States falls far behind other high-income nations, a new report reveals.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 14, 2022

mHealth App Doubled Screenings at Family, Internal Medicine Practices

The use of self-administered screening via tablet devices doubled the detection of urgent concerns in patients, like depression or fall risk, a new study shows. icient time for Congress and the administration to analyze the impact of telehealth on patient care.”

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 14, 2022

PemHealth App Doubled Screenings at Family, Internal Medicine Practices

The use of self-administered screening via tablet devices doubled the detection of urgent concerns in patients, like depression or fall risk, a new study shows.

Telehealth.org March 13, 2022

Permanent & Comprehensive Telehealth Reform: 336 Groups Submit Letter to Congress

According to a January 31 press release from the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), in early 2022, 336 pro-telehealth organizations signed a joint letter sent to Congress urging guidance for creating permanent, comprehensive telehealth reform. The letter stated, “facilitating a pathway to comprehensive permanent telehealth reform that would provide certainty to patients and our nation’s healthcare providers while providing sufficient time for Congress and the administration to analyze the impact of telehealth on patient care.”

Telehealth.org March 13, 2022

The Future of Telehealth Reimbursement: Consumer Demand & Patient Loyalty

The pandemic has caused a significant boost in the telehealth industry, but concerns have arisen regarding telehealth reimbursement transparency. Consumer demand is forcing payors to increase telehealth options and be more transparent about the future telehealth reimbursement structures. Consumer demand also forces providers to offer more options to encourage patient loyalty and retention.

Telehealth.org March 13, 2022

Study: Teledentistry effective way to broaden rural access

Teledentistry enables rural access to care, lowers costs and helps provide preventive services, a new study has found.

JDSUPRA March 11, 2022

Emerging Trends in Out-of-State Telehealth Licensure Legislation

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, states typically required providers to be licensed in the state(s) where they were practicing. In response to the pandemic, nearly all states provided temporary waivers of these requirements. State-by-state flexibilities varied, but many states allowed out-of-state providers to practice in state without a license if they were licensed and in good standing in another state.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 11, 2022

Telehealth Bolstered Finances of California Medicaid Providers

Telehealth use skyrocketed among Medicaid patients in California, and a majority of providers caring for this population said it helped stabilize their finances, a new report shows

HealthcareITNews March 11, 2022

Biden has big plans for mental health, but will they work?

President Joe Biden's strategy to address the country's psychological crisis relies on telehealth as a key component – but that may not be enough to bridge the provider gap.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 11, 2022

New Bill Aims to Extend Acute Hospital Care at Home Waiver

A bill introduced in the Senate aims to extend CMS‘ Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver for two years after the COVID-19 public health emergency reaches an end.

HealthcareITNews March 11, 2022

Amwell, LG Electronics team up on connected health tools

Using devices and peripheral technologies, LG will host services from Amwell's Converge virtual-care platform, the companies said.

CNN health March 10, 2022

People with disabilities left behind by telemedicine and other pandemic medical innovation People with disabilities left behind by telemedicine and other pandemic medical innovation

Divya Goel, a 35-year-old

HealthcareITNews March 10, 2022

House extends virtual care flexibilities beyond public health emergency Part One

The spending package, which now heads to the Senate, includes provisions regarding telehealth's originating site, e

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 10, 2022

Home-Based Remote Patient Monitoring Yields Highly Accurate BP Readings

A new study shows that home-based blood pressure measurement is highly reliable with a mean difference of -0.1 mmHg compared with ambulatory monitoring.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 10, 2022

Congress Omnibus Bill Includes Extension of Medicare Telehealth Coverage

If enacted into law, the omnibus spending package will extend numerous telehealth waivers for Medicare beneficiaries at least five months after the public health crisis has ended.

FOLEY, Foley & Lardner, LLP March 9, 2022

How does the Federal No Surprises Act Impact Telemedicine Providers? Part One

In this two-part blog series, we dive into the key points for telemedicine providers in the several hundred pages of the No Surprises Act interim regulations (NSA). The good news for the telemedicine industry is that the majority of the several hundred pages of statut

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 9, 2022

Patient Comfort With Virtual Mental Healthcare is High

Healthcare consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with receiving mental health services virtually, and plan sponsors — both payers and human resources directors — are paying attention.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 9, 2022

National Telehealth Use Skyrocketed Amid Omicron Surge

In December, national telehealth use rose by 11.4 percent, increasing its prevalence in all medical claim lines by 0.5 percent, new data shows.

HealthcareITNews March 8, 2022

How remote patient monitoring is moving into the mainstream

RPM can greatly aid providers treating chronic conditions and ease overburdened ho

CCHP March 8, 2022

Anticipation Builds for Upcoming Telehealth Policy Changes When COVID PHE Ends

Federal Regulations Expected on Substance Use Disorder/Buprenorphine and TRICARE At the end of January the Regulatory Information Service Center published the Fall 2021 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. This publication describes regulatory actions that are developing and may have a significant economic impact on a large number of small entities. Two of the planned regulations outlined in the agenda impact telehealth policy for prescribing of buprenorphine and also in the TRICARE program.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 8, 2021

Aetna Expands Access to Virtual Eating Disorder Treatment

The payer is offering the virtual treatment program in-network to its commercial members in California, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Telehealth.org March 8, 2022

Healthcare Cybersecurity: Effective Ways to Avoid Healthcare Phishing Attacks

Healthcare cybersecurity is one of the main concerns for healthcare providers nowadays. According to a survey conducted by Arlington Research and commissioned by Kaspersky, 52% of surveyed telehealth practitioners reported clients declined to participate in telehealth appointments because they did not trust telehealth cybersecurity. A third of those surveyed indicated that physicians had their patients’ data compromised while performing remote telehealth sessions.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 8, 2022

72 Orgs Request Continued Virtual Access to Controlled Substances

In anticipation of pandemic policies expiring, 72 organizations are asking the federal government to ensure continued access to controlled substances via telehealth.

Telehealth.org March 8, 2021

What Are HIPAA Password Requirements? Can HIPAA-Compliant “Password Managers” Help?

With so many things to consider regarding HIPAA compliance, passwords are often overlooked. HIPAA password requirements are among the most important and easiest patient-protection measures healthcare professionals use to prevent access to protected health information (PHI). Using a HIPAA-compliant password manager can be considered an integral component of maintaining your compliance.

HealthcareITNews March 7, 2022

More than 70 orgs urge DEA: Revise telehealth controlled-substance rules

The American Psychiatric Association, American Telemedicine Association, American Medical Association and dozens of other stakeholders pushed for the permanent waiver of in-person prescription requirements.

HealthcareITNews March 7, 2022

Hospital-at-home program helps Island Health boost patient satisfaction

A full 100% of patients and family caregivers said they'd recommend the remote-monitoring experience to family and friends, says a leader from the health system, who will explain more at HIMSS22.

HEALTHCAREDIVE March 7, 2022

Telehealth use increased amid omicron as 2021 drew to a close

Telehealth use continued ticking up at the end of 2021 amid a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant, according to new data from Fair Health.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 7, 2022

1 in 5 Patients Find Wearables Hard to Use

But despite issues with usability, patients cited several benefits linked to wearables, including gaining a better understanding of their health, a new survey shows.

HealthcareITNews March 4, 2022

HIMSSCast: The supply, demand and yield of telehealth

Sanjula Jain, Trilliant Health chief research officer and senior vice president of market strategy, breaks down the firm's recent report on virtual care.

FIERCE Healthcare March 4, 2021

Evernorth: Find the balance between virtual, in-person care

Striking the balance between virtual and in-person care is a key trend to watch heading into the rest of 2022, according to a new survey from Evernorth.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 4, 2021

38% of Patients Have Received Virtual Care in 2022

Researchers also found that 76 percent of patients who have had a telehealth visit would prefer to continue using it in the future, a new report shows.

FIERCE Healthcare March 4, 2021

Industry Voices—The opportunity for telehealth beyond COVID: Expanding access to quality care

Throughout the pandemic, telehealth has provided access to quality care for millions of patients across the country. Even now, with the return of in office appointments, telehealth continues to broaden access to quality care— particularly in rural areas with fewer providers and for mental and behavioral health services.

Telehealth.org March 4, 2021

Telehealth Alcohol Treatment Supported by Health Plans

Alcohol consumption has been a problem since the dawn of humanity but has been on the rise since the onset of the pandemic. One in 20 adults in the US meets diagnostic criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder treatment (AUD); however, only a small fraction of these individuals receive treatment. Telehealth alcohol treatment now offers a variety of evidence-based interventions.

FIERCE Healthcare March 4, 2022

Doctors expect virtual primary care to surpass in-person visits in 5 years: survey

COVID-19 vaccines have been available to the public for more than a year, and doctors are struggling to keep empathizing with their unvaccinated patients.

Telehealth.org March 4, 2022

Digital Consumer Ratings: Telehealth Patient Satisfaction Boosts Telehealth Provider Marketing

Cultivating digital healthcare provider ratings is essential for practice development efforts, whether in-person, digital, or hybrid telehealth practice. Telehealth patient satisfaction is a classic topic in telehealth. More than ever, public telehealth provider ranking services are playing a pivotal role in patient and client “loyalty and acquisitions.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 4, 2022

Chatham University Offers Telehealth Certification

Chatham University, a HIMSS educational partner, established the online course with the aim of enhancing telehealth training as virtual care use remains high.

JDSUPR March 4, 2022

Massachusetts Updates State Telemedicine Guidance for Physicians

Effective February 3, 2022, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (BoRM), which oversees physician licensure and the practice of medicine, updated its “Policy on Telemedicine in the Commonwealth” (Policy) to provide more guidance for licensed physicians on utilization of telemedicine in practice. BoRM initially issued this Policy in 2020 in connection with the onset of COVID-19 and the significant corresponding expansion of telemedicine and other telehealth care delivery models for patients and providers.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 3, 2022

Biden’s Plans to Curb Mental Health Crisis Include Virtual Care

In his first State of the Union address, the president laid out his administration's plans to tackle the mental health epidemic, including expanding access to telebehavioral healthcare.

HealthcareITNews March 3, 2022

Tū Ora Compass Health, Pinnacle launch after-hours telehealth service

The telehealth service will be rolled out via 45 practices this month.

HealthcareITNews March 3, 2022

Researchers to facilitate telemedicine for managing chronic illnesses in rural Pakistan

New technologies will be deployed to enable doctors in Karachi to see patients in rural communities via video.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 3, 2022

MS Patients Report Satisfaction With Telehealth During Pandemic

A majority of patients with multiple sclerosis were satisfied with the telehealth services they received during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study revealed.

KHN March 3, 2022

Rise In Telehealth Use Also Increasing Demand For Medical Office Space

More than 30% of telehealth visits resulted in a physical office visit, according to a new survey that polled more than 4,000 people in January, Modern Healthcare reported.

HealthcareITNews March 2, 2022

Audio-only telehealth benefits patients in need, study finds

Research from the University of California suggests that additional resources are needed to maximize virtual care's potential among marginalized people.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 2, 2022

Bilingual Staff Improve Telehealth Experience in Safety-Net Settings

Along with staff members who speak the patient's preferred language, the availability of audio-only visits helped boost access to telehealth and the patient experience, according to a new study.

JDSUPRA March 2, 2022

Congress Considers Extending Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HHS has allowed numerous telehealth flexibilities across Medicare and Medicaid, making it possible for patients to receive care remotely from their homes and enabling states, managed care organizations, and providers to expand access to care. The telehealth landscape looks drastically different now compared with before the pandemic, with patients and providers alike now expecting the ability to receive care via telehealth when clinically appropriate.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 2, 2022

Telehealth-Enabled Social Services Helped Boost Patient Satisfaction

A new study shows that connecting patients to social workers using a tablet service resulted in a visit satisfaction score of 4.7 out of five.

HealthcareITNews March 1, 2022

Combining virtual care and personal touch to help the underserved

The CEO of Modivcare discusses the kinds of services that can both treat illness and address social determinants of health when combined with telehealth.

FIERCE Healthcare March 1, 2022

Plume expands to 4 states, claims to be largest trans care provider

Plume, a telehealth provider of transgender care, is expanding to four additional states, with services now in 37 states across the U.S.

HealthcareITNews March 1, 2022

The future of telemedicine: purpose-built, integrated platforms

Integrated telemedicine solutions can address current pain points.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 1, 2022

UNC Gets $2.8M to Study Impact of Personalized Messaging on Weight Loss

The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health has received millions in new funding from the National Institutes of Health to study how personalized messaging can help those aiming to lose weight.

JDSUPRA March 1, 2022

Top Issues in Behavioral Health for 2022

HEALTHCAREDIVE March 1, 2022

Teladoc partners with Amazon on smart speaker medical calls

The two companies make interesting bedfellows for the partnership, given they are direct competitors in virtual-first primary care delivery.

FOLEY, Foley & Lardner, LLP March 1, 2022

Health Plans’ Prior Authorization Rules are under Scrutiny by the DOL for Mental Health Parity Compliance – See the DOL’s Top Five Non-Quantitative “Red Flags” for Health Plans

On January 25, 2022, the U.S. Departments of Labor (“DOL”), Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) provided a report (the “Report”) on Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (“MHPAEA”) compliance to Congress. As background, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “CAA”) imposed new obligations on health plans and health insurance issuers to document how they apply non-quantitative treatment limitations (“NQTLs”) to mental health and substance use disorder (“MH/SUD”) services in parity with how they apply such NQTLs to medical/surgical services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE March 1, 2022

NY Health System to Expand Virtual Access to Behavioral Healthcare

A new collaboration between aptihealth and St. Peter’s Health Partners will extend access to virtual behavioral healthcare for 11,000-plus employees and more than 1 million patients.

HealthAffairs February 23, 2022

Solving Rural US Health Care Challenges With Frugal Innovation: Low-Costs, High Returns

With the successful bipartisan passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, there is renewed national interest in building sustainable health infrastructure. However, despite these exciting opportunities, rural America has historically been left behind with these developments. Aging health infrastructure, limited access to broadband internet, relative physical isolation from commercial and government services, and less influence on policy changes given the smaller populations are common themes that pose challenges to effective care provision, particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges, however, are not unique to the US and are a well-documented phenomenon in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). LMICs have sought to tackle similar concerns through novel “frugal” innovations that may also be applicable in the rural US context. In this Forefront article, we seek to describe challenges in care provision in rural health, investigate examples of frugal innovations in LMICs that could work in the current rural American context, and explore opportunities to encourage the adoption of these innovations.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 23, 2022

Tennessee Hospital Launches At-Home Hospital Program

Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s new program allows for 24/7 care at home with the aim of increasing patient comfort and hospital capacity.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 22, 2022

FCC Plans to Change Telecom Rate Determination for Rural Providers

The commission is seeking comments on proposed changes to how it sets rates for the Rural Health Care Program, which supports rural provider access to broadband and other telecommunications services.

CCHP February 22, 2022

The Latest in Pandemic Telehealth Data – Access, Disparities, and Utilization

As policymakers consider permanent telehealth policy changes, tracking the latest data has become increasingly important, in addition to breaking down data highlights and differences. Two new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Data Highlight reports were recently released that look at telehealth trends amongst Medicare patients during the pandemic. In addition, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report submitted to Congress in early February assessed telehealth expansion impacts related to mental healthcare access for military service members. Key findings from the CMS data include that telehealth may reduce hospital readmission rates and disparities and improve opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment access. Meanwhile the GAO report showcased the importance of telehealth education to both providers and patients in ensuring access to care via telehealth.

HealthcareITNews February 22, 2022

CIOs looking to expand telehealth and make it part of the permanent workflow

A hospitals and health systems expert from Teladoc Health discusses where telemedicine goes now that it's secured a permanent role in a hybrid care future.

HealthAffairs February 22, 2022

Delivering On The Promise Of Health Information Technology In 2022

The passage of the HITECH Act and the 2011 launch of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs (now known as the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program and commonly referred to as Meaningful Use) were pivotal events in health information technology (IT). They began the historic, nationwide effort to rapidly convert our health care delivery system from paper to electronic health records (EHRs). Through large public and private financial investments, as well as enormous “sweat equity” from provider organizations and technology developers, more than 90 percent of hospitals and physician practices now use EHR systems.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 22, 2022

Black Cardiovascular Disease Patients Prefer Text-Based BP Monitoring

Text-based blood pressure monitoring had a 100 percent use rate among Black patients with cardiovascular disease, a new study shows.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 21, 2022

Telehealth Attendance Higher Than In-Person Among HIV Patients

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth attendance rates among HIV patients were 17 percent higher than in-person visit attendance rates.

HealthcareITNews February 18, 2022

Tech can help address the behavioral health crisis, says AMA

A new report outlines the role digital tools can play in supporting the integrated delivery of behavioral and physical healthcare.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 18, 2022

Telehealth Adoption Highest Among Diabetes, GI Care Providers

Rheumatologists, urologists, and nephrologists also made the list of top five adopters of telehealth among specialists, according to a new survey.

HealthcareITNews February 18, 2022

How a medical university's Telehealth Service Implementation Model can help you

Shawn Valenta of Wellpath describes how the model helped his organization set up an emergency medicine telehealth service in this preview of his HIMSS22 session.

HealthcareITNews February 18, 2022

At Nicklaus Children's, successful telehealth expansion depends on customer input

In a preview of their HIMSS22 session, innovators from the Miami-based health system explain how they've addressed individualized patient concerns around virtual care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 18, 2022

79% of Patients Want Call, Text to Signal Start of Telehealth Visit

Most patients, including those with chronic illnesses, wanted to be notified via call or text that their virtual visit was about to begin rather than stand by in a virtual waiting room, per a new poll.

HealthcareITNews February 17, 2022

Tech difficulties pose telehealth barriers for patients of color

A systematic review of more than two dozen studies found that telehealth-delivered interventions were mostly effective for a variety of conditions, but challenges still exist.

HealthcareITNews February 17, 2022

Michigan Avenue Primary Care integrates EHR, telehealth and scheduling

"If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that we, as healthcare providers, need to up our games in terms of the patient experience," said its associate medical director.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 16, 2022

HHS Pours $55M Into Boosting Virtual Care Access

HHS is awarding $55 million to 29 different Health Resources and Services Administration-funded health centers to increase access to and quality of virtual care.

HealthcareITNews February 16, 2022

Report shows overwhelming patient interest in post-pandemic virtual care

Research from the telehealth platform Doximity finds that nearly three-quarters of patients surveyed say they plan to keep receiving at least some care virtually.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 15, 2022

Low Proportion of Older Adults Are Using Use Health Apps

Despite older adults having the most potential to benefit from health apps, a new study reveals that only 28 percent of this population are currently using at least one of these apps.

CCHP February 15, 2022

New ASPE Issue Brief Addresses Audio-only vs. Live Video Use and Interaction with Healthcare Disparities

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) Office of Health Policy recently released a new Issue Brief titled National Survey Trends in Telehealth Use in 2021: Disparities in Utilization and Audio vs. Video Services. The analysis found a number of trends that can be helpful in understanding remaining telehealth barriers and their interaction with health care disparities. Utilizing Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey (HPS) information from 2021, the study focused on differences in use between live video and audio-only telehealth modalities. Overall findings showed that telehealth use was common and utilization rates were generally similar across most demographic subgroups, except those that were uninsured. Utilization rates of live-video telehealth, however, were found to be lower among underserved populations, such as those with lower incomes and Black, Latino, and Asian respondents.

Telehealth.org February 15, 2022

Updating Telehealth Policies Can Benefit Telehealth Opioid Treatment

During the pandemic, the forced adoption of telehealth has continued to help those struggling with opioid addiction living in rural areas, including many previously incarcerated, marginalized, homeless people, and their families. In the United States alone, a recent PEW Trusts’ study reported that 71,000 people died due to opioid overdose in the past year alone, while 1.6 million are grappling with opioid use disorder.

Foley & Lardner, LLP February 15, 2022

The Federal Telehealth Extension and Evaluation Act: What You Need to Know

On February 7, 2022, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Telemedicine Extension and Evaluation Act, an important bipartisan legislation to ensure predictable patient access to telehealth following the end of the public health emergency, allow more time to gather data around virtual care utilization and efficacy, and avoid a sudden drop-off in access to care (known as the telehealth cliff).

Telehealth.org February 15, 2022

The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule Deadline Approaching (3/1/22)

An important HIPAA deadline is coming up that behavioral health professionals must be aware of: the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule deadline. Hopefully, you have already reported more significant breaches that affected 500 or more patients. However, if your practice was breached and the incident involved less than 500 patients, now is the time to report it.

HealthcareITNews February 15, 2022

8 benefits of Telehealth

Healthcare providers are faced with new challenges: balancing best-practice patient care, reworking guidelines to protect and support their personnel, and much more.

Telehealth.org February 14, 2022

Insurers Reimbursing Internet Fees: New Telehealth Benefits

A McKinsey report revealed that nearly 40% of US residents surveyed prefer telehealth services compared to 11% before COVID-19 in the United States. The report also concluded that reimbursement for telehealth is a factor in 84% of providers wanting to continue. While 40 states now have laws requiring telehealth coverage, 22 states have amended their regulations to bring parity in insurance payments for telemedicine and in-person services

JDSUPRA February 14, 2022

Executive Summary: Tracking Telehealth Changes State-by-State in Response to COVID-19 - February 2022

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 actionable guidance on the evolving telehealth landscape, Manatt Health has developed a federal and comprehensive 50-state tracker for policy, regulatory and legal changes related to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Telehealth.org February 14, 2022

5 Telehealth Legal Issues to Watch in 2022

The rapid shift to reliance on digital healthcare technologies has successfully produced convenient ways to diagnose and treat patients. However, that shift comes with its share of telehealth legal issues that clinicians and practitioners must address. This article will explore the current climate of digital health regulation to inform providers of critical issues to move forward with the necessary awareness.

HealthcareITNews February 10, 2022

Senators intro bipartisan effort toward modernizing health privacy laws

Teladoc Health, IBM, Epic and athenahealth all signed on to support the proposed legislation.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 10, 2022

New Senate Bill Aims to Extend Medicare Telehealth Waivers By 2 Years

The bill proposes extending Medicare reimbursement for a range of telehealth services, including substance abuse treatment, for two years after the public health emergency has ended

HealthcareITNews February 9, 2022

How Henry Ford Health System's 100% virtual behavioral care program works

The manager of access care technology at the Detroit provider offers an advance look at her HIMSS22 session, which will dive deep into the unique telehealth initiative.

HealthcareITNews February 9, 2022

More funds added for psychosocial telehealth to support ovarian cancer patients in Australia

It will help reach 800 more women from regional communities. .

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 9, 2022 

Remote Monitoring, Telehealth Use Linked to Tighter Blood Pressure Control

An enhanced telehealth program, which included remote patient monitoring, helped under-resourced groups gain better control over their blood pressure, a new study shows.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 9, 2022 

Patients with PTSD, Bipolar Disorder Engaged With Telemental Care

FQHC patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder responded well to two telepsychiatry approaches, a new study shows.

HealthcareITNews February 8, 2022

How the hybrid future of telemedicine may play out

An expert from Philips goes in-depth into the combination of in-person and virtual care, and how that could lead to a better experience and decreased costs.

healthleaders February 8, 2022

UPSTATE NY HEALTH SYSTEM FINDS STRONG DEMAND FOR MOBILE HEALTHCARE

The Hudson Headwaters Health Network is seeing significant interest in its new mobile health unit, a specially designed vehicle to take healthcare right to the people.

CCHP February 8, 2022

Telehealth Update to Medicare CY2022 PFS, FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program Funding, and New Federal & State Telehealth Policy Updates

CMS Releases Article on CY2022 Telehealth Update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

HealthcareITNews February 3, 2022

Virtua Health offers lessons in creating a Digital Transformation Office, Part 2

The health system gears up with six telehealth programs and reports positive results for its efforts. Additionally, its experts offer helpful advice.

HealthcareITNews February 3, 2022

HHS study shows fewer video visits for older patients, people of color

Researchers from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation found that although telehealth use was fairly consistent across demographic groups, rates varied dramatically when it came to video and audio utilization.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 3, 2022

NJ Clinicians Boost Access to Cardiac Care With Tele-Ultrasound System

The tele-ultrasound system enables patients to receive diagnostic cardiac ultrasounds in a remote setting, eliminating the need to travel to a cardiologist.

HealthcareITNews February 2, 2022

Virtua Health offers lessons in creating a Digital Transformation Office, Part 1

C-suite executives and health IT leaders have much to learn from the East Coast health system's massive digital health overhaul.

FIERCEHealthcare February 2, 2022

HHS: Disparities in video telehealth use highlight key barriers to access

While telehealth use exploded during the pandemic, a new federal study found massive income disparities in video versus audio services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 1, 2022

Telehealth Maintained Care Quality for Type 2 Diabetics During Pandemic

Patients who used telehealth during the pandemic for type 2 diabetes care were just as likely to achieve quality measures as patients who received in-person care before the pandemic, a study found.

HealthcareITNews February 1, 2022

Hundreds of orgs ask Congress to extend telehealth waivers through 2024

More than 330 stakeholders outlined several steps for charting a path toward comprehensive telemedicine reform after the public health emergency.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE February 1, 2022

Pressure on Congress to Solidify Telehealth Access Builds

Two letters urging permanent telehealth reform were sent to leaders of the House and Senate as expanded telehealth access continues to be tied to the public health emergency declaration.

HealthcareITNews February 1, 2022

Cleveland Clinic leader: Telehealth now a 'permanent mode' of care delivery

Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, talks about next steps: relaxed licensure requirements, personalized care for complex conditions, a move toward concierge care – and avoiding 'platform sprawl.'

CCHP February 1, 2022

Statekeholders Urge Federal Action on Expired Telehealth Benefits & Emergency Expansions

At the end of 2021, a provision in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, which allowed patients increased access to telehealth, expired. Under the law, employees with high-deductible health plans and Health Savings Accounts (HDHP-HSAs) were able to receive telehealth benefits pre-deductible, rather than having to meet certain out-of-pocket thresholds before telehealth would be covered by their employer or health plan. On January 21, 2022, health care stakeholders sent a letter to Congressional Leaders urging them to quickly reinstate these provisions of law and ensure telehealth access is maintained for all Americans. The letter includes the citation of a survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, indicating that 96 percent of employers were utilizing that law to offer telehealth coverage pre-deductible to 32 million employees across the country.

HealthcareITNews January 31, 2022

WVU Medicine uses $781K grant to greatly boost telehealth to rural patients

The health system transformed its meager telemedicine offerings with big investments in software, hardware and infrastructure.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 31, 2022

Florida Senate Passes Bill Allowing Audio-Only Telehealth Use

The bill includes an updated definition of telehealth which eliminates the section that states audio-only telephone calls are not considered telehealth.

HealthcareITNews January 31, 2022

Dozens of U.S. legislators push for telehealth coverage expansion

A bipartisan group of 45 elected officials asked congressional leadership to include a short-term extension of Medicare services in government funding legislation.

Manchester Ink Link January 30, 2022

NH hospitals receive $1.3M in federal grant money for expanded telehealth services

CONCORD, NH – Catholic Medical Center in Manchester and Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth will receive a total of $1,307,324 in federal grant funding from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help strengthen telehealth services as communities continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 28, 2022

GOP, Independent Senators Co-Sponsor Medicare Telehealth Access Bill

The bipartisan legislation would eliminate Medicare’s geographic and originating site restrictions and establish policies that ensure Medicare coverage for telehealth services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 27, 2022

In New FCC Funding Round, 100 Providers Get $48M to Advance Telehealth

The agency has approved provider applications from across the country in its sixth and final funding round, which will be used to support the growth and enhancement of telehealth services.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 27, 2022

Parents, Patients Prefer Telehealth, In-Person Combo for Asthma Care

Young adult patients and parents of pediatric patients appreciated the convenience of using telehealth for asthma care but found in-person care to be more effective in certain circumstances, a study found.

HealthcareITNews January 26, 2022

COVID-19 virtual ward helped Singaporean health system save over 3,500 bed days

To date, more than 500 patients have been cared for via the NUHS COVID-19 Virtual Ward.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 26, 2022

Technology, Privacy Concerns Pose Barriers to Virtual HIV Care

Patients with HIV and their providers recognize the benefits of using telehealth for HIV care but noted that technology access and privacy concerns hinder virtual care success.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 26, 2022

NY Payer Launches Virtual Care Solution for Medicaid Members

MVP Health Care joined forces with Galileo to launch a bilingual virtual care app for Medicaid members in New York.

Healthcare Finance January 25, 2022

No Surprises Act implementation includes telehealth

Independent physician groups, which include telehealth docs, must now accept a rate that someone else has negotiated, expert says.

CCPH January 25, 2022 

Appeals Court Decision Highlights Telehealth Reimbursement Complexities and Provider Location Impacts

The initial decision to deny a Florida-based telehealth company, RemoteICU (RICU), Medicare payments for telehealth treatment delivered by overseas doctors during the public health emergency (PHE) was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last Tuesday. CCHP has been tracking the case since the lawsuit was first filed by RICU early last year against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), arguing that restricting reimbursement for telehealth providers out of the country violated federal telehealth waivers requiring Medicare to pay for critical-care services regardless of whether the provider and patient are in different locations. RICU’s contracted physicians are located abroad but do maintain licenses in the United States.

Telehealth.org January 25, 2022

Legal & Ethical Processes for Choosing Digital Communication Tools for Healthcare

As an increasing number of healthcare technologies are gaining visibility in the marketplace, providers are often bewildered about choosing the right tool for the right job. When it comes to healthcare communication, choices are confusing, but many vendors overlook legal and ethical requirements and specific clinical needs experienced by various provider groups.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 25, 2022

Cigna: Virtual Care Reduces Healthcare Costs by About $100 Per Visit

Virtual care yielded lower healthcare costs for Cigna members and expanded access to care for members without a primary care physician, according to a white paper from the payer.

HealthcareITNews January 24, 2022

The shifting digital health investment landscape in 2022

Signs point toward another historic year in VC investment, experts say, which will benefit the medical system as it evolves to encapsulate more digital services.

HealthcareITNews January 24, 2022

Telehealth advocates ramp up pressure on elected officials

As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc in hospitals around the country, stakeholders ask elected officials to safeguard access to virtual care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 24, 2022

Interpreters, Privacy Bolster Virtual Care for Non-English Speakers

Patients with limited English proficiency were less likely to attend virtual video visits, prompting clinicians to update their telehealth platforms, increase patient outreach and education, as well as the use of language interpreters.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 24, 2022

American Telemedicine Association Launches New Advocacy Group

Several prominent organizations, like HCA Healthcare and Walmart, have joined the group as founding council members to advocate for permanent access to telehealth.

HealthcareITNews January 21, 2022

HIMSSCast: Taking telehealth beyond the video chat

Dr. Maulik Majmudar discusses the use cases for virtual care, including for patients with chronic conditions.

Telehealth.org January 21, 2022

Remote Patient Monitoring: Myths & Misconceptions

What Is Remote Patient Monitoring? Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is gaining popularity as the US Health and Human Services Administration’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) continues to approve new CPT codes to reimburse providers for their use.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 21, 2022

ASCO Releases Standards on Using Telehealth for Cancer Care

When using telehealth for cancer care, providers should conduct initial patient assessments, provide education about the technology, and use virtual platforms for clinical trials, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

HealthcareITNews January 21, 2022

Behavioral health and telemedicine: What's in store for 2022

Eric Meier, a mental health technology expert, discusses where behavioral health is headed this year, and describes how telehealth can help offer wider access to care.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 20, 2022

Telehealth Boosted Access to Follow-Up Visits for Black Patients

Following the adoption of telehealth, Black patients saw high completion rates for follow-up visits after hospitalizations, suggesting the modality increased access to care, a study found.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 20, 2022

Telehealth Use Among Medical Groups Peaked in First Half of 2020

Primary care, medical specialty, and surgical specialty providers saw an uptick in telehealth utilization when the pandemic hit in 2020, but virtual care use dwindled in the second half of the year, a survey found.

HealthcareITNews January 20, 2022

Like banks, healthcare will become digital-first in 2022, Zoom healthcare lead says

Ron Emerson, RN, also predicts video soon will be a part of every healthcare experience.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 20, 2022

WVU Medicine to Deploy Virtual Diabetes Care App for Employees

WVU Medicine, the largest private employer in West Virginia, is offering the app to its employees with the aim of improving type 2 diabetes outcomes and, potentially, reversing the condition.

HealthcareITNews January 20, 2022

Like it, love it, gotta have it? A health economist on attitudes toward telemedicine

Sanjula Jain, chief research officer at Trilliant Health, says she believes some patients' reasons for using – or not using – telehealth have been overlooked.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 19, 2022

Doctors Outside US Cannot Bill Medicare for Telehealth, Court Confirms

RemoteICU, a telehealth company that has been fighting a legal battle to enable its physicians outside the U.S. to receive Medicare payments during the pandemic, has lost its appeal.

HealthcareITNews January 19, 2022      

Black surgical patients used telehealth more often in late 2020

A new study taking a closer look at surgical consultations early in the pandemic highlighted patterns among individuals who relied on video and audio-only visits.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 19, 2022     

Telehealth Use Among Medical Groups Peaked in First Half of 2020

Primary care, medical specialty, and surgical specialty providers saw an uptick in telehealth utilization when the pandemic hit in 2020, but virtual care use dwindled in the second half of the year, a survey found.

CCHP January 18, 2022  

PEW Report Shows Importance of Telehealth in Improving Access to Opioid Treatment

In December, The PEW Charitable Trusts (PEW) released a new report, State Policy Changes Could Increase Access to Opioid Treatment via Telehealth, exploring the benefits of utilizing telehealth to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and offering states policy recommendations to address telehealth policy barriers that hinder those benefits.

HealthcareITNews January 18, 2022  

HHS, DOD and vendors partner for critical care via telehealth

Across the country, the organizations are relieving stressed-out critical-care teams and filling in where necessary to fight COVID-19. The telehealth system is ready for other disasters, as well.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 18, 2022  

Health Systems Make COVID-19 Telehealth Expansion Plans With FCC Grants

Mercy and Tampa General Hospital have laid out their plans for using the FCC grants to increase access to COVID-19 telehealth services, including remote patient monitoring and virtual specialty care.

HealthcareITNews January 18, 2022  

Australia makes temporary changes to telehealth amid Omicron outbreak

Some subsidised specialist phone and video consultation items are being offered until 30 June.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 17, 2022 

Engage Patients to Resolve Lingering Gaps in Care

Telehealth and digital tools are key components to close gaps in care caused by pandemic and promote preventive care.

HealthcareITNews January 16, 2022

The rapid proliferation and advancement of telehealth

At the HIMSS21 APAC conference, Jim Lim, Sector Lead for NCS Healthcare, shared how telehealth is a logical focal point for healthcare innovations to be brought to the masses.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 14, 2022

Audio-Only Remote Patient Monitoring Boosts Access for Black Patients

When given the option, Black patients with COVID-19 were more likely to choose a telephone-based remote patient monitoring program over an application-based modality, a study found.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 13, 2022

First Stop Health Launches Virtual Primary Care Service

The telehealth provider will offer access to primary care via its app, website or over the telephone with the aim of increasing access and reducing costs.

HealthcareITNews January 13, 2022

Monash University project to enhance telehealth for mental health, palliative care services

New software solutions will be delivered to boost telehealth services like real-time transcription and diagnostic data integration.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 13, 2022

$226K Grant to Help FQHC Telehealth Consortium Improve Digital Equity

The funds will be used to establish a Telehealth Navigator Program, which aims to increase access to virtual care and improve digital equity among residents in Essex County, Massachusetts.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 12, 2022

FQHC to Use Remote Patient Monitoring to Improve Hypertension Care

The remote patient monitoring platform will provide Robeson Health Care Corporation with blood pressure cuffs and AI-enabled care coordination to help enhance hypertension care management.

HealthcareITNews January 12, 2022

Marshfield Clinic boosts patient-provider satisfaction and provider efficiency with telehealth

The Wisconsin health system has conducted almost 250,000 telemedicine visits since the start of the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews January 12, 2022

Clinicians have spent even more time in the EHR during COVID-19 – is telehealth to blame?

A recent study found that in-basket messages and clinical review are two major factors driving a pandemic increase in daily electronic health record minutes.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 12, 2022

Hispanic, Asian Cancer Patients Used Telehealth Less Than White Peers

Compared to white cancer patients, Hispanic patients were 14 percent less likely and Asian patients were 21 percent less likely to use telehealth, a new study reveals.

HealthcareITNews January 12, 2022

Virtual care's role in combating the youth mental health crisis

Brightline CEO Naomi Allen discusses the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric behavioral health.

CCPH January 11, 2022 

New Year, New Telehealth Policy Updates on States, CMS, Federal Agencies and More!

Winter Policy Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder CCHP’s Policy Finder look-up tool and Policy Trend Maps have been updated over the past few months based on the latest information from our ongoing state telehealth policy tracking. Since the release of the Fall 2021 State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement report, CCHP has updated approximately 60% of the total state policy pages. See the policy finder for the exact date each state and policy was updated.

HealthcareITNews January 11, 2022

NorthShore uses telehealth to take vitals and examine heart, lungs and ears from afar

The health system employs small, handheld devices for remote monitoring that patients can use at home, in conjunction with physicians in their offices.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 11, 2022

Telehealth Use Dipped 7% in October, But Telemental Care Persisted

Last October, telehealth use fell in every region except the Northeast, where it remained stable, but mental health condition claims increased in every region, according to FAIR Health.

Foley & Lardner, LLP January 10, 2022

Medicare Telehealth and Substance Use Disorder Treatment: New CMS Reimbursement Requirements

The CMS has responded to calls for additional telehealth flexibilities by continuing its efforts to address the substance abuse epidemic and expand access to mental/behavioral health in its new 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule.

Foley & Lardner, LLP January 9, 2022

Four Key Takeaways for Digital Health Companies from the FTC’s Recent COPPA Settlement

True to its word, the Federal Trade Commission has continued to focus on online privacy by targeting digital platforms that collect personal information.

SPECTRUM NESS NY1 January 6, 2022

As hospitals attempt to prevent overcrowding, doctors advocate for virtual visits when possible

Mount Sinai Hospital is trying to prevent crowding in its emergency rooms, where doctors estimate seeing at least one in five patients who are experiencing mild sickness, including COVID-19 symptoms, making them candidates for a virtual doctor visit.

Foley & Lardner, LLP Janaury 6, 2022

New Jersey Allows Asynchronous Telemedicine

On December 21, 2021, New Jersey amended its telemedicine laws via SB 2559. The new changes expressly allow the use of asynchronous store-and-forward telemedicine as a standalone modality, remove prior prohibitions on audio-only modalities, and clarify what constitutes unacceptable “internet prescribing.” The changes are effective immediately.

Forbes January 6, 2022

Will The Telehealth Boom Continue After The Pandemic?

It’s a bittersweet truth that can be difficult to discuss: Major tragedies like the Covid-19 pandemic often ignite new approaches and innovations in healthcare. We’ve seen it born out of U.S. military trauma centers in Iraq and Afghanistan before, and we’re seeing it today with telehealth.

HealthcareITNews January 6, 2022

See where your state ranks on telemedicine

A new report digs into policies around the country through the lens of patient access and ease of providing care, assessing different approaches to telehealth in all 50 states.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 6, 2022

Video Telehealth as Effective as Usual Care for Chronic Diseases

Managing chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart failure, via video-based telemedicine is as safe and effective as usual in-person care, a new study shows.

HealthleadersNOW January 5, 2022

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASKS FOR EXAMPLES OF DIGITAL HEALTH USE DURING THE PANDEMIC

The White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) has issued a Request for Information on how technology and innovation have been used - successfully and unsuccessfully - to address barriers to care and health equity.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 5, 2022

Homelessness Drives Up No-Show Rates for Virtual Addiction Treatment

Stably housed individuals were more likely to use telehealth for substance use disorder treatment and had fewer missed appointments compared to people experiencing homelessness, a study found.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 5, 2022

Many States Hit Hard by COVID-19 Limit Telehealth Practice, Report Finds

States like New York, California, and Washington have laws that block interstate telehealth, while only three states allow all providers to easily practice telehealth across state lines.

HealthcareITNews January 5, 2022

Australia ends support for 128 telehealth items

Health leaders have since warned of some huge consequences of the change.

HealthcareITNews January 5, 2022

Female, Behavioral Health Physicians Led Early Telehealth Adoption

Within a Massachusetts health system, early telehealth adoption during the pandemic was associated with female, primary care, and behavioral health physicians, a study found.

HealthcareITNews January 5, 2022

Pharmacists' active involvement needed to bolster telepharmacy in Japan's rural communities: study

Japan has only made telepharmacy available in September.

Foley & Lardner, LLP January 5, 2022

Massachusetts DPH Delays Enforcement Penalties for State Surprise Billing Law

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has delayed the enforcement penalties for the new notice requirements under the “Patients First Law” until July 1, 2022. This news comes as a relief to the provider community that has been working to understand the new notice and disclosure requirements that largely took effect simultaneously with the Federal No Surprises Act on January 1, 2022.

HealthcareITNews January 4, 2022

One expert travels the country to see how telehealth is holding up

Justin Miller of eVisit visits the company's provider clients to see where they are excelling, the challenges they face and what's in store for 2022.

CCHP January 4, 2022

NQF Report Offers Framework for Assessing Quality of Care via Telehealth

The traction gained by telehealth during the pandemic has raised a number of policy questions. One of the most frequent issues raised revolves around telehealth’s impact on quality of care, but even more so, how to measure quality of care delivered via telehealth.

Foley & Lardner, LLP January 4, 2022

COVID-19 At-Home Tests: Do CLIA Requirements Apply and what do Health Care Providers Need to Know?

Demand for COVID-19 tests, including over-the-counter at-home tests, has soared with the surge of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. However, health care providers, employers, and individuals have lacked clarity on if and how federal requirements might apply to such tests, including the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), which govern most laboratory testing and the operations of clinical laboratories.

mHEALTHINTELLIGENCE January 4, 2022

Rural Cancer Survivors Report Low Telehealth Availability, Internet Access

Older cancer survivors in rural areas are also less likely to own the technology needed for virtual visits or use the internet for communication, a new study reveals.

HealthcareITNews January 3, 2022

FDA releases guidance for remotely acquiring data in clinical investigations

The draft report offers recommendations for stakeholders about using digital health hardware and software to gather information from remote trial participants.

HealthcareITNews January 3, 2022

Baptist Health uses $873K grant to build out RPM capabilities and expand telehealth

Without the demands of the pandemic, and without financial help from the FCC, the health system would have taken a more conservative approach.

HealthcareITNews January 3, 2022

India pilots plug-and-play telehealth programme for underserved areas

The project will initially cover about 60,000 patients in remote locations.

HealthccareITNews January 3, 2022

Texas makes abortion via telehealth a crime

A new law in the state bans the provision of abortion medication via courier, delivery or mail service – with potential consequences of jail time or a hefty fine.

mHealthIntelligence December 29, 2021

31% of Older Americans Worry Telehealth Not as Effective as In-person Care

Having a prior relationship with their provider and having the option to exchange emails or direct messages with them can help alleviate older adults' telehealth concerns, according to a survey.

mHealthIntelligence December 28, 2021

Older, Rural Medicare Beneficiaries s8ed Telehealth Less During Pandemic

Medicare beneficiaries who used telehealth during the pandemic were more likely to be younger, reside in urban areas, and be considered high-risk, a study found.

mHealthIntelligence December 23, 2021

Ohio, New Jersey Governors Sign Telehealth Bills Into Law

The bills expand telehealth access, ban denial of insurance coverage, and ensure payment parity between telehealth and in-person care in the two states.

HealthcareITNews December 23, 2021

HHS puts $48M toward rural public health IT, workforce expansion

Funding recipients can use the money to bolster technology needs and employee capacity in response to the long-term effects of COVID-19.

mHealthIntelligence December 23, 2021

FCC Announces $42.7M for 5th Round of COVID-19 Telehealth Funding

The latest round of federal telehealth funding will help 68 healthcare providers across the country purchase technologies and software to improve virtual care delivery.

mHealthIntelligence December 21, 2021

Outcomes for Virtual Prenatal, Postpartum Care Similar to In-Person Visits

A Massachusetts clinic saw similar outcomes among in-person and telehealth visits for pregnant patients and saw high telehealth utilization rates for prenatal and postpartum care services.

HealthcareITNews December 21, 2021

Amwell CEO on what 2022 may hold for RPM and telehealth reimbursement

Roy Schoenberg, a major player in the field of telemedicine, offers his views on the future of remote patient monitoring, reimbursement regulation and technological advancements.

CCHP December 21, 2021

CCHP Leadership Looks Back on Telehealth Policy in 2021...plus a peek into 2022!

As the year winds down, it’s been another eventful one for telehealth policy. With COVID continuing to impact our daily lives for a second year, telehealth still remains an important tool in providing people with needed health services. .

FIERCEHealthcare December 21, 2021

Digital health startups join HHS accelerator to tackle COVID health inequities

Fifteen digital health startups will join a national accelerator program to address health inequities exacerbated by COVID-19.

mHealthIntelligence December 20, 2021

Permanent Pay, Originating Site Policies Boost Access to Virtual Addiction Services

By making temporary reimbursement and site-originating policies permanent, legislators could help increase access to virtual opioid use disorder treatment, according to a new report.

Telehealth.org December 20, 2021

Medicaid and Telehealth Program Policies by State

The Center for Connected Health Policy updates its mandate regarding telehealth, Medicaid, health professional regulations, and private payers by individual states every six months. The reader can find all updates via the policy finder.

Telehealth.org December 20, 2021

Are You Complying with HIPAA Telehealth Requirements? Mental Health Provider Survey Exposes Failures

It is easy for providers to talk about providing digital security to clients and patients, but following legal mandates requires education and routine diligence.

HealthcareITNews December 20, 2021

Advances in telemedicine are on the way in 2022

A physician expert in virtual care talks technological advances, reimbursement legislation and the continued evolution of remote patient monitoring.

Telehealth.org December 19, 2021

Telehealth in Rural Areas: Treating PTSD & Bipolar Disorder

Telehealth has recently shown triumphs within the medical field by reaching those living in rural areas who were less likely to access mental health services than those residing in bigger cities.

Telehealth.org December 19, 2021

New Evidence-Based Approach to Autism Telehealth Treatment

Almost one out of 54 children in the United States lives with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Early diagnosis and treatment can dramatically help children and their families. Unfortunately, with the overburdened US behavioral health system combined with the lack of qualified professionals, many families must wait up to 12 months for an initial diagnostic interview.

mHealthIntelligence December 17, 2021

Increased Telehealth Utilization Supports Rural Health in Michigan

Five rural counties in Michigan saw an increase in telehealth utilization, with younger generations and adults with children using the service most often.

HealthAffairs December 17, 2021

Rethinking The Impact Of Audio-Only Visits On Health Equity

New pandemic-era flexibility that allowed audio-only health visits to be routinely reimbursed as telehealth may be leading to substandard care for those it was meant to serve.

mHealthIntelligence December 17, 2021

Grocery Chain Launches Telehealth Platform, Prescription Delivery Service

The telehealth platform launched by supermarket operator Hy-vee aims to provide users with virtual care and prescription delivery services while keeping costs low.

AP NEWS December 15, 2021

Telehealth helps in pandemic, concerns linger: AP-NORC poll

Most older Americans have had to use telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and many were comfortable with it, but a new poll finds persistent concerns about issues like technology, the quality of care and patient privacy.

mHealthIntelligence December 15, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Lags in Detecting Pacemaker Battery Failure

Though the FDA had suggested patients use remote patient monitoring processes to track the battery life of their pacemaker, new research shows the processes were not successful.

mHealthIntelligence December 15, 2021

Digital Interventions May Aid in Reducing Depression Symptoms

Participation in digital interventions such as online modules and lessons led to a reduction in depression symptoms as compared with no treatment at all, a new study shows.

mHealthIntelligence December 14, 2021

Patient Satisfaction With Live Video Dips From Pandemic High

Patient satisfaction with live video visits dropped 10 percentage points from 2020 to 2021, though other telehealth modalities, like live phone calls, saw increases, a new survey shows.

HealthcareITNews December 13, 2021

Former CMS chief of staff previews 4 areas of value-based care in 2022

Caravan Health President and CEO Tim Gronniger talks telemedicine, staff retention and provider burnout, health equity, and growth in value-based payment.

HealthcareITNews December 13, 2021

Australia working towards 'permanent' telehealth

Over 16 million Australians have also received subsidised telehealth support since last year.

HealthcareITNews December 13, 2021

How to get clinicians more comfortable with delivering telemedicine

A physician expert in virtual care discusses building familiarity, using pilot projects and managing scheduling carefully.

HealthcareITNews December 13, 2021

Legislators float bipartisan bill to safeguard telehealth

The legislation would extend COVID-19-era emergency waivers for two years, buying some time before the arrival of the so-called telehealth cliff.

CCHP December 10, 2021

2021 In Review: State Telehealth Policy Legislative Roundup

CCHP’s 2021 roundup of state approved legislation which includes a detailed listing of all bills by topic area and state.

mHealthIntelligence December 9, 2021

US Reps Introduce Bill to Ensure Permanent Access to Telehealth

The Telehealth Extension Act aims to solidify policies that will preserve permanent access to telehealth after the public health emergency ends.

Telehealth.org December 9, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Reimbursement & Home Health Care

Healthcare professionals use remote patient monitoring (RPM) to help them keep track of consumers’ health status from the comfort of their homes. This article will look at remote patient monitoring, the many benefits it provides, and the challenges it is facing while providing home health care.

FierceHealthcare December 9, 2021

AHA, Johns Hopkins, Athenahealth, others launch campaign to make telehealth permanent

Sixteen organizations launched a public education campaign to protect access to telehealth called Telehealth Access for America.

Telehealth.org December 9, 2021

Employers Boosting Telehealth Benefits in Record Numbers

According to a report released Nov. 10 by the Kaiser Family Foundation, most organizations have boosted their telehealth benefits for their employees since the COVID outbreak began, with one out of every ten big companies signing new contracts with telehealth providers. The Kaiser Family Foundation survey results were based on responses from nearly 1,700 small and large employers from January to July 2021.

mHealthIntelligence December 9, 2021

AHA, Ascension, Others Campaign to Preserve Post-Pandemic Telehealth Access

The Telehealth Access for America campaign urges Congress to solidify policies and ensure telehealth access once the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

Telehealth.org December 9, 2021

Caution: Direct-to-Consumer Digital Care – All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Opportunistic corporations are exploding into the telemental health niche blasted open by COVID, which prompted inexperienced investors to race pell-mell into direct-to-consumer teletherapy. Especially in the area of self-paid and insurance-paid ambulatory mental health services, where independent practitioners provide the bulk of the treatment, the shift to telehealth has been improvised, disorganized, unsupervised, and unscrutinized in an alarming one-size-fits-all approach to assisting people with mental health challenges.

mHealthIntelligence December 8, 2021

Telehealth Payment, Access Flexibilities Can Help Close Care Gaps

A new report shows that telehealth could play a key part in mitigating health inequities, but payment structures and social determinants of health, like lack of broadband access, pose challenges.

Telehealth.org December 8, 2021

Annual HIPAA Deadline Approaching: HIPAA Risk Assessment

Each year healthcare professionals must conduct a HIPAA risk assessment to identify risks and vulnerabilities to protect patient/client’s health information. As the 2021 annual security risk assessment deadline approaches, it is important to understand what needs to be done to meet this requirement.

HealthcareITNews December 8, 2021

Hospital at home: How healthcare orgs can set programs up for success

Experts say home-based advanced care initiatives should consider patients holistically and recognize virtual care as a distinct modality requiring its own strategic investments.

mHealthIntelligence December 7, 2021

Telehealth Use Continues to Rise, But COVID-19 Not Among Top Diagnoses

Following August’s trend, September saw another increase in telehealth use on the national level, as well as in the West and Midwest regions.

HEALTHCAREDIVE December 7, 2021

COVID-19 drops out of top telehealth diagnoses in September even as virtual care use rises

National telehealth use, measured as a percentage of all medical claims, rose more than 2% in September for the second straight month as the delta variant surged, following a sustained period of decline early this year.

HealthcareITNews December 7, 2021

American Hospital Association, Johns Hopkins and others launch pro-telehealth campaign

Telehealth Access for America is aimed at educating the public about the benefits of expanding access to virtual care services.

Foley & Lardner December 7,2021

Medicare Telehealth Mental Health FAQs: CMS and the New In-Person Exam Requirement

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its rule on in-person exam requirements for Medicare coverage of telehealth-based mental health services when the patient is located at home. The Frequently Asked Questions below are based on CMS’ policies in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule.

CCHP December 7, 2021

QFRs Provide Insight on OIG Telehealth Perspective & Further Clarify Telefraud is not Telehealth Fraud

In late September, the nomination of Christi Grimm as Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG) was considered in a hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Finance. As the future of telehealth policy is front of mind for lawmakers, the HHS-OIG Official Responses to Questions for the Record (QFRs) posted on the Committee’s website contain a number of questions and responses that showcase the important role of HHS-OIG in terms of the future of telehealth policy while also providing a clear explanation of OIG’s view on a range of telehealth issues.

HealthcareITNews December 7, 2021  

A Hawaii health system meets island community and COVID-19 needs with telehealth

Queen's Health Systems' medical director of telehealth offers an in-depth look at a $1 million virtual care overhaul that may be instructive for health IT leaders across the country.

HealthcareITNews December 6, 2021  

Kaspersky survey raises concerns about patient trust in telehealth

A report released by the cybersecurity company found that fears around data privacy and security contributed to patients' refusal to participate in virtual care.

HEALTHCAREDIVE December 6, 2021 

Medicare telehealth visits increased 63-fold from 2019 to 2020, new government data shows

Virtual visits for Medicare beneficiaries went from hundreds of thousands pre-pandemic to tens of millions in 2020, with many beneficiaries using telehealth for the first time.

mHealthIntelligence December 6, 2021

Telehealth Use Among Medicare Patients Skyrocketed 63-Fold Last Year

Telehealth use by Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries especially increased for specialist visits and behavioral health visits from 2019 to 2020, according to an HHS report.

Fierce Healthcare December 5, 2021

Out-of-pocket costs may sway patient preference for telehealth

Out-of-pocket costs may play larger role in telehealth visits than in-person care: survey.

Telehealth.org December 3, 2021

Employers Boosting Telehealth Benefits in Record Numbers

According to a report released Nov. 10 by the Kaiser Family Foundation, most organizations have boosted their telehealth benefits for their employees since the COVID outbreak began, with one out of every ten big companies signing new contracts with telehealth providers. The Kaiser Family Foundation survey results were based on responses from nearly 1,700 small and large employers from January to July 2021.

JDSUPRA December 3, 2021

Executive Summary: Tracking Telehealth Changes State-by-State in Response to COVID-19 - December 2021

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.

mHealthIntelligence December 3, 2021 

PCORI Grants $23M to Support Telehealth Effectiveness Studies

The funds will support studies that assess telehealth effectiveness for treating pain relief, smoking cessation, and mental health conditions.

mHealthIntelligence December 3, 2021

Telehealth Succeeds in Managing Type 2 Diabetes, Studies Show

A systematic review of nearly 30 studies revealed that telehealth interventions can successfully help adults manage type 2 diabetes.

Telehealth.org December 3, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Reimbursement & Home Health Care

Healthcare professionals use remote patient monitoring (RPM) to help them keep track of consumers’ health status from the comfort of their homes. This article will look at remote patient monitoring, the many benefits it provides, and the challenges it is facing while providing home health care.

mHealthIntelligence December 2, 2021 Link  

Higher Costs Prompt Patients to Switch From Telehealth to In-Person Care

A new study revealed the impact of out-of-pocket costs on visit modality, showing that patients who preferred telehealth were likely to switch to in-person care if it was cheaper.

mHealthIntelligence December 1, 2021 Link  

5 New Telehealth Training Sites to Open in Arkansas, Tennessee

The South Central Telehealth Resource Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is opening satellite locations that will be funded by federal grants.

mHealthIntelligence December 1, 2021 Link  

52% of Providers Say Patients Declined Telehealth Due to Security Concerns

A majority of the global providers surveyed also expressed concerns about data use and sharing, as well as about the personal penalties that may arise if data is leaked.

Fierce Healthcare December 1, 2021  

Truepill builds COVID-19 virtual care platform with antiviral delivery and telehealth consults

Truepill is launching an end-to-end virtual care platform for COVID-19, the digital health unicorn announced Wednesday.

HealthcareITNews December 1, 2021  

CareCloud CEO predicts what's around the corner for telehealth

A. Hadi Chaudry says he foresees a growth in remote patient monitoring overall, not just video visits.

HEALTHCAREDIVE December 1, 2021  

Patient willingness for telehealth high, but in-person care perceived as more valuable, research suggests

Patients who leaned toward in-person care were more willing to pay for it, while those who preferred video visits were more sensitive to out-of-pocket costs, a survey conducted by Rand found.

PEW December 1, 2021

Telehealth May Be Here to Stay

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, medical executive Lyndi Church and her colleagues at Caring Hands Healthcare Centers in southeastern Oklahoma had been intrigued by telehealth, but they feared it was unworkable in their rural corner of the state.

Health Care Law Today November 30, 2021

Is the DEA Poised to Regulate Telepharmacy?

On November 16, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, exploring whether or not to create new federal regulations governing the practice of telepharmacy. These regulations would govern the receipt of prescriptions and dispensing of controlled substances by pharmacists practicing across multiple states.

CCHP November 30, 2021

Federal Telehealth Policy News: MedPAC, MACPAC and Other Federal Updates

The Medicare Payment and Access Commission (MedPAC) recently met to provide updated Medicare telehealth utilization data, which highlights a decrease in use since the beginning of the pandemic, but also shows that utilization remains higher than prior to the pandemic. Earlier this year MedPAC published recommendations to Congress to further extend some federal COVID expansions related to telehealth in order to gather more data to inform long-term policies…

Healthleadersmedia November 29, 2021

NEW YORK INVESTS $3 MILLION IN TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES

The state is issuing $150,000 grants to community health providers around the state to purchase telehealth and remote monitoring technology to help underserved communities access care.

mHealthIntelligence November 29, 2021

Cancer Care Clinicians Satisfied with Telehealth, Desire Continued Use

It envisions expanding the use of telemedicine to include telegenetic consultations, remote chemotherapy support, remote monitoring via wearables and palliative care.

HealthcareITNews November 29, 2021

City of Hope advances cancer care with hybrid telehealth and in-person visits

It envisions expanding the use of telemedicine to include telegenetic consultations, remote chemotherapy support, remote monitoring via wearables and palliative care.

mHealthIntelligence November 29, 2021

Tech Access, Digital Literacy Barriers to Virtual Care for Opioid Use Disorder

While telehealth may improve access to opioid use disorder treatment, lack of access to technology and low digital literacy levels still stand in the way.

mHealthIntelligence November 29, 2021

Medicare Patients in Metro Areas More Likely to Report Telehealth Use

Additionally, those who were younger than 75, lived in the west and had internet connectivity were more likely to use video or voice calls to interact with their physicians.

mHealthIntelligence November 29, 2021

Using Remote Patient Monitoring to Lower Hypertension Progression

Patients with hypertension are highly likely to benefit from home monitoring and care management using remote patient monitoring.

HEALTHCAREDIVE November 29, 2021

Accelerating outcomes amid healthcare's digital transformation

Opportunity is building for healthcare organizations to leverage digital tools, technology and analytics to find new innovations and drive breakthrough improvements in their business and clinical operations.

Health Care Law Today November 28, 2021

Telemedicine Will Remain Even as the COVID-19 Crisis Recedes; But the Policies That Enabled Great Advances in Telemedicine Should Become Permanent

As telemedicine companies stepped up during the COVID-19 (COVID) health crisis, patients and clinicians alike came to value and rely on the model of anywhere care, where an exam, checkup, or therapy session could be performed remotely and safely. Despite the support from consumers, the industry faces policy ambiguity as lawmakers roll back many of the rule waivers tied to the Public Health Emergency (PHE).

mHealthIntelligence November 24, 2021

HHS to Distribute $35M to Support Telehealth Expansion for Title X Program

The agency plans to award 60 one-time grants to bolster virtual care services offered by Title X family planning providers

mHealthIntelligence November 24, 2021

Fraud Enforcement Followed Spike in Telemental Care

Federal actions to enforce telehealth regulations governing mental healthcare included charges against those who participated in false billing and other schemes.

Telehealth.org November 23, 2021

FTC: New Health App Security Ruling Includes Providers & Other Stakeholders

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has accepted app security and app privacy policy statement addressing the use of health applications and connected devices by providers, manufacturers, and other services that collect or use consumers’ personal health information.

HealthcareITNews November 23, 2021

One daughter's story of how telemedicine helped her addicted father

Seeking to shed stigma, Erica Land tells her story. And she offers a look at what it's like on the frontlines of telehealth as a clinical operations specialist at VirtualMed Staff.

Telehealth.org November 23, 2021

Telehealth Policy Updates: Change in Telehealth Place of Service Code (POS), Claims Lags, Private Payers & More

Not only are patients who are older and Black less likely to use video visits as compared to phone visits, but also those who live in a rural zip code and have Medicaid, a new study shows.

mHealthIntelligence November 23, 2021

Older, Black Patients More Likely to Use Audio-Only Telehealth

Not only are patients who are older and Black less likely to use video visits as compared to phone visits, but also those who live in a rural zip code and have Medicaid, a new study shows.

Telehealth.org November 23, 2021

Telehealth Social Work: ASWB Telehealth Regulations Report & “Social Work Today” Article

In an important social work development, the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) has released a detailed report for providers who practice telehealth social work across state lines and their organizations.

HealthcareITNews November 22, 2021

Telehealth Connection TV: An in-depth look at all things telemedicine

Federal officials, scholars, chief information officers and two sitting U.S. senators weigh in on their experiences with virtual care and their predictions for the future.

mHealthIntelligence November 22, 2021

A Snapshot of Telehealth Payment Policies Across States

States have adjusted their Medicaid reimbursement policies for telehealth services, with most increasing coverage of and access to virtual care.

HealthcareITNews November 22, 2021

Tackling the challenge of integrating telehealth seamlessly into the EHR

Ophir Lotan from telemedicine company TytoCare walks readers through this key task now that virtual care has gone mainstream because of COVID-19.

Health Care Law Today November 21, 2021

CMS Changes Course by Repealing the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology and Definition of Reasonable and Necessary Rule Due to Insufficient Beneficiary Protections

On November 12, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is rescinding the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology and Definition of “Reasonable and Necessary” (MCIT/R&N) final rule, which would have become effective on December 15, 2021.

mHealthIntelligence November 19, 2021

Cancer Patients with Low Socioeconomic Status Used Telehealth Less

Telehealth may have widened care disparities for some cancer patients, as patients with high socioeconomic status accessed telehealth more frequently than those with low socioeconomic status.

HealthcareITNews November 19, 2021

Digital health tools can be useful post-surgery, but more high-quality research is needed

In a paper published this week, researchers examined dozens of previous studies in which patients had been monitored after discharge from the hospital.

mHealthIntelligence November 19, 2021

Remote Monitoring Via Text Linked to Fewer COVID-19 Deaths

Penn Medicine leveraged a text-based remote monitoring program which resulted in three deaths as compared to 12 deaths among patients who received usual outpatient care protocols.

HealthcareITNews November 19, 2021

Report: Telemedicine, modernized licensing can help bridge health disparity gap

A wide-ranging Commonwealth Fund analysis aims to evaluate health equity across race and ethnicity on a state-by-state basis.

JDSUPRA November 18, 2021

Telemental Health Laws: Overview

Since 2016, Epstein Becker Green (EBG) has researched, compiled, and analyzed state-specific content relating to the regulatory requirements for professional mental/behavioral health practitioners and stakeholders seeking to provide telehealth-focused services.

mHealthIntelligence November 18, 2021

Follow-Up Visit Volumes Similar for Telehealth, In-Person Care

Telehealth services and in-person care were accompanied by similar volumes of follow-up visits and subsequent hospitalizations.

mHealthIntelligence November 18, 2021

75% of Doctors Worry Telehealth Blocks Visibility Into Addiction Issues

Most physicians felt confident that they could recognize the signs of drug misuse in-person, but only half had the same level of confidence for telehealth visits, a new survey shows.

mHealthIntelligence November 17, 2021

Cures 2.0 Bill Introduced in House Aims to Expand Telehealth Coverage

The new Cures 2.0 bill builds upon the original legislation and pushes for expanded Medicare and Medicaid telehealth coverage.

mHealthIntelligence November 17, 2021

Cures 2.0 Bill Introduced in House Aims to Expand Telehealth Coverage

The new Cures 2.0 bill builds upon the original legislation and pushes for expanded Medicare and Medicaid telehealth coverage.

mHealthIntelligence November 17, 2021

Jefferson Health, BAYADA to Establish Home Health Joint Venture

The definitive agreement to create the joint venture, which will likely be finalized by next spring, also includes an academic affiliation.

HealthcareITNews November 16, 2021

$1M grant sets up Renown Regional for hybrid telehealth and in-person care

The FCC funds greatly expanded the health system's virtual care abilities last year as COVID-19 hit – but the added bonus of a hybrid care future is a big win.

mHealthIntelligence November 16, 2021

Audio-Only Telehealth Visits Common for Safety-Net Providers

The majority of patients at New York-based community health centers used audio-only telehealth rather than video visits during the pandemic.

CCHP November 16, 2021

CCHP Releases Telehealth & Medicaid Webinar Summary – A Report From the Fall Series

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) held its third Medicaid webinar series September – October 2021. The Fall Medicaid Webinar Series featured presenters from seven state Medicaid or other state offices (Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont).

JDSUPRA November 16, 2021

HHS OIG Studies State Medicaid Programs’ Use of Telehealth

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently issued a report concerning the use of telehealth to render behavioral health services to Medicaid enrollees, calling for greater evaluation and oversight in the hopes of encouraging states to implement changes to improve how their Medicaid programs use telehealth for behavioral health services, including mental health assessments, individual therapy, and medication management.

mHealthIntelligence November 16, 2021

Majority of Providers, Patients Plan to Continue Using Telehealth

Providers and patients also indicated a preference for synchronous, video-based telehealth as compared to other formats, a new survey shows.

Fierce Healthcare 15, 2021

Physicians fear missing signs of drug abuse with telehealth

Telehealth offered numerous benefits to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing access to care when in-person visits weren’t safe or feasible for many. But a new report shows providers worry that virtual visits allowed signs of drug abuse to slip by unnoticed.

Fierce Healthcare 15, 2021

The State of Telehealth: Providers and Patients Weigh In

COVID-19 drove a telehealth boom that led to more interaction and better outcomes for both providers and patients, according to a new State of Telehealth survey GoodRx conducted along with the American Telemedicine Association during the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews 15, 2021

Telephone, video visits 'critical' for enabling safety-net care access

But a recent study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that clinicians are still concerned about hurdles to telehealth implementation.

HealthcareITNews 15, 2021

The next investment priorities for telehealth, RPM and connected health

Seven health system IT executives explain how they're strategizing to build on the post-pandemic potential of virtual care technologies and services.

mHealthIntelligence 15, 2021

Patients Used Telehealth as a Substitute for Post-Discharge Visits

Post-discharge visit volumes remained steady, but more patients used telehealth while the number of in-person visits decreased, a study found.

mHealthIntelligence 15, 2021

Creating a Post-COVID Remote Patient Monitoring Strategy

Post-COVID remote patient monitoring can enable providers to deliver longitudinal care to patients managing one or more chronic diseases, improving outcomes.

mHealthIntelligence 15, 2021

Diversity in Pediatric Telehealth Use is Rising, But Needs a Further Boost

More non-white and non-English-speaking children are using telehealth than prior to the pandemic, but health systems need to do more to engage diverse communities.

mHealthIntelligence 12, 2021

FCC to Pour an Additional $700M+ Into Broadband Expansion

The funds will go to 50 broadband providers who will bring their services to hundreds of thousands of locations across 26 states, helping to bolster healthcare access.

HealthAffairs November 12, 2021

Minding The Access Gap: Addressing Both The Digital And Transportation Divides To Improve Outcomes

Prompted by concerns that some in-person care was too dangerous during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the US health care sector accelerated telehealth’s expansion. While telehealth has improved access to many outpatient services, marginalized patients—rural, poor, older, and minority patients—may not have benefitted equally from telehealth’s expansion. This stems, in part, from the “digital divide”—differential access to personal technology or broadband connectivity that results from historic disparities in economic means or educational attainment.

JDSURPA November 11, 2021

2022 Medicare PFS Extends Telehealth Services Expansion

The 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule released on November 2 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added certain services to the Medicare telehealth services list through December 31, 2023.

mHealthIntelligence November 11, 2021

Telehealth for Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Sees Success

Using telehealth for borderline personality disorder treatment led to positive patient outcomes and satisfaction for the Rhode Island Hospital Adult partial hospital program.

mHealthIntelligence November 11, 2021

Blue Cross NC Widens Teladoc Collab, Bolstering Telehealth Services

The expanded collaboration will enable self-funded Blue Cross NC employers to access Teladoc's chronic care management solutions for diabetes, hypertension and mental health.

CCHP November 10, 2021

Final Physician Fee Schedule Telehealth Policy Changes to Medicare for CY 2022

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) policies for Medicare last week. Unless otherwise noted, the policies will take effect on January 1, 2022. Much of the proposals published in July 2021 for public commentary remain intact, but CMS did make several modifications and clarifications.

HealthcareITNews November 10, 2021

Rapid telehealth rollout was beneficial for nursing homes, but had downsides too

A study from the University of Missouri found that virtual care reduced stress for residents and increased access to services. It also worsened social isolation and caused confusion among some patients. (PHE).

Health Care Law Today November 10, 2021

Let's Talk Compliance Recap: The Telemedicine Cliff

In the October 8, 2021 session of our Let’s Talk Compliance series, Foley & Lardner’s T.J. Ferrante and PYA’s Valerie Rock shared their expertise and answered questions regarding telemedicine. One area of focus was the “telemedicine cliff” - unless Congress acts, the telemedicine requirements will return to their prior restrictions a

mHealthIntelligence November 10, 2021

NJ Governor Shoots Down Telehealth Pay Parity Bill

The bill, which requires insurers to pay for telehealth services at the same rate as in-person care, could result in high costs to taxpayers and thus warrants closer examination, Gov. Phil Murphy said.

HealthCareDive November 10, 2021

Health centers raise alarm about rolling back Medicaid coverage post-public health emergency

Health centers say rolling back government actions that boosted Medicaid coverage during the pandemic after the COVID-19 public health emergency expires could severely curtail patient care, according to a new survey conducted by the National Association of Community Health Centers.

mHealthIntelligence November 10, 2021

Self-Funded Employer Health Plan Launches Virtual Primary Care

The virtual primary care offering from Centivo will allow self-funded employers and their employees to access primary care services via telehealth.

mHealthIntelligence November 9, 2021

Permanent Audio-Only Telehealth, Licensure Flexibilities Key to Virtual Care

As states look to make telehealth policies enacted during the pandemic permanent, a new report recommends focusing on allowances expanding audio-only telehealth and cross-state medical licensing.

JDSURPA November 9, 2021

CMS Greenlights Certain Telebehavioral Health Services Beyond the Public Health Emergency and Provides Important Incentives for Further Investment

The COVID-19 Global Pandemic compelled the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to revamp its approach to regulating telehealth services and temporarily embrace the modality as a practical treatment option.

mHealthIntelligence November 9, 2021

Telehealth Users Prefer Doctor Services Over Direct-to-Consumer Care

Data from Morning Consult revealed that individuals accessed telehealth through their doctor or health plan more often than up-and-coming direct-to-consumer platforms.

CCHP November 9, 2021

Telehealth Policy Updates:

CHHP Insights into State and Federal Developments & Trends

mHealthIntelligence November 8, 2021

Senate Bill Aims to Solidify Medicare Coverage for Telehealth

The proposed bill would permanently expand Medicare coverage for select telehealth services, including physical therapy and speech-language pathology.

mHealthIntelligence November 8, 2021

Sociodemographic Factors Impacted Success of Telehealth Video Visits

Patients over 65 and Black patients were more likely to have an unsuccessful telehealth video visit compared to their younger White counterparts due to a slew of sociodemographic factors.

JDSUPRA November 5, 2021

Executive Summary: Tracking Telehealth Changes State-by-State in Response to COVID-19 - November 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth services.

mHealthIntelligence November 5, 2021

Skilled Nursing Facilities Had Mixed Reviews of Telehealth Use

While telehealth helped improve access to convenient care for residents in skilled nursing facilities, some staff found it difficult to use without proper training.

HealthcareITNews November 5, 2021

Change management is key' for maintaining remote cybersecurity

In a preview of his panel at the HIMSS Cybersecurity Forum, Franciscan Health Vice President of Digital Innovation and Applications Sri Bharadwaj says threat factors have substantially increased amid COVID-19.

Telehealth.org November 4, 2021 

Telehealth Reimbursement Alert: Federal Register Releases Allowed 2022 Telehealth CPT Codes & Services

UPDATED 11/9/21 Many long-awaited decisions regarding telehealth CPT codes were released earlier this week, signaling a new frontier for telehealth reimbursement.

mHealthIntelligence November 4, 2021  

Limited English Proficiency Hinders Access to Telehealth Video Visits

Patients with limited English proficiency and no past telehealth video visit experience were unlikely to choose video over telephone appointments for primary care telehealth services, a study found.

mHealthIntelligence November 4, 2021  

Southern States Saw Increase in Telehealth Utilization During Summer

The South saw an increase in telehealth utilization in August, with COVID-19 joining the top five telehealth diagnoses following a Delta variant surge.

HealthcareITNews November 4, 2021  

RPM will be the new standard of care, a new study says

WebCareHealth CEO Dr. Teresa Sieck unpacks the results of the report about remote patient monitoring's abilities to find gaps in care, improve patient engagement, enhance the provider experience and boost revenue.

mHealthIntelligence November 3, 2021  

Orgs Ask Congress to Make Telehealth a Permanent Excepted Benefit

Permanently including telehealth services as an excepted benefit under ERISA would allow all employees, regardless of employment status, to access virtual healthcare beyond the pandemic, the organizations said.

HealthcareITNews November 3, 2021  

Physician fee schedule final rule opens up telehealth access

AMA wants Congress to avert physician payment cuts it says will amount to 9.75% for 2022.

mHealthIntelligence November 3, 2021  

Cancer Patients May Benefit from Using Telehealth for Music Therapy

Patients with cancer saw positive emotional outcomes after attending music therapy sessions via telehealth, Texas researchers found.

HEALTHCAREDIVE November 3, 2021  

CMS finalizes plans to hike price transparency penalties, extend telehealth flexibilities

The agency is also moving forward with a plan to stop the ending of the Medicare inpatient-only list, which is a win for hospitals.

HealthcareITNews November 2, 2021 

ATA, businesses ask Congress to expand telehealth options for workers

Advocacy organizations and business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Congress, argue that current law effectively prevents employers from offering virtual care to part-time or seasonal workers.

mHealthIntelligence November 2, 2021 

Groups Urge Legislators to Maintain Telehealth Licensures During PHE

Governors must solidify telehealth licensure flexibilities that allow patients to access telehealth services from providers in other states, the organizations insisted.

HealthcareITNews November 2, 2021 

How Hims & Hers built a business entirely centered on telehealth

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the business from delicate conditions like sexual health and hair loss into primary care and mental health.

HEALTHCAREDIVE November 2, 2021 

Why are women more likely to use telehealth?

As Washington mulls over telehealth regulations post-COVID-19, it's important not to roll back access in a way that could disproportionately affect women.

mHealthIntelligence November 2, 2021 

Teladoc Health Virtual Primary Care Model Influences Q3 Earnings

Teladoc Health’s recently launched virtual primary care model helped the company see successful third quarter earnings.

Telehealth.org November 2, 2021 

Telehealth Nurses: Solution of the National Nursing Shortage

Although the problem of nursing shortages in hospitals has been around for quite some time, the pandemic has brought this challenge to an entirely new level.

CCHP November 2, 2021 

HHS-OIG Reports on Pandemic Medicare Teleheatlh Trends to Inform Permanent Policies

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) released a telehealth report on October 18th that looked at the relationship between providers and Medicare patients utilizing telehealth between March and December 2020. Specifically, HHS-OIG examined encounter claims data to determine the presence of pre-existing relationships, dates of any prior visits, and the types of services provided.

HealthcareITNews November 2, 2021

AWS physician expert talks new use cases for telehealth, machine learning, cloud

Dr. Rowland Illing, director of international public sector health at Amazon Web Services, offers a tutorial on some leading-edge technologies, and how they're being deployed across healthcare.

HIMSS November 1, 2021HIMSS November 1, 2021

Digital health in 2021: A look back

The COVID-19 pandemic helped propel digital healthcare into the spotlight in 2020. But coming out of that momentous year, many questions remain about how healthcare will permanently change. Now at the tail end of 2021, we look back at how digital health has become a staple of the medical system.

HealthcareITNews November 1, 2021

Hundreds of groups ask governors to expand telehealth licensure flexibilities

The groups say that the premature expiration of pandemic-era policies could leave patients, especially immunocompromised people, in the lurch.

mHealthIntelligence November 1, 2021

Virtual Behavioral Health, Ambulatory Care Spiked During Pandemic

TAmbulatory care saw an uptick in virtual visits and a decline in in-person visits, indicating that virtual care was substitutive rather than additive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HealthcareITNews November 1, 2021

Teladoc eyes hospital growth, says primary care is 'just the beginning'

The company logged 3.9 million visits in Q3, notching 37% growth from the previous year. But it reported $84.3 million in net loss, compared with $35.9 million for the same period in 2020.

mHealthIntelligence November 1, 2021

mHealth App Improves Patient-Provider Communication During Pregnancy

An mHealth app from UPMC can help improve patient-provider communication about preeclampsia and low-dose aspirin use in pregnant people.

HealthcareITNews October 29, 2021

Prioritise digital healthcare from early life, says Lancet report

Greater demand for digital solutions in healthcare sector

mhealthintelligence October 29, 2021

Telehealth May Increase Access to Quality Lung Cancer Screenings

Lung cancer screening outcomes were similar for in-person and telehealth screenings, indicating that telehealth could be viable to increase the number of patien

mhealthintelligence October 28, 2021

Cigna Expands Telehealth Platform, Launches Virtual-First Plan

Cigna will expand its virtual care platform and plans to launch a virtual-first health plan to increase m

mhealthintelligence October 28, 2021

Chicago Provider Adds Virtual Medical Exams to Telehealth Program

NorthShore University HealthSystem will offer patients virtual medical examinations for acute and chronic cond

mhealthintelligence October 27, 2021

23andMe Merger Targets Personalized Primary Care Access, Telehealth

A merger agreement between 23andMe and Lemonaid Health aims to increase personalized primary care access through teleheal

HealthCareITNews October 27, 2021

ATA to assess telemedicine's role in addressing U.S. healthcare disparities

An advisory group convened by the organization released a framework of nine

JDSUPRA October 27, 2021

Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Planning for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management in Hospitals

Although the COVID-19 pandemic is still active worldwide, health care industry leaders and regulators have already begun to think about how to implement post-pandemic changes to

mhealthintelligence October 27, 2021

Using mHealth Wearables to Understand Diverse Populations

Researchers are working collaboratively with Apple to gain data insights into dive

CHHP October 27, 2021

CCHP’s Fall 50 State Telehalth Policy Summary Report is Here!…Telehealth Policy Shifts Again

Today the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) is releasing its bi-annual summary of state telehealth policy changes for Fall 2021. Additionally, we are also making available a summary chart showing where states stand on many key telehealth policies, as well as an infographic highlighting our key findings.

HealthAffairs Blog October 26, 2021

The US Should Change Payment To Make Health Care More Equitable-

This post is part of the Health Affairs Blog short series, “Value Assessment: Where Do We Go Post-COVID?” The series explores what we have learned about value assessment and related issues during the coronavirus pandemic, how we might think about value in health care going forward, and how these ideas might translate into policy.

HealthCareITNews October 26, 2021

RPM helps lower A1c below 9% for 84% of patients at Leon Medical Centers

Colorado's Medicaid program will fund a three-year teleneurology project that includes virtual visits for patients living with Parkinson's and Huntington's disease and a Project ECHO telemedicine platform for primary care providers around the state.

mhealthintelligence October 26, 2021

Colorado Medicaid Program Supports New Teleneurology Project

Colorado's Medicaid program will fund a three-year teleneurology project that includes virtual visits for patients living with Parkinson's and Huntington's disease and a Project ECHO telemedicine platform for primary care providers around the state.

FierceHealthcare October 26, 2021

Omada Health: Apps, wearables not enough for chronic care

Apps, devices not enough to manage chronic care without patient-doc relationships, Omada Health research finds.

HealthCareITNews October 26, 2021

VA still facing interoperability, scaling challenges amidst COVID-19

The agency isn't alone. As ONC head Micky Tripathi put it, "The fragmentation of the healthcare industry … is the biggest challenge we all face."

mhealthintelligence October 26, 2021

Amazon Enhances Alexa for mHealth Platforms in Hospitals, Senior Homes

Amazon has beefed up Alexa's capabilities to help health systems and senior living facilities improve care management and coordination.

HealthCareITNews October 26, 2021

Cigna expands access to covered telehealth services

The insurance company will also launch a "virtual-first" health plan for select employers, which will include a $0 co-pay for MDLIVE primary care providers.

CCHP October 25, 2021

State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2021

Our semi-annual report has gone digital Historically, our twice-yearly updates to the “State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies” report have been published as a PDF document, and included the telehealth policies for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

mhealthintelligence October 25, 2021

New Bill Targets Telehealth Provisions in High-Deductible Health Plans

A bill introduced in the House earlier this month would extend provisions for telehealth coverage in high-deductible health plans that were enacted in the CARES Act of 2020, but are due to expire at the end of this year.

HealthCareITNews October 25, 2021

Concentra reduces clicks to visit and no-shows with new telehealth system

The healthcare organization moved reporting from manual to automated, real-time, and reaped numerous rewards.

HealthCareITNews October 21, 2021

Biden Administration Emphasizes Telehealth in its Infrastructure Strategy

While Congress is whittling down the Biden Administration's massive Build Back Better plan, new announcements out of the USDA and FCC aim to support broadband expansion for telehealth - and to emphasize how important that is to the nation's infrastructure.

mhealthintelligence October 25, 2021

Debunking Common Remote Patient Monitoring Myths

Providers interested in adopting remote patient monitoring face many prominent myths about the technology and its benefits.

mhealthintelligence October 22, 2021

FCC Announces 3rd Group of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Awards

Another 71 healthcare organizations will receive funding for connected health tools and services under the agency's COVID-19 Telehealth Program.

mhealthintelligence October 21, 2021

ATA Asks the Biden Administration For Assurances on Telehealth Coverage

The American Telemedicine Association has sent a letter to the Biden Administration asking that it provide assurances that emergency provisions to expand telehealth access and coverage remain in place at least through 2022.

HealthCareITNews October 21, 2021

CrossFit to launch 'fully digital' primary care service

The fitness company will join other startups in offering direct-to-consumer virtual care services, in addition to precision health and preventive medicine.

HealthAffairs October 21, 2021

Survey Confirms Effectiveness Of Telehealth In Rural America And Beyond

A recent national survey assessing consumer experiences with telehealth has confirmed what real-world practice has been telling us for more than a decade: people in rural America and beyond are growing increasingly comfortable with remote visits, and they are satisfied with the care they are receiving.

mhealthintelligence October 20, 2021

AtlantiCare Adapts to Consumer Healthcare With a Digital Directory

The New Jersey-based health system has upgraded its virtual front door to help consumers connect with care providers and other resources - including telehealth options and scheduling.

Healthcareinnovation October 20, 2021

FQHCs Find Audio-Only Telehealth Valuable During Pandemic, Study Finds

The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) recently conducted a study examining the use of audio-only as a modality to provide services from Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to Medicaid patients. CCHP offered several recommendations to policymakers regarding the use of audio-only by FQHCs to deliver services beyond the pandemic.

HealthCareITNews October 20, 2021

One RPM expert's take on why the tech is needed alongside telehealth

The promotion of telehealth as a value-based care model and its ability to produce similar outcomes as in-person care are helping to secure its place as a constant in the healthcare industry.

mhealthintelligence October 20, 2021

Value-Based Care Model Helps Secure Telehealth as a Constant

The promotion of telehealth as a value-based care model and its ability to produce similar outcomes as in-person care are helping to secure its place as a constant in the healthcare industry.

PatientEngagement Hit October 20, 2021

Telehealth Use Avoids Overutilization But Yields Health Disparities

Although the influx of telehealth use didn’t result in healthcare overutilization, researchers still observed stark rural-urban health disparities

mhealthintelligence October 19, 2021

Making the Post-Pandemic Telehealth Pivot

The pandemic provided an impetus for a rapid shift to virtual care. Now healthcare organizations must find a long-term solution to balancing telehealth and in-person care.

HealthCareITNews October 19, 2021

Philips' maternal health champion discusses digital women's health

The digital evolution of women's health is an important topic for all health IT leaders to understand and embrace. Veronica Adamson provides a deep dive.

CCHP October 19, 2021

A Focused Look At Audio-Only And FQHCs

With a grant from the Federation of State Medical Board Foundation (FSMB Foundation), the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) conducted a small study on the use of audio-only to treat Medicaid patients in a federally qualified health center (FQHC).

mhealthintelligence October 19, 2021

Using Telehealth for Pre-Anesthesia Evaluations for Cancer Patients

Cancer patients who received pre-anesthesia evaluations via telehealth prior to surgery saved time and money, Florida researchers found.

HealthCareITNews October 19, 2021

Telehealth integrated into EHR is the way to go for CarDon & Associates

The skilled nursing organization has a 90% treat-in-place rate for all telehealth encounters, and data from its platform has helped identify areas for improvement.

mhealthintelligence October 19, 2021

Island Health Expands Its Remote Patient Monitoring Strategy

Canada's Island Health system has launched a remote patient monitoring platform that seeks to include any patient who can be monitored at home, rather than focusing on a specific population

HealthCareITNews October 18, 2021

Telehealth has been key for primary care, but clinicians are still feeling hopeless

Providers report burnout and compassion fatigue amidst the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, especially regarding conversations with vaccine-hesitant patients.

mhealthintelligence October 18, 2021

AHRQ Seeks Public Data on COVID-19 Telehealth Programs

The agency is looking for as much public information as it can find - both positive and negative - to complete a study of how telehealth was used during the pandemic.

mhealthintelligence October 18, 2021

CMS Selects 4 States for ACO-Based Rural Telehealth Delivery Model

Organizations in four states will use telehealth and other services through an ACO to improve healthcare access and reduce health disparities under the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) model.

mhealthintelligence October 15, 2021

Florida Researchers Studying Artificial Intelligence Use in Telehealth

Researchers are looking into whether artificial intelligence integrated into telehealth visits can reduce misdiagnoses and improve patient outcomes.

Bloomburg Law October 15, 2021

Bills to Avoid ‘Telehealth Cliff’ Delayed by Higher Priorities

Lawmakers are struggling to push widely supported legislation that would end the “telehealth cliff” through a logjam created by their intense focus on President Joe Biden‘s more divisive priorities.

mhealthintelligence October 15, 2021

New Study Offers Mixed Results for Telehealth in Addiction Treatment

A new analysis of telehealth use in addiction treatment programs finds that virtual care can boost access to care, but more proof is needed that these channels can improve retention and clinical outcomes.

HealthCareITNews October 14, 2021

Kaiser, Mayo, Medically Home found coalition to promote advanced hospital-at-home services

Federal regulators should "put guardrails on, but let us continue the good work," says Mayo Clinic's Dr. Michael Maniaci.

Health Care Law Today October 14, 2021

Telemedicine Regulation: What’s Next | HIMSS TV

In a recent episode of the Virtual Care Paradigm, Nathaniel Lacktman, Chair of Foley’s Telemedicine & Digital Health Industry Team, met with reporter Kat Jercich, Senior Editor of Healthcare IT News. They discussed Lacktman’s philosophy on how regulation can be used to facilitate, rather than stifle, innovation in telemedicine and digital health. He also shared ideas on how entrepreneurs can keep pace with the changes to come.

mhealthintelligence October 14, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Improves Type 2 Diabetes Outcomes

Patients living with type 2 diabetes saw improvements in their A1C levels while using remote patient monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.

Telehealth.org October 13, 2021

Audio-Only Telehealth Update: A Classic Solution to a Modern Crisis

COVID-19 has resulted in a wave of telehealth policy reforms at the federal and state levels across the country. One regulatory reform, in particular, has gotten a lot of attention and support from industry stakeholders and lawmakers alike: expanding audio-only telehealth services.

mhealthintelligence October 13, 2021

Texas Lawmaker Eyes Telehealth Program for Rural 911 Services

A bill introduced last month in Texas proposes setting up a pilot program to link rural EMS providers to larger health systems through a telehealth platform, enabling them to improve treatment and care coordination in the field.

Telehealth.org October 13, 2021

PayPal, Venmo & Zelle: HIPAA Compliant Payment Methods?

As payment apps have become more popular, many businesses are adopting the technology for ease of use and accessibility. However, as a healthcare provider, it is important to assess whether or not technology is HIPAA compliant before collecting payment related to healthcare service delivery.

FierceHealthcare October 13, 2021

What's next for telehealth? A new market is opening up

Following a telehealth boom in 2020 propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual visits have started to stabilize but at elevated levels compared to pre-pandemic demand.

Telehealth.org October 13, 2021

Telehealth Policy Resource Update: CCHP’s Policy Finder & Trends Maps

The U.S. federally-funded Policy Finder lookup tool and Policy Trend Maps are regularly updated by the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) based on the latest information from ongoing state telehealth policy tracking.

mhealthintelligence October 13, 2021

Fitbit Supports mHealth Programs Addressing Social Determinants of Health

The company is awarding $300,000 in products and services to six projects that will be using mHealth devices and telehealth platforms to address barriers to care in underserved populations.

HealthCareITNews October 12, 2021

Goodwin pilots Tyto Care's tele-examination service for Australian seniors

The three-month trial will be extended to a hundred Goodwin residents and clients.

CCHP October 12, 2021

Fall Ushers in New Telehealth State & Federal Policy Developments

State COVID-19 Flexibilities Slowly Subsiding As part of CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder, we track COVID flexibilities by state for eight topic areas, including Medicaid reimbursement (site, provider type, service and modality expansions), COVID specific requirements for private payer telehealth coverage and COVID-related flexibilities related to prescribing, consent and cross-state licensing requirements.

mhealthintelligence October 12, 2021

CMS Clarifies Medicare Recognition of Interstate Licensure Compacts

CMS has clarified its policy on recognizing interstate licensure compacts, setting the ground rules for Medicare coverage for providers who use telehealth to treat patients in other states.

mhealthintelligence October 12, 2021

Lawmakers Ask Congress to Create a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force

The Rural Telehealth Access Task Force Act, introduced last week in the House, would launch a federal study of how telehealth is being used - and what barriers it faces - in rural America.

HealthCareITNews October 12, 2021

Albert Einstein Medical Center serves up telehealth from 4 vendors with FCC grant

Moving away from simple phone calls, 82% of the health system's telemedicine visits are now video and audio visits.

HealthCareITNews October 11, 2021

Greene County Health Care boosts RPM and telehealth with $1M FCC award

The funds have built a robust remote patient monitoring and virtual care infrastructure that has proved immeasurably helpful, especially during the pandemic.

mhealthintelligence October 11, 2021

HHS Launches Spanish Version of mHealth App, Boosts Care Access for Latinos

The mHealth app will allow patients to ask questions, take notes during appointments, and view resources about their health in Spanish.

HealthCareITNews October 11, 2021

Expanding broadband can help improve health for rural Black southerners

But a new report finds that many barriers to connectivity remain, with nearly 40% of Black people in 152 rural counties lacking home access to the internet.

mhealthintelligence October 11, 2021

New Toolkit Aims to Help Telehealth Programs Negotiate Payer Reimbursement

An organization focused on supporting virtual-first programs has created a toolkit designed to help healthcare providers negotiate reimbursement with third party payers for their telehealth services.

Telehealth.org October 10, 2021

Telehealth Nurses: Solution of the National Nursing Shortage

Although the problem of nursing shortages in hospitals has been around for quite some time, the pandemic has brought this challenge to an entirely new level. As COVID infections have increased, specifically amongst the younger and unvaccinated population, more and more nurses feel emotional and physical exhaustion due to patient overload.

mhealthintelligence October 8, 2021

New Partnership Gives Wisconsin SNFs Access to After-Hours Telehealth

More than 50 skilled nursing facilities operated by North Shore Healthcare will soon be able to use telehealth to access healthcare services after normal business hours, helping to improve clinical care and reduce hospitalizations.

FierceHealthcare October 8, 2021

Teladoc expands Primary360 service to health plans, employers

Teladoc Health is taking its primary care pilot nationwide, expanding it to commercial health plans, employers and other payers.

mhealthintelligence October 8, 2021

Mental Healthcare Organization to Close Clinics, Shift to Telehealth

A Minnesota-based provider of mental healthcare services is closing its physical sites and shifting to a telehealth platform, with officials saying their patients and staff prefer it and payers are now covering it.

HealthAffairs October 7, 2021

The Surge Of Telehealth During The Pandemic Is Exacerbating Urban-Rural Disparities In Access To Mental Health Care

Access to mental health care has long been difficult for most Americans, and things have only gotten worse during the pandemic. Barriers to care exist everywhere and are more troublesome in rural areas where there are few mental health specialists, and, not surprisingly, treatment rates are much lower. For example, one study found that rural patients receive 73 percent fewer specialty mental health visits than urban patients.

mhealthintelligence October 7, 2021

Iowa Includes PAs, Speech-Language Pathologists, Audiologists in Telehealth Rules

Healthcare regulators in Iowa have revised their telehealth guidelines to give physician assistants, speech-language pathologists and audiologists more opportunities to use connected health.

mhealthintelligence October 7, 2021

Telehealth Access to Mental Health Specialists Can Be a ‘Game-Changer’ in the ED

At Florida's Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, access to mental health specialists via telehealth has not only helped the busy emergency department speed up care, but improve the quality of care those patients receive.

HealthcareITNews October 6, 2021

M Health Fairview goes all in on telehealth with $600K in FCC funds

The technology has helped the health system navigate the pandemic while expanding into remote patient monitoring and other types of virtual care.

mhealthintelligence October 6, 2021

FCC Preparing to Announce Next Batch of Connected Care Pilot Program Awards

The agency, which unveiled the latest recipients for COVID-19 Telehealth Program awards last week, is looking to announce the third group of telehealth projects qualifying for Connected Care Pilot Program funding later this month.

Telehealth.org October 5, 2021

13 Benefits of Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring

From hospitals to independent practitioners, the majority of U.S. healthcare providers have not yet begun billing for remote patient monitoring (RPM), despite the immediate availability of dedicated CPT codes, technology, and support services.

mhealthintelligence October 5, 2021

Telehealth Advocates Try to Bring Congress’ Attention Back to Long-Term Policy

The Protecting Telehealth Access Act, introduced last week in the House, is a companion to a similar bill introduced in the Senate last June. Supporters are hoping it prods Congress to refocus on establishing long-term connected health policy.

Telehealth.org October 5, 2021

Telehealth Addiction Treatment: Unexpected Benefits?

As we progress through the challenges imposed by the pandemic, healthcare, and behavioral health providers are discovering the many options and possibilities available through telehealth. It is likely that virtual care is here to stay and will be used in conjunction with in-person services.

Telehealth.org October 5, 2021

OIG Recognizes Telehealth Services Importance But Urges Caution

The recent increase in telehealth has improved access to behavioral health services in ways that were previously unimagined by the average provider or provider group. Still, according to a Medicaid-related report published by the U.S. Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in September 2021, state Medicaid programs will need to increase their oversight of these services if the telehealth flexibilities become permanent.

mhealthintelligence October 5, 2021

Rhode Island Program Gives Seniors the Support They Need to Use Telehealth

A new service in Pawtucket connects seniors with bilingual community health workers and the technology needed to conduct a telehealth visit with their care provider.

mhealthintelligence October 5, 2021

Regence Targets Missed Wellness Visits and Check-Ups With New Telehealth Program

The Pacific Northwest health plan is launching a telehealth service aimed at members who've put off visits to the doctor's office and other care needs during the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews October 4, 2021

Teladoc, UnitedHealthcare get high marks from J.D. Power telehealth study

But overall satisfaction with direct-to-consumer and payer-sponsored telehealth services has declined, even as virtual care use has spiked, the report shows.

FierceHealthcare October 4, 2021

New study finds increased telehealth use, declining satisfaction

As the use of telehealth has become more widespread, consumer satisfaction has fallen, according to a recent survey.

mhealthintelligence October 4, 2021

How Can the Internet of Things Integrate With Telehealth, Remote Patient Monitoring?

The Federal Communications Commission wants to start a conversation on how to manage and regulate connectivity for the Internet of Things, including meeting the needs of telehealth and remote patient monitoring platforms and mHealth devices.

mhealthintelligence October 4, 2021

New York’s Healthcare Staffing Order Promotes Telehealth, Mobile Integrated Health

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order to address healthcare staffing issues caused by the pandemic. It includes several measures supporting the use of telehealth, especially in nursing homes, and mobile integrated health.

HealthcareITNews October 4, 2021

United Physicians finds success with telepsychiatry for virtual collaborative care

Previously, the IPO had three- to six-month waiting lists for adults needing care. Now it's typically a one- to two-week process from positive screen ID to initial assessment.

mhealthintelligence October 1, 2021

Can Remote Patient Monitoring Improve Post-Surgical Care and Recovery?

A study conducted in Canada has found that a remote patient monitoring platform can be used to facilitate care for patients who've been discharged from a hospital after non-elective surgery.

mhealthintelligence October 1, 2021

JD Power Survey Sees Telehealth Falling Back Into the Same Old Rut

The consumer satisfaction company's third annual survey finds that telehealth has surged during the pandemic, but satisfaction rates are dropping as patients have problems understanding or using it.

mHealthIntelligence September 30, 2021

FCC Announces Latest Awards From COVID-19 Telehealth Program

More than 70 healthcare organizations will receive funding from the Federal Communications Commission's COVID-19 Telehealth Program for projects aimed at expanding connected health platforms to improve access to care during the pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence September 30, 2021

University of New England to Become Telehealth Education Hub

The US Health Resources and Service Administration has funded a project to increase telehealth distribution in rural areas of New England and has named the University of New England a telehealth education hub.

HealthcareITNews September 30, 2021

Most provider organizations boosting telehealth investments, survey finds

A new report from Amwell and HIMSS Analytics shows that hospital and health system leaders have embraced telemedicine and are preparing for a future filled with virtual care.

HealthcareITNews September 29, 2021

Women's healthcare startup Tia secures $100M for company growth

The hybrid virtual and in-person women’s health provider said it wants to expand its model to more than 100,000 members by 2023.

Telehealth.org September 29, 2021

Why You Should Care about PIPEDA As a Telehealth Provider?

As barriers to entry were lifted during the early days of the COVID pandemic, many telehealth providers have had the experience of working with clients and patients who are in foreign states and perhaps countries. For providers serving Canadian citizens, two important Canadian laws apply. Compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) is mandatory. See TBHI’s previous article about Email Privacy & Security Checklist: HIPAA, HITECH & PIPEDA for more information.

HealthcareITNews September 29, 2021

Virtual reality for pain management has potential, but hurdles remain

California Governor Gavin Newsom has extended an emergency order enacted in 2020 that protects physicians from HIPAA penalties should they accidentally expose patient data during the good faith provision of telehealth

mHealthIntelligence September 29, 2021

California Extends HIPAA Telehealth Waiver to End of PHE

California Governor Gavin Newsom has extended an emergency order enacted in 2020 that protects physicians from HIPAA penalties should they accidentally expose patient data during the good faith provision of telehealth

HealthcareITNews September 29, 2021

The future of the waiting room, and how telemedicine and mobile health could change it

The pandemic gave rise to telehealth and app-based scheduling – and new patient expectations. Long patient waits – and even waiting rooms themselves – may be things of the past, says one physician expert.

mHealthIntelligence September 29, 2021

Thomas Jefferson University Takes on Telehealth, mHealth Barriers

The Philadelphia-based university has launched the Jefferson Center for Connected Care, which aims to tackle the digital divide and address the barriers to care that telehealth and mHealth can both cause and conquer

mHealthIntelligence September 28, 2021

Telestroke Adoption Not Associated with Changes in Patient Outcomes

Harvard researchers did not find any association between telestroke adoption in hospitals and changes in annual stroke volumes and interhospital transfer rates.

CCHP September 28, 2021

New HHS-OIG Reports on Telehealth Challenges and Oversight in State Medicaid Programs

Last week the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) released two new telehealth reports, both related to the use of telehealth to deliver behavioral health services to Medicaid beneficiaries. HHS-OIG breaks up their study into two reports.

HealthcareITNews September 28, 2021

How CMS is boosting telehealth and RPM with new CPT codes

The inclusion of remote therapeutic monitoring codes in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule suggests that transformations in digital health policy initiated in response to COVID-19 are beginning to have some permanence.

Telehealth.org September 28, 2021

ADA Compliance: Is Your or Your Employer’s Website Within Regulations for ADA Accessibility?

Last year, there were more than 3,000 digital accessibility lawsuits filed. The number has increased by 23% from the year before. Internet users may sue healthcare organizations and practices with impairments and disabilities who allege site-use access barriers. These types of barriers can violate various state laws and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Businesses caught up in these types of lawsuits can ultimately pay millions and be bound by the settlement to create specific alterations to their websites. .

mHealthIntelligence September 28, 2021

HRSA Health Centers to Get $1B for Telehealth, Other Upgrades

The Biden Administration is awarding nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funding through the HRSA to about 1,300 health centers across the country for capital improvements, including telehealth expansion.

HealthcareITNews September 27, 2021

HHS watchdog: State oversight needed for behavioral telehealth

The Office of Inspector General found that many states do not conduct monitoring specific to telemedicine – despite reporting concern about fraud, waste and abuse.

JDSUPRA September 27, 2021

Telehealth Awareness Week: Insights on Telehealth

In support of the American Telemedicine Association's Telehealth Awareness Week (September 19-25, 2021), Jones Day's Digital Health team shared key insights on various legal topics applicable to telehealth.

mHealthIntelligence September 27, 2021

Researchers Develop an mHealth Wearable That Can Deliver Vaccines

Researchers at Stanford and UNC have developed an mHealth wearable that can take the sting out of vaccine delivery, improve the effectiveness of the vaccine and be mass-produced for distribution in underserved regions.

Foley & Lardner LLP September 26, 2021

New Studies Show Efficacy of Telemedicine in Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment, as More Health Plans Explore Partnerships

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. has experienced a troubling rise in alcohol consumption with parallels to an increased number of individuals struggling with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Enter a new wave of telemedicine-based virtual AUD treatment providers that reach providers and patients in a uniquely modern way.

CCHP - Webinar September 24, 2021

Telehealth & Medicaid – Medicaid Telehealth Policy & Data, Evaluations, & Stakeholders-

COVID-19 has spurred Medicaid programs to expand their telehealth policies. It has also encouraged them to examine the effects and impacts of such policies and engaging stakeholders more often than before. Learn about the efforts some Medicaid programs have made in collecting data and working with other groups as they work on solidifying the next steps in their telehealth policy development.

mHealthIntelligence September 24, 2021

New Healthcare Platform for Black Americans Will Include Telehealth, mHealth

A new effort by several large corporations to address access and health equity issues among Black Americans will include telehealth and mHealth services.

mHealthIntelligence September 23, 2021

Addiction Recovery Specialists Find Unexpected Advantages to Using Telehealth

The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Addiction Recovery Program is one of many across the country that has turned to telehealth to treat patients and their families during the pandemic. And they're seeing good results with a virtual platform.

HealthcareITNews September 23, 2021

Providence forms philanthropy initiative to tackle health equity, IT innovation

The new Providence National Foundation is targeting technologies and strategies for wider access to personalized care, including telehealth, genome sequencing, data mapping and more.

mHealthIntelligence September 23, 2021

Telehealth May Improve Outcomes for Children with Chronic Conditions

There is a high probability that using telehealth to treat children with chronic conditions can improve patient outcomes and reduce health system costs, University of Texas researchers found.

Telehealth.org September 23, 2021

Recent HIPAA Security Rule Update: Recognized Security Practices

As many readers will recall, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was relatively “toothless” until the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) of 2009 was enacted to impose and collect financial penalties for violations. Both of these laws have continued to evolve, which equates to adding new definitions requirements, and sanctions. The current change has to do with the definition of how to decide whether or not a covered entity or business associate had “recognized security practices” in place for at least 12 months prior to being disciplined.

Telehealth.org September 23, 2021

Telehealth Fraud: What Are the Risks with Offering Telehealth Services Now?

With the many perks of telehealth, such as allowing the healthcare industry to stay open and available for patients throughout the pandemic, its use has also made it ripe for potential abuse.

Telehealth.org September 23, 2021

Online CBT for Insomnia: Is Telehealth CBTi as Effective as In-Person Treatment?

Chronic insomnia, defined as dissatisfaction with sleep quality or duration, affects 10 to 15% of adults in the United States. Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for insomnia is widely known. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, also known as CBTi, is a scientifically researched insomnia treatment that addresses the physiological and psychological issues present in insomnia. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends CBTi as the first-line therapy for insomnia. CBTi was traditionally offered in-person in the past, but due to the forced and adoption of telehealth and telemedicine services during the global pandemic, online CBT for insomnia is available. Recent publications have supported the use of CBTi for digital populations

mHealthIntelligence September 22, 2021

Arizona Hospitals Use mHealth to Connect With Patients in the ED

Dignity Health's Arizona hospitals are using an mHealth platform that allows them to communicate with ED patients and their families, offering updates and other resources and reducing ED wait times and traffic.

mHealthIntelligence September 22, 2021

OIG Report Assesses Medicaid Telehealth Programs for Behavioral Health

A new data brief from the Office of the Inspector General takes states to task for not analyzing how telehealth affects the quality of behavioral health services - or monitoring for fraud, waste and abuse.

HealthcareITNews September 21, 2021

Indian doctors group taps Eka Care for online healthcare platform

They will collaborate to build and implement a technology solution that solves doctors' daily operational problems.

HealthcareITNews September 21, 2021

What will the next year look like for telehealth? 'Well above pre-pandemic levels'

We spoke with a telemedicine expert to get a feel for where virtual care technology goes from here, and how near-term changes in healthcare might impact the ways it's deployed.

mHealthIntelligence September 21, 2021

Lawmakers Asked to Boost Telehealth Resource Center Budget to $27M

"Telehealth advocates are urging lawmakers to set an annual budget of $27 million for the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers, noting the 14-center network has seen traffic increase by 800 percent during the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews September 21, 2021

Boosted by virtual reality and AI, telesurgery is on the rise

"The goal is surgeons who have the world's best expert surgeon virtually at their side in every case and the experience of thousands of cases," says University of Washington's Dr. Sam Browd.

mHealthIntelligence September 21, 2021

CMS Investing $15M in Medicaid Mobile Health Crisis Intervention

The rescue plan funds will be used by state Medicaid programs and community health groups to develop mobile health intervention services for people experiencing a behavioral health or opioid use disorder crisis.

CCHP - Webinar September 20, 2021

Telehealth & Medicaid: Medicaid & Audio Only

When the COVID-19 pandemic began and a sharp pivot towards telehealth was made, policymakers quickly realized that not everyone would have access to video technology. Audio-only was quickly allowed as a modality to deliver services. Now, policymakers are deciding whether the temporary audio-only policies should be made permanent. During this webinar, panelists will discuss what their Medicaid programs may decide, or have already decided, to do.

Foley & Lardner LLP September 20, 2021

Top 5 FAQs on the FTC’s Warning to Health Apps to Report Breaches of Health Data

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) just released a Policy Statement emphasizing how telemedicine and digital health apps can be held accountable under the Health Breach Notification Rule, even if the company is not subject to HIPAA. Digital health breaches are not limited solely to hacks and cybersecurity intrusions, but also occur when companies share user health information without the user’s consent. The Policy Statement was issued at the heels of a recent FTC enforcement action and settlement, where FTC alleged the company misrepresented how it would not share users’ sensitive personal health information with third parties. Members of Congress have also pressured the FTC to use the Health Breach Notification Rule as a tool to protect users from having their sensitive information exploited.

mHealthIntelligence September 20, 2021

VA Plans $1B Expansion of Remote Patient Monitoring Platform

The Department of Veterans Affairs is soliciting bids for four remote patient monitoring projects that could greatly expand the agency's ability to treat veterans in their own homes.

mHealthIntelligence September 20, 2021

Telehealth Groups Pressure CMS to Expand Coverage in 2022 Physician Fee Schedule

Several organizations have asked CMS to revise its proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule to permanently expand Medicare coverage for telehealth.

Telehealth.org September 18, 2021

What Are Digital Therapeutics? How Can They Help with the Mental Health Crisis?

Digital therapeutics is a term that can broadly be defined as a treatment or therapy that uses digital and often Internet-based health technology to create, support, and maintain positive behavior change.

mHealthIntelligence September 17, 2021

NIH to Use mHealth, Telehealth in Long COVID Research

The National Institutes of Health is launching a $470 million national study, coordinated by NYU Langone Health, that will use mHealth tools and telehealth platforms to assess the lingering effects of COVID-19.

mHealthIntelligence September 17, 2021

How a new wireless infrastructure changed the way one provider does business

The investment has helped Dickenson County Behavioral Health Services gain more reliable telehealth and cloud EHR access, among other new efficiencies.

mHealthIntelligence September 16, 2021

FTC Emphasizes Security Standards for mHealth Apps, Devices

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a policy statement re-emphasizing that mHealth apps and devices must conform with the Health Breach Notification Rule.

HealthcareITNews September 16, 2021

Managed Medicaid plans and health systems hampered from texting consumers by 30-year-old law

A 30-year-old federal law is preventing many managed Medicaid plans from communicating with their members in the way most consumers prefer to get information: by text.

mHealthIntelligence September 16, 2021

mHealth Wearables Detect Pandemic-Related Stress in Healthcare Workers

Researchers using mHealth wearables to measure healthcare workers’ physiological responses found that a lack of resilience and emotional support increases stress.

mHealthIntelligence September 15, 2021

AMA Survey Charts Explosive Growth of Telehealth Services in 2020

The American Medical Association's new Physician Practice Benchmark Survey shows a surge in telehealth adoption between 2018 and 2020, driven by the shift from in-person to virtual care during the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews September 15, 2021

Gopuff piloting a prescription-delivery service expansion

The snack delivery company is allowing some Philadelphia-based users to get birth control and acne medication, according to Insider.

mHealthIntelligence September 15, 2021

Supporters Blame Politics for Failed Alaska Telehealth Legislation

A proposal to allow care providers to issue prescriptions via telehealth failed in Alaska after legislators tried to add too many controversial amendments.

HealthcareITNews September 15, 2021

Taking stock of the sudden evolution of telemedicine

A virtual care expert leads readers through the recent history of telehealth and offers tips on new medical services that can be delivered via telehealth while complying with HIPAA.

mHealthIntelligence September 14, 2021

CMS Plans to Scrap Innovative mHealth Technology Program

CMS has proposed eliminating the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology (MCIT) program, which would have sped up Medicare coverage for mHealth technology classified by the FDA as 'breakthrough medical devices.

HealthcareITNews September 14, 2021

Alaska telehealth bill would ban COVID-19 vaccine requirements

The legislation, as passed by the state Senate, would expand access to telemedicine while disallowing business, state agencies and local governments from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations to access public spaces.

mHealthIntelligence September 14, 2021

Grant Funds Medical Device Development to Prevent Epileptic Seizures

A biomedical engineering professor will use the funds to continue his research for medical device development of a brain implant device that aims to prevent epileptic seizures.

HealthcareITNews September 13, 2021

Groups Recover Together sees great success treating opioid use disorder via telehealth

Eighty-seven percent of its members said they felt as supported or more supported in a virtual care model.

Telehealth.org September 13, 2021

Telehealth Expansion: 6 Additional States Announce Telehealth Coverage

While in-person care was restricted for safety reasons, the public health emergency (PHE), governments issued numerous waivers to extend telehealth coverage to make healthcare available. Several states have discontinued telehealth coverage or launched new laws to keep virtual care provisions intact as public health emergency orders continue to lift around the United States.

mHealthIntelligence September 13, 2021 

Study Touts FQHC Success at Integrating Telehealth, Mental Health Services

A five-year PCORI-funded study gave high marks to FQHCs who integrated telehealth with primary care services to help patients living with bipolar disorder and/or PTSD.

Telehealth.org September 13, 2021 

5 Telehealth Trends to Watch in the Post-Pandemic World

At this point in the COVID pandemic, many professionals are keen to understand which technologies to consider as they expand their repertoire of technology and associated skills. Previously unavailable or unknown technologies have been made available, offering what can be a dizzying array of options without many basic explanations. With the rapid, forced adoption, many workflows were approximated digitally. Now maybe a good time to start reviewing what works, what doesn’t and consider upcoming alternatives.

Telehealth.org September 13, 2021 

Voice Technology and Remote Patient Monitoring

Largely unknown to many professionals, voice technology, or conversational artificial intelligence, offers a range of benefits beyond delivering general health information to consumers. Voice technology refers to technology that allows a computer to recognize spoken words.

Telehealth.org September 13, 2021 

Telehealth Interoperability: Optimization and Training

When the epidemic is finally over, telehealth and telemedicine will need to address the issue of interoperability. As telehealth and telemedicine companies adopt sophisticated technologies and integrate them into the healthcare system, telehealth interoperability stays a cornerstone to simplifying clinical workflow.

mHealthIntelligence September 13, 2021 

School Health Centers Get $5M to Expand Telehealth Access to Care

The Biden Administration is issuing more than $5 million in HRSA grants to 27 school health centers to expand access to care, often through telehealth.

HealthcareITNews September 13, 2021 

RemoteICU sues over HHS telehealth restrictions

The agency currently does not allow payment for critical-care telemedicine if the physician is located outside the United States.

Telehealth.org September 13, 2021 

Mental Healthcare for Rural Areas Via Telepsychiatry

Due to ongoing issues with mental healthcare service accessibility and availability, rural farming communities are in a state of emergency. The significant distance between a rural family farm and a mental health treatment center is a major barrier to timely access to care. In addition, there is a nationwide lack of psychiatrists, which is more pronounced in rural areas. However, with the rise of telemedicine, it has become possible to provide timely and early access to mental healthcare via a telepsychiatry platform.

mHealthIntelligence September 10, 2021

Rural Health System Receives Funds for New Virtual Care Center

More than $300 million will back the development of a virtual care center in South Dakota that aims to increase access to care for rural communities.

Telehealth.org September 10, 2021

Telehealth Legislation: Hope for Telehealth in Rural Areas

The latest study from The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) reported that rural areas only had 39.8 doctors per 100,000 residents compared to 53.3 to every 100,000 in urban spaces. Mental health care is similarly challenging to access. The NRHA estimates that 60% of rural residents live in mental health shortage areas. In light of that, it becomes understandable that 65% of all rural residents seeking mental health support receive it from their primary care physician.

HealthcareITNews September 10, 2021

Researchers say 'essential questions remain' about telehealth's diagnostic viability

The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine found that although "telediagnosis" has potential, there's still a lot to learn about how it can work most effectively.

mHealthIntelligence September 9, 2021

South Dakota Governor’s Executive Order Bans Telemedicine Abortions

The executive order directs the state’s Department of Health and its physicians to abide by rules that prevent telemedicine abortions that lack initial in-person assessments.

mHealthIntelligence September 9, 2021

Mount Sinai Launches New mHealth App for Patient Data Access

The health system is expanding its current patient portal to offer a new mHealth app to simplify and improve patient data access.

mHealthIntelligence September 8, 2021

Using Remote Patient Monitoring to Improve Diabetes Care Management

The University of Mississippi Medical Center has partnered with a federally qualified health center to increase access to diabetes care management through a remote patient monitoring program.

HealthcareITNews September 7, 2021

How telepsychiatry is helping chip away at the mental health crisis

A psychiatrist who conducted one of the first virtual behavioral care visits explains how it's working for clinicians and patients. He stresses the importance of "webside manner."

mHealthIntelligence September 7, 2021

Mayo Clinic RPM Model Improves Outcomes For Acute COVID-19 Treatment

The nonprofit medical center expanded its existing multi-state remote patient monitoring program to assist patients with acute COVID-19 treatment.

HealthcareITNews September 7, 2021

Amazon looks to bring telehealth, in-person care to 20 more cities

It will soon offer the "full package" of hybrid virtual/in-person care in Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas and Boston, Insider reports, with more expansion to follow in 2022.

mHealthIntelligence September 7, 2021

Hospitals Plan For Telehealth Expansion Despite Declining Use

Telehealth visits now account for less than 20 percent of all appointments, according to research from UPMC and KLAS, but healthcare organizations still see a future for telehealth expansion.

HealthcareITNews September 7, 2021

Majority of healthcare orgs conducting less than 20% of visits virtually

Still, provider organizations recognize the value of telehealth when it comes to long-term care – especially for behavioral health patients and those with chronic issues, a new study shows.

mHealthIntelligence September 6, 2021

MD Program Seeks to Improve Access to Telemental Health Services

Ten Maryland jurisdictions will receive funding for broadband and wireless devices to increase access to telemental health services for underserved communities.

mHealthIntelligence September 3, 2021

CMS Faces Calls to Improve Remote Patient Monitoring Coverage in 2022 PFS

Telehealth advocates are submitting recommendations to CMS to improve coverage for remote patient monitoring services in the proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule.

mHealthIntelligence September 3, 2021

UC San Diego Health Takes Aim at Telehealth, mHealth Innovation

The health system has launched the Center for Health Innovation, which will use lessons learned from using telehealth and mHealth technology during the pandemic to develop and even commercialize new devices and platforms.

HealthcareITNews September 3, 2021

HIMSSCast: How telehealth will settle in through the pandemic and beyond

How will the use cases for telehealth shake out as time goes by?

HealthcareItNews September 2, 2021

Florida man pleads guilty in scheme exploiting amended telehealth restrictions

The U.S. Department of Justice says the laboratory owner admitted to his role in a $73 million Medicare kickback conspiracy.

mHealthIntelligence September 2, 2021

American Academy of Pediatrics Targets Parity in Telehealth Policy Statement

The AAP has unveiled a telehealth policy statement that calls for payment parity, as well as more efforts to address social determinants of health and improve access to quality care for all children.

mHealthIntelligence September 2, 2021

Regional Pediatric Pandemic Network Will Use Telehealth to Share Resources

Five children's hospitals have been recruited to launch a federally funded national network aimed at improving pediatric healthcare services during an emergency, and will use telehealth to support resource-sharing and best practices.

HealthcareItNews September 1, 2021

NYC Health + Hospitals keeps patients out of ER with virtual urgent care

In its first year, the health system treated more than 16,000 patients through Virtual ExpressCare. Theservice, launched at the peak of the pandemic, was crucial in preserving New York City's emergency care system.

mHealthIntelligence September 1, 2021

MetroHealth’s Institute for HOPE Takes Connected Health to a New Level

The Cleveland-based health system is forging new partnerships and launching programs that address the social determinants of health, sometimes through remote patient monitoring or telehealth platforms that boost access to care.

HealthcareItNews September 1, 2021

Online first visit consults high among private dental clinics in Japan, study shows

Japan has permitted the use of dental telemedicine for first and follow-up visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foley & Lardner LLP September 1, 2021

New Jersey’s Telemedicine Business Registry: What You Need to Know

New Jersey recently finalized regulations requiring all telemedicine or telehealth organizations providing telemedicine services to patients located in New Jersey to register with New Jersey’s Department of Health (Department) before October 15, 2021.

mHealthIntelligence September 1, 2021

New UCSF Study Touts Effectiveness of Telemedicine Abortions

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco finds that nearly all medication abortions conducted via telemedicine at a California clinic during the height of the pandemic were successful and safely done.

CCHP August 31, 2021

Tracking Telehealth Policy: Status of State Pandemic Expansions, Permanent Laws, and Top Issues

While telehealth policy has always varied by state, we have now entered into a new and confusing gray area as we phase out of pandemic-era policies, leaving many unsure what is still currently allowed and what will continue to be allowed via telehealth moving forward. Federally, not much has changed and since it has been indicated that the US public health emergency (PHE) will last through the end of the year most federal emergency flexibilities will remain in place through 2021.

mhealthintelligence August 31, 2021

Biden Administration Earmarks $11M for Pediatric Telehealth Expansion

The federal government is adding $10.7 million in stimulus funding to the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program, doubling the reach of a program that uses telehealth to help pediatric care providers access mental health specialists.

HealthcareITNews August 31, 2021

Stanford researchers: Telemedicine optimization requires training, interoperability

In a new Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association article, scientists highlight the gaps they still see in telemedicine and the opportunities for growth beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

mhealthintelligence August 31, 2021

Telehealth Reimbursement a Barrier for Rural Hospital EDs

Emergency department telehealth services can be beneficial to small, rural hospitals, but telehealth reimbursement methods and high costs often stand in the way.

mhealthintelligence August 30, 2021

Virtual Platform Offers Free Telehealth Services During Hurricane Ida

Residents in Louisiana and Mississippi who have been hit by Hurricane Ida can receive free telehealth services for non-emergent conditions.

mhealthintelligence August 30, 2021

Nonprofit Receives Funds to Continue Offering Telehealth Services

Renewed funding allows Global Partnership for Telehealth to remain the Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center and to continue offering telehealth services to the underserved.

mhealthintelligence August 30, 2021

FQHC Telehealth Visits Work to Close Racial Health Disparities in MA

FQHC telehealth visits in Massachusetts surpassed 1M since the coronavirus pandemic began, helping to close key racial health disparities across the state.

mhealthintelligence August 27, 2021

FCC Launches 2nd Round of COVID-19 Telehealth Program With 62 Awards

The FCC has announced 62 award winners - one in each state and territory and Washington DC - for the first round of the newly revamped COVID-19 Telehealth Program.

Telehealth.org August 26, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring & Telehealth Interventions for Loneliness

The COVID-19 pandemic has given remote patient monitoring (RPM) the opportunity to shine as an effective tool for socialization to help keep isolated patients healthy— mentally and physically. Using telehealth and mHealth technology, Lewiston-based Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice has been monitoring patients at home for more than two decades. But in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic, the role of the RPM platform has become much more crucial.

HealthcareITNews August 26, 2021

Mass. community health centers conduct more than 1M telehealth visits

The Massachusetts Federally Qualified Health Center Telehealth Consortium also announced that it had raised more than $6 million toward ensuring equitable and sustainable virtual care.

Telehealth.org August 26, 2021

Develop Your Disaster Preparedness Plan to Offer Telehealth as COVID, Wildfires & Hurricanes Surge

Are your telehealth services prepared for another COVID surge? Now might be the time to consider developing a telehealth disaster preparedness plan. As cities around the country are struggling to deal with the rapidly escalating COVID surge, announcements are pouring in from many different beleaguered healthcare groups.

Telehealth.org August 26, 2021

Telehealth Services Can Reduce Burden on Emergency Departments, Mental Health Services

A new study from the Bipartisan Policy Center observes a connection between telehealth services and reduced burdens on emergency departments across the country. When combined with some of the observations made by Telehealth.org in Risks & Benefits of Telehealth, this data suggests that telehealth therapy can also work to reduce some of the current burdens on mental health services in high traffic areas such as emergency departments.

Telehealth.org August 26, 2021

5 Easy Steps to HIPAA Compliant Texting

Providers who follow HIPAA standards will be able to text patients and clients and reap all the benefits associated with it, such as increased patient loyalty, referrals, and revenue. Patients and clients often prefer texting, but it falls on the provider to assure policies in accordance with HIPAA-compliant texting.

mhealthintelligence August 26, 2021

Large Business Survey Sees a Post-COVID Shift to Telehealth Services

An annual survey of some of the nation's largest businesses finds that many expanded their telehealth services during the pandemic, and they expect to continue that trend to address, among other things, mental health and the social determinants of health.

HealthcareITNews August 25, 2021

The prominent issues telehealth must tackle when the pandemic passes

A physician expert talks pre-pandemic regulations, ethical telemedicine across state lines, how virtual care technologies are boosting access and more.

mhealthintelligence August 25, 2021

MUSC, FQHC Consortium Unveil Telehealth Strategies for Sustainability

The Medical University of South Carolina and Massachusetts-based FQHC Telehealth Consortium have outlined their telehealth strategies in reports designed to help others establish scalable and sustainable programs.

HealthcareITNews August 25, 2021

Telehealth, virtual care well-suited for use in behavioral health

"We just don’t have enough psychiatrists and psychologists to meet the demand," said one expert during HIMSS21 Digital.

mhealthintelligence August 24, 2021

Research Questions Value of mHealth Apps for Chronic Kidney Disease

A Purdue University study found that only one of the 10 top mHealth apps for patients living with CKD allowed them to share data with their care provider, and only four personalized dietary advice based on the user's data.

mhealthintelligence August 24, 2021

Johns Hopkins Launches an EHR Tool to Improve Telehealth Adoption

Researchers at the Maryland-based health system have developed a scoring tool to help staff identify patients who might need help learning how to use mHealth and telehealth tools.

CCHP August 24, 2021

Telehealth and Clinical Trials: Increasing Diversity and Addressing Social Determinants of Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified many existing disparities within the United States health care system, including those related to clinical trial processes. The increased use of telehealth to improve access to care for all individuals may have the ability to decrease disparities in clinical trial research.

HealthcareITNews August 24, 2021

Kaiser Permanente gives $143K toward telehealth expansion in Hawaii

The organization awarded grants to four safety net organizations that aim to connect low-income and unhoused communities with virtual care.

HealthcareITNews August 23, 2021

UPMC CMIO talks telehealth's new normal, EHR workflow, pharmacogenomics and more

Dr. Robert Bart sat down with Healthcare IT News to discuss UPMC's 1.25 million telemedicine visits in 2020, the value of robotic process automation, SDOH integration, the future of precision medicine and other leading-edge topics.

HealthcareITNews August 23, 2021

Beth Israel Deaconess creates homegrown telehealth with help from Amazon

Half of telehealth visits were done by video at peak, and BIDMC staff expect telemedicine to continue at the current volume of 20% of all ambulatory care visits. The CMIO, CIO and CTO of the Boston health system tell the story of the build.

Fierce Healthcare August 23, 2021

Industry Voices—Hospital staff unprepared for information blocking rules. It's time to invest in education, training

Healthcare administrators are dramatically underestimating the awareness people within their organizations have about recent information blocking rules and the consequences of failing to comply.

mhealthintelligence August 23, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Offers More Than Just Population Health Benefits

For one Utah doctor, a remote patient monitoring platform is helping him and his staff make chronic care management more personal - and effective.

mhealthintelligence August 20, 2021

New mHealth Study Uses VR to Address Senior Isolation

Senior communities in California and Massachusetts will be taking part in a federally funded mHealth study that will use virtual reality platforms to help seniors cope with isolation and loneliness.

HealthcareITNews August 20, 2021

COVID-19 telemonitoring tool adapted to prevent heat-related illness

Rome is using technology to combat health risks caused by climate change.

mhealthintelligence August 20, 2021

Nemours Survey: Parents Like Telehealth, But More Need to Be Convinced to Use It

A survey conducted by Nemours Children's Health and Amwell finds that parents flocked to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many hope to continue using it, but there are still gaps in their understanding of the value of virtual care.

Telehehealth.org August 19, 2021

Future of Telehealth: How Quickly Will the Telehealth Market Grow?

The future of telehealth is the most popular topic nowadays, and there is no doubt that telehealth services will continue to be in high demand as the pandemic disrupts the traditional practice of consultation and the provision of healthcare worldwide.

HealthcareITNews August 19, 2021

Study shows increased use of digital mental health services following COVID-19 in Australia and New Zealand

The study looked at the number of people who engaged two online cognitive behavioural therapy service providers.

Telehealth.org August 19, 2021

Telehealth Home Health Telehealth Home Health

Home health care is making a rapid shift to support home telehealth, now that many home health professionals have experienced firsthand how it not only can save lives, but extend other much-needed telemental health services.

Telehealth.org August 19, 2021

Zoom Set to Launch Browser Oriented Features to Support Telehealth Services

Covid has accelerated the use of the virtual world, and virtual meetings are no exception. With the expansion of telehealth services, HIPAA compliant telehealth platforms are in demand, and clients and patients are increasingly accessing Zoom telehealth visits.

mhealthintelligence August 19, 2021

House Democrats Press for Telehealth Access to Abortion Services

House Democrats have introduced a resolution that aims to ensure that federal regulations on medication abortions reduce barriers to access and allow providers and patients to use telehealth.

mhealthintelligence August 19, 2021

mHealth App Improves Heart Attack Treatment, Care Coordination

The Mount Sinai Health System has launched a new mHealth app that seeks to improve care coordination and health outcomes for heart attack patients by facilitating physician communication and expediting treatment.

HealthcareITNews August 19, 2021

Voice technology opens new avenues for at-home healthcare

The evolution of speech recognition will also help patients navigate the user interfaces of remote monitoring devices and personal health devices, said experts in a HIMSS21 Digital session.

mhealthintelligence August 18, 2021

Congress Gets Another Shot at Legislating Payment Parity for Telehealth

Two Congressmen have reintroduced a bill that would mandate payment parity for telehealth services, as well as requiring payers to cover any telehealth service that's covered by Medicare.

mhealthintelligence August 18, 2021

Feds Investing $19 Million in Telehealth Resource Centers, Other Programs

The federal government is issuing more than $19 million in grants to several key connected health projects, including the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers and the Telehealth Centers of Excellence program.

HealthcareITNews August 18, 2021

Mississippi provider org's use of telehealth enables huge turnaround during the pandemic

From July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, Southwest Mississippi Mental Health Complex experienced a 30% increase in clients served

CCHP August 17, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring: Benefits, Barriers, and Billing

Last month, the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) released a new report, Remote Patient Monitoring in the Safety Net: What Payers and Providers Need to Know, which looks at remote patient monitoring (RPM) policy considerations and how RPM can improve chronic condition care and prevention. The CHCF report focuses on RPM’s use specific to safety-net providers given system constraints particularly limiting chronic illness management to those patient populations.

mhealthintelligence August 17, 2021

Planned Parenthood Challenges Montana’s Ban on Telemedicine Abortions

Montana's Planned Parenthood chapter has filed suit seeking to overturn four bills passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature this year that seek to curb abortion services. One would ban the use of telemedicine in medication abortions.

mhealthintelligence August 17, 2021

New Telehealth Certificate Program Takes Aim at Primary Care Providers

The American Board of Telehealth is launching a new certificate program to help primary care providers understand the challenges and benefits of delivering virtual care.

HealthcareITNews August 17, 2021

American Board of Telehealth launches certificate for virtual primary care

The program will cover a range of topics and best practices, including workflow, barriers to provision, regulatory considerations and health equity.

HealthcareITNews August 17, 2021

The 'internet of healthy things' poses unique privacy challenges

Experts at a HIMSS21 Global Digital Conference session explored the tension between broader data availability and the importance of IoT data privacy, explaining where HIPAA applies – and where it doesn't.

mhealthintelligence August 17, 2021

New Telehealth Certificate Program Takes Aim at Primary Care Providers

The American Board of Telehealth is launching a new certificate program to help primary care providers understand the challenges and benefits of delivering virtual care.

HealthcareITNews August 16, 2021

Going beyond traditional training: the emerging role of telementoring in digital health

Engin Demirel, EMEA head of product management, marketing and sales operations, customer solutions at Olympus, explains how telementoring is growing in value, providing many clinical and operational benefits to hospitals.

mhealthintelligence August 16, 2021

Report Cites Success of VA’s COVID-19 Remote Patient Monitoring Program

An analysis of the Department of Veterans' Affairs' COVID-19 remote patient monitoring program finds that the agency cared for more than 23,500 veterans in their homes during the height of the pandemic and maintained a 4 percent hospitalization rate.

HealthcareITNews August 16, 2021

Zoom's head of healthcare talks the future of telemedicine

Heidi West discusses telehealth/hybrid in-person care, the communities that could suffer without virtual care and the remaining obstacles to mainstreaming telemedicine. .

mhealthintelligence August 16, 2021

Telehealth, Mobile Integrated Health Included in New Federal Rural Grant Programs

The federal government is making up to $500 million in federal grants available for rural programs that, among other things, make use of telehealth and mobile integrated health to boost access to care, COVID-19 vaccines and nutrition resources.

mhealthintelligence August 13, 2021

Telestroke Services Give Hospitals an Effective Model for Improving Clinical Outcomes

Health systems across the country are literally saving lives through telestroke services, which use connected health channels to speed up diagnosis and treatment for stroke victims.

Telehealth.org August 13, 2021Telehealth.org August 13, 2021

OCD CBT Pediatric Telemedicine & Telehealth: Effective & Cost-Efficient

While Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tends to traditionally be thought of as a disorder of adults, about 500,000 children in the United States live with OCD.

HealthcareITNews August 13, 2021 

The digital health tools one COVID-19 survivor relied on during his 100-day hospital stay

Frank Cutitta told HIMSS21 attendees that he was struck by how lonely he felt throughout his time battling the coronavirus.

Telehealth.org August 13, 2021 

Transgender Telemedicine and Telehealth Services: A Tremendous Asset

One of the most significant arguments for telehealth services is their ability to reach people in underserved communities. Telehealth.org described some of the foundational issues in its article The Future of Telehealth, Teletherapy, and Telemedicine.

mhealthintelligence August 13, 2021

Telehealth Can Improve Health Outcomes for Homeless Population

Telehealth could help people experiencing homelessness improve their health outcomes by eliminating typical barriers to care and giving them access to needed services, according to a new study.

HealthcareITNews August 12, 2021

Legislators at HIMSS21 point to telehealth as key pandemic-era tech

Rhode Island Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy and Florida Sen. Gayle Harrell explained the role virtual care has played in their states during COVID-19.

HealthcareITNews August 12, 2021

The future of aging technology and care

Remote care delivery becomes more important as the senior population grows, agree four health IT experts in a HIMSS21 Digital panel.

mhealthintelligence August 12, 2021

CVS Health Ruffles the Telehealth Market with Launch of Aetna Virtual Primary Care

As self-funded employers look for more telehealth services and employees ask for more access and options from home, CVS Health is jumping into the market with Aetna Virtual Primary Care

Healthcare Finance August 11,2021

Expanding telehealth into schools proves effective to address children's health needs

A pilot telehealth program in Missouri has decreased absences and educated the community on the benefits of virtual health technology.

HealthcareITNews August 11, 2021

HIMSS21 tech news: Secure telehealth connections, remote diabetes care with Fitbit

Kajeet unveils an Internet of Things solution for secure and reliable delivery of telemedicine services. LifeScan and Fitbit offer people with diabetes virtual care to lead to healthy lifestyle changes.

Healthcare Finance August 11,2021

Telehealth enabled NASA to care for astronauts in orbit, but agency is eyeing the moon and beyond

The ailments, approaches and technology are different, but telehealth is alive and well aboard the International Space Station.

HealthcareITNews August 11,2021

Health systems see telehealth dip, but the tech is here to stay

At HIMSS21 innovation leaders from four health systems discuss how telehealth is changing at their centers.

HealthcareITNews August 11,2021

OIG looking closely at telehealth as it weighs future enforcement

In a HIMSS21 session with updates on the HHS inspector general's oversight and compliance efforts, officials said they plan to ensure virtual care is provided with integrity, and will take aim at telehealth fraud schemes.

Mhealthintelligence August 11, 2021

Virtual Care Platforms Are Becoming Less Complex, But More Complete

Buoyed by their popularity during the pandemic, connected health companies are adding new features onto virtual care platforms to allow more collaboration between patients and providers.

HealthCareITNews August 11, 2021

India prioritising shift to remote care: survey

Healthcare leaders in India are also found heavily investing in telemedicine technology.

mhealthintelligence August 11, 2021

Federal Judge Shoots Down Indiana’s Ban on Telemedicine Abortions

A federal judge has issued permanent injunctions against Indiana's laws banning the use of telehealth in abortions and requiring an in-person exam prior to a medication abortion.

CCHP August 10, 2021

New State Telehealth Laws, A Push for New Federal Telehealth Laws, and Telehealth Benefits Related to Emergency Care

As California’s budget process recently came to a close, a number of new bills went into effect, including some with significant telehealth impacts. On July 20th Governor Newsom signed SB 156, a budget trailer bill, implementing the first year of a three-year $6 billion investment in broadband.

HealthcareITNews August 10, 2021

How the VA’s virtual care infrastructure enabled innovation during the pandemic

Dr. Christina Armstrong, a clinical psychologist at the VA’s Office of Connected Care, shares how other health systems can prepare for future crises with virtual care.

mhealthintelligence August 10, 2021

UPMC Expands Telehealth Network to Offer Access to Pediatric Specialists

The Pittsburgh-based health system is using telehealth to give outlying hospitals virtual access to specialists at UPMC Children's Hospital for consults and on-demand emergency care.

HealthcareITNews August 10, 2021

Pandemic preparedness is a national security issue, say experts at HIMSS21

A year after the Riyadh Declaration on Digital Health, panelists gathered at HIMSS21 to compare its recommendations with the real-world response to COVID-19.

Fierce Healthcare August 10, 2021

HIMSS21: Hospitals, payers and startups clamoring to be 'digital front door,' and it's overwhelming patients

Whether it’s a patient app, symptom checker, digital concierge services or a telehealth platform, there’s little shortage when it comes to options for a "digital front door" in the modern healthcare landscape.

HealthcareITNews August 9, 2021

Telehealth policy is key for patients of all incomes to access care

Abner Mason, founder and CEO of ConsejoSano, and Madhur Garg, medical director of radiation oncology at Montefiore Health system, discuss the role of technology in addressing SDoH.

mhealthintelligence August 9, 2021

New Bill Seeks Nationwide Medicare Coverage for Asynchronous Telehealth Services

A Montana Congressman has introduced a bill that would establish Medicare coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth services in all 50 states, expanding the possibilities for a platform that would improve rural access to care.

HealthcareITNews August 9, 2021

HIMSS21 tech news: Salesforce Health Cloud innovations; Vivify telehealth scheduling

New Salesforce "care from anywhere" innovations designed to improve patient access. Vivify Health offers new telemedicine automated CPT codes and video visit clinician scheduling.

mhealthintelligence August 9, 2021

Baylor Professor to Use Telehealth to Help Counsel Young Women At Risk

Baylor University Professor Danielle Parrish is using a $3.1 million National Institutes of Health grant to launch a platform that will use telehealth and mHealth to help young women 14-17 years old who've already had contact with the juvenile justice system.

HealthcareITNews August 9, 2021

Building lasting tele-behavioral health programs to address patient needs

In a HIMSS21 Global Conference Digital session, two experts discuss what it's taken for the University of Rochester to spin up a virtual behavioral health program over the past nine years.

HealthcareITNews August 6, 2021

Thailand closely monitors COVID-19 patients via telemedicine platform

The platform keeps a record of patients' daily food intake, treatments, prescriptions, and temperatures.

HealthcareITNews August 6, 2021

HIMSSCast: The future of telehealth reimbursement

McKinsey & Company's Oleg Bestsennyy and Gunjan Khanna discuss payment for telehealth and how it's changing.

mhealthintelligence August 6, 2021

Telehealth, RPM Strategies Help Hospitals Bring Acute Care Into the Home

A new report From Brigham & Women's Hospital finds that its Home Hospital program, which incorporates telehealth, remote patient monitoring and in-person services, treated dozens of acutely ill patients at home and freed up valuable bed space during the height of the pandemic.

mhealthintelligence August 6, 2021

Limited Broadband Poses a Significant Barrier to Telehealth Access

A new survey from the Bipartisan Policy Center detailing telehealth use during the past year finds that limited broadband and technology are still barriers to telehealth access.

HealthcareITNews August 6, 2021

Intermountain expands reach, broadens offerings of hospital at home program

Patients at a dozen Intermountain hospitals across hundreds of miles can now access 24/7 virtual care from tele-nurses, tele-hospitalists and other remote monitoring technicians and clinicians.

mhealthintelligence August 5, 2021

Michigan, Northeast Hospitals Top List of COVID-19 Telehealth Traffic

An analysis of hospital-based telehealth visits during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic finds the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers getting the most traffic, with a trio of Boston-based hospitals right behind.

mhealthintelligence August 5, 2021

UnitedHealthcare Launches Maternal Remote Patient Monitoring Program in Tennessee

The insurer will be using the Babyscripts platform in a remote patient monitoring program to help OB-GYNs across the state monitor their pregnant patients at home.

mhealthintelligence August 4, 2021

New Study Pitches Telehealth as Safer Than the Doctor’s Office

In a nod to the value of telehealth in primary care, researchers have found that a person visiting the doctor's office shortly after a visit from someone with the flu has a much higher chance of getting the flu as well.

mhealthintelligence August 4, 2021

Mercy Health Launches New Direct-to-Consumer Telehealth Service

The Midwestern health system has unveiled Mercy on Call, a direct-to-consumer telehealth platform that links adult patients with a physician or advanced practice provider.

HealthcareITNews August 3, 2021

Asynchronous telehealth system saves Presbyterian Healthcare time and money

The New Mexico health system's patients and caregivers like the technology, which helps the provider deliver the right care at the right time in the right place.

HealthcareITNews August 3, 2021

CB Insights report: Global telehealth investment is still on the rise

Researchers found a 169% year-over-year increase in global telehealth investment, with the top five deals alone worth $1.5 billion.

mhealthintelligence August 3, 2021

Using Telehealth as a Platform to Tackle Social Barriers to Progress

The pandemic cast a sharp spotlight on social determinants of health. Now groups like Beam Up are using telehealth to address the barriers that keep people from growing and improving.

HealthcareITNews August 3, 2021

Behavioral health has a supply and demand issue. Can virtual care help?

During HIMSS21 Global Conference Digital, the Cleveland Clinic's Julie Rish and the University of Rochester's Michael Hasselberg will discuss the ways behavioral telehealth can fill access gaps for patients in need.

mhealthintelligence August 3, 2021

Congress Again Eyes a Thorough Study of Telehealth During the Pandemic

US Rep. Robin Kelly has reintroduced a bill that would call on the Health and Human Services Department to evaluate how telehealth was used during the pandemic in Medicare and Medicaid programs.

mhealthintelligence August 2, 2021

Research Grants to Study Telehealth Use in Rheumatic Disease Treatment

The Rheumatology Research Foundation is funding two studies to examine the benefits and efficacy of using telehealth for rheumatic disease treatment.

HealthcareITNews August 2, 2021

For telehealth, a hybrid future mixed with in-person care – and mobile devices

A physician expert speaks to the future of virtual care, the role of connected health tools and how to secure them when used for telemedicine.

mhealthintelligence August 2, 2021

Wake Forest Trains Telehealth, RPM on Social Determinants of Health, Stroke Care

The Wake Forest School of Medicine is launching five studies that examine how telehealth, remote patient monitoring and mobile health can be used to address the social determinants of health. A sixth program continues work on using RPM to manage care at home for stroke survivors.

CCHP July 30, 2021

Medicaid & Telehealth: Summary and Findings from the Spring Webinar Series

COVID-19 has forever changed many aspects of our lives, including how health care is delivered. With the advent of the pandemic, a quick pivot to the use of telehealth to provide services was made, necessitating in many temporary telehealth policy changes on the federal and state level. Much attention has been paid to federal Medicare telehealth policy changes, but there has been less focus on the actions taken by state Medicaid programs.

CCHP July 30, 2021

CALIFORNIA TELEHEALTH POLICY: Post-PHE Updates

In early February, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released their initial proposed post-pandemic telehealth policy recommendations for Medi-Cal. The proposal only made a few of the temporary COVID-19 telehealth policies permanent, while some pieces of the proposal appeared to narrow pre-pandemic policies related to store-and-forward reimbursement.

Telehealth.org July 30, 2021

Nursing Home Telemedicine & Telehealth in Nursing Homes: Do They Improve Care?

The past 18 months have been devastating to nursing homes, which have long struggled quietly, all-too-often, without adequate staff or resources to meet their residents’ physical or behavioral health care needs.

mHealthIntelligence July 30, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Program Shines in Treating COVID-19

Using remote patient monitoring to treat COVID-19 can help patients avoid hospitalization and recover quickly, according to Kaiser Permanente Southern California researchers.

Telehealth.org July 30, 2021

Autism Telehealth: Viable Option for Treating Children With Autism?

With telehealth’s use on the rise, it has inevitably been increasingly used to reach out, diagnose, and treat children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

mHealthIntelligence July 30, 2021

New Bill Would Expand Home Health Options, Including Remote Patient Monitoring, for Seniors

The Choose Home Care Act of 2021 would expand Medicare coverage for seniors who choose to go home after a hospital stay rather than to a skilled nursing facility. It would also open the door to remote patient monitoring, telehealth and other services.

JDSUPRA July 29, 2021

Medicaid managed care programs in Kansas are joining forces with CKF Addiction Treatment on a new telehealth program that works with primary care providers to screen patients for substance abuse issues and connect them with virtual care services.

As the United States is now more than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic and as life for many is returning to some sense of normalcy, this is a great time for healthcare organizations to evaluate their compliance with the legal and regulatory developments that happened at a rapid pace at the beginning of the pandemic, as well as to take steps to mitigate new legal risks that continue to unfold.

mHealthIntelligence July 29, 2021

Kansas Medicaid Programs Launch Telehealth Partnership for Addiction Treatment

Medicaid managed care programs in Kansas are joining forces with CKF Addiction Treatment on a new telehealth program that works with primary care providers to screen patients for substance abuse issues and connect them with virtual care services.

mHealthIntelligence July 29, 2021

Telehealth Coverage Update: 7 States Announce Changes to Telehealth Reimbursement Post-COVID

Medicaid managed care programs in Kansas are joining forces with CKF Addiction Treatment on a new telehealth program that works with primary care providers to screen patients for substance abuse issues and connect them with virtual care services.

mHealthIntelligence July 28, 2021

North Carolina Gives Dentists, Hygienists More Leeway to Use Telehealth

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has signed legislation that sets standards for dentists and dental hygienists to use telehealth to connect wi

HealthcareITNews July 28, 2021

How one telehealth clinician is using technology to improve women's health

Dr. Mariea Snell's patients nationwide need only a smartphone to connect via text or video for complete care. She discusses her work tr

mHEALTHCAREDIVE July 28,2021

How the pandemic has accelerated digital payments in telehealth

Digitalization can simplify the medical bill payment process and give patients more information, earlier on, about their financi

mHealthIntelligence July 28, 2021

mHealth Data Collaborative Sets its Sights on Diversity and Equity

The Digital Health Measurement Collaborative Community (DATAcc) wants to develop best practices so that mHealth and telehealth tools and programs are addressing 'equity in health, healthcare and health outcomes. .

HealthcareITNews July 27, 2021 

As 'telehealth cliff' looms, hundreds of healthcare orgs urge Congress to act

More than 400 healthcare and technology organizations are calling on Capitol Hill to eliminate arbitrary restrictions while helping FQHCs and critical access hospitals offer wider access to virtual care.

mHealthIntelligence July 27, 2021  

Examining the Benefits and Challenges of Audio-Only Telehealth

The recent debate over audio-only telehealth coverage centers on the value of the phone call. Is it a proper method for healthcare delivery, and should doctors be reimbursed for it?

mHealthIntelligence July 27, 2021  

Hawai’i Program Brings Telehealth - and Digital Literacy Training - to Libraries

The state is targeting access to care and the digital divide with a federally funded program that will bring telehealth services and digital literacy training to 15 libraries serving underserved communities.

mHealthIntelligence July 26, 2021  

New Bill Aims to Launch Pilot Programs for Telehealth, Remote Patient Monitoring

A bill introduced last week by US Rep. David Schweikert would launch demonstration projects in Medicare, Medicaid and the VA for innovative new telehealth remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutic services.

Health Care Law Today July 26, 2021  

Florida Board of Medicine to Reconsider Telemedicine Weight Loss Rule

The Florida Board of Medicine will hold a rule development workshop to discuss updating the provisions of its rule for prescribing obesity drugs. Under the current rule (Florida Administrative Code 64B8-9.012), a physician who prescribes, orders, or provides weight loss enhancers must have the patient undergo an in-person exam within 2 to 4 weeks of receiving a prescription, order, or dosage. This in-person requirement has limited the use of telemedicine in Florida for clinical weight loss treatment.

HealthcareITNews July 26, 2021  

Illinois permanently expands access to telehealth

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law mandating coverage parity for virtual mental health and substance use disorder services.

mHealthIntelligence July 26, 2021  

To Tackle the Digital Divide, A Program Teaches Seniors How to Use Telehealth

A pilot program in South Carolina is addressing the digital divide by teaching seniors in rural counties how to use telehealth technology.

HealthcareITNews July 26, 2021  

Providence St. Joseph Health builds a powerful telehealth program

With help from $1.9 million in FCC telemedicine funding, it has monitored more than 18,000 patients since March 2020 while driving a Net Promoter Score greater than 70.

HealthcareITNews July 26, 2021  

Only 10% of EDs are for pediatric patients. Telehealth could help tackle this gap

Dr. Brian D’Anza, medical director of telehealth at University Hospitals, will be speaking at HIMSS21 about the health system’s new emergency room pediatric telehealth program.

Los Angeles Times July 25, 2021  

Telehealth leapt forward with COVID-19. Who was left behind?

When Johnnett Kent learned she had lung cancer, the COVID-19 pandemic was already descending on California. Her doctor didn’t want the 49-year-old to risk her health by heading into a crowded clinic between surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

mHealthIntelligence July 23, 2021  

Audio-Only Telehealth Has its Fans (Patients) and its Critics (Providers)

While the US debates the value of the modality, a South Korean survey finds that patients like to use audio-only telehealth platforms to connect with their care provider - but their providers aren’t so sure.

Telehealth.org July 23, 2021  

What is Remote Patient Monitoring?

Many behavioral clinicians have not yet been introduced to some of the newest alternative technical modalities, including remote patient monitoring (RPM). Others aren’t clear about how it can help them improve treatment outcomes in their practices.

Health Care Law Today July 23, 2021  

Medicare Proposes New Changes for Telehealth Services in 2022

On July 13, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an advance copy of the calendar year (CY) 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed payment rule, to be published on July 23, 2021. While the proposed rule introduces some new virtual care services (including Remote Therapeutic Monitoring), CMS rejected all requests to permanently add new telehealth services next year.

mHealthIntelligence July 23, 2021 

New Illinois Law Gives Patients the Right to Choose - or Reject -Telehealth

Governor JB Pritzker has signed landmark telehealth legislation that, among other things, establishes payment parity and allows patients to choose telehealth without having to give a reason for doing so.

Telehealth.org July 23,2021 

Mobile Device Security and HIPAA Compliance

With the widespread adoption of mobile devices in the behavioral health space, it is important to be cognizant of how mobile device use can affect client or patient privacy and your organization’s overall security

mHealthIntelligence July 22, 2021

Merck, Evidation Eye Remote Patient Monitoring for Alzheimer’s Care

The pharma giant and digital health company are partnering on a remote patient monitoring program that will use mHealth wearables and smartphones to develop care management protocols for people living with Alzheimer's Disease.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

There's No Place Like Home: How Hospital Automation Is Elevating Telehealth to Bring the Hospital to the Home

Explore the most pressing challenges of the post-COVID landscape, and discover how Hospital Automation technology is the linchpin of an elevated telehealth platform that both patients and clinicians can depend on.

mHealthIntelligence July 21, 2021

New Grant Gives the MAVEN Project a Chance to Improve its Telehealth Outreach

The MAVEN Project, a national non-profit that uses telehealth to give primary care providers in community health clinics access to resources, consults and peer support, is using a $25,000 grant to improve its platform.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

The future of telehealth: Informatics, scalability and interoperability

A Philips executive describes what's happening now with virtual care – and what needs to happen to ensure a solid future for telemedicine and remote patient monitoring.

HealthIntelligence July 21, 2021

New Letter Urges Congress to Establish a Post-Pandemic Telehealth Policy

The eHealth Initiative and several high-profile organizations are once again asking Congressional leadership to enact long-term telehealth policy to preserve some access and coverage rules that have been enacted during the pandemic.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

Mass General Brigham on the finer points of EHR-telehealth integration

In advance of his HIMSS21 session, a senior manager explains how the health system conducted 1.38 million ambulatory visits in 2020.

Health Care Law Today July 21, 2021

CMS to Permanently Cover Audio-Only Telemedicine for Mental Health

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed permanent Medicare coverage of audio-only mental health telehealth services. Currently, Medicare covers audio-only telehealth under temporary waivers that will expire when the Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends. The change, contained in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, is intended to maintain patient access to mental health care post-PHE and reflects CMS’ growing confidence in virtual care technologies.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

Virtual care management growth may slow, but will keep climbing, analysts say

A new Chilmark Research report profiled more than a dozen virtual care vendors, highlighting the importance of thinking beyond synchronous video appointments.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

Australian seniors are comfortable using telehealth despite challenges, survey shows

However, Australians across all ages still prefer face-to-face consults.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

Progressive Therapeutics allays telehealth security concerns with EHR integration

It averages 4,500 telehealth encounters per month and has not had a single security lapse or data breach in the eight years it has been using the EHR-integrated telehealth solution.

HealthcareITNews July 21, 2021

Virtual healthcare trajectory remains vital post-pandemic

Michelle Snyder, Partner, McKesson Ventures, looks for investors and providers to continue to embrace virtual care.

mHealthIntelligence July 20, 2021

A California FQHC Plots its Path to Telehealth and RPM Sustainability

The Northeast Valley Health Corporation is building off a virtual care strategy launched during the pandemic to develop telehealth and remote patient monitoring programs that address barriers to care for its underserved patients.

mHealthIntelligence July 20, 2021

Progressive Therapeutics allays telehealth security concerns with EHR integration

Two Congressmen have re-introduced proposed legislation that would prompt payers to cover any telehealth service that's already being offered in-person.

mHealthIntelligence July 20, 2021

Progressive Therapeutics allays telehealth security concerns with EHR integration

Two Congressmen have re-introduced proposed legislation that would prompt payers to cover any telehealth service that's already being offered in-person.

HealthcareITNews July 19, 2021

Progressive Therapeutics allays telehealth security concerns with EHR integration

It averages 4,500 telehealth encounters per month and has not had a single security lapse or data breach in the eight years it has been using the EHR-integrated telehealth solution.

mHealthIntelligence July 19, 2021

CMS Expands Remote Patient Monitoring Coverage in Proposed 2022 PFS

CMS has added coverage for 'remote therapeutic monitoring' services in its proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule, but for health systems with remote patient monitoring programs, there are still questions about reimbursement.

mHealthIntelligence July 19, 2021

Congress Gets Another Shot at Codifying Telehealth Coverage for FQHCs, RHCs

The HEALTH Act has been re-introduced to Congress, with a goal of making permanent Medicare coverage for telehealth services delivered by federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.

HealthcareITNews July 16, 2021

Australia permits longer telephone consults in COVID-19 hotspots

The move enables citizens to continue seeing their doctors, renew prescriptions and seek mental health support while at home.

Health Care Law Today July 15, 2021

A Target on Telehealth: Government Action Against Telehealth Fraud in the Wake of COVID-19

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) is expected to prompt unprecedented levels of regulatory enforcement activity that is focused on the use of telemedicine. In fact, fraudulent and abusive telehealth practices was an area identified by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as an enforcement priority even prior to the COVID-19 PHE.

HealthcareITNews July 15, 2021

For people with disabilities, accessing care can be 'overwhelming'

At HIMSS21, consultant and patient advocate Laura Jantos will offer personal perspective on the "huge opportunity" to develop tools that help all patients to engage meaningfully with their own care.

HealthcareITNews July 15, 2021

CMS seeks to expand telehealth mental health access

Proposed rule asks for feedback on data collection on LGBTQ+, race and ethnicity, rural populations and more.

Health Care Law Today July 15, 2021

CMS Proposes New Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes: What You Need to Know

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a new category of digital health services—Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)—to complement the existing suite of Remote Physiological Monitoring (RPM) codes covered under Medicare. The new codes, part of the proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule, are intended to expand the scope and reach of digital health technologies to reimburse monitoring of non-physiologic data.

HealthcareITNews July 15, 2021

Teladoc and Microsoft team up on integrated virtual care

The companies announced this week that Teladoc's Solo platform will be accessible within the Microsoft Teams environment.

mHealthIntelligence July 15, 2021

CMS Bypasses Telehealth Coverage in Medicare Diabetes Prevention Programs

Despite pressure from lawmakers and telehealth advocates, CMS won't approve Medicare coverage for virtual care in Diabetes Prevention Programs.

mHealthIntelligence July 15, 2021

UAB Expands Telehealth Platform to Serve Patients With Vision Problems

UAB Eye Care, a clinical arm of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is expanding its telehealth platform to treat patients at home who may not be able to drive to the clinic for treatment of low vision issues.

HEALTHCAREDIVE July 14, 2021

Extended reality holds 'incredible potential' for remote care applications

Although XR tech is often used for games and entertainment, experts say it can be leveraged for creative healthcare solutions too. .

HEALTHCAREDIVE July 14, 2021

CMS proposes extension of Medicare telehealth coverage

Provider groups are not happy with the payment adjustment included — a 3.75% reduction to the conversion factor due to budget neutrality requirements — and will likely seek congressional intervention. Provider groups are not happy with the payment adjustment included — a 3.75% reduction to the conversion factor due to budget neutrality requirements — and will likely seek congressional intervention.

HealthcareITNews July14, 2021

Extended reality holds 'incredible potential' for remote care applications

Although XR tech is often used for games and entertainment, experts say it can be leveraged for creative healthcare solutions too.

mHealthIntelligence July 14, 2021

CMS Expands Telehealth Coverage in Proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule

The proposal includes expanding Medicare coverage for telehealth services that address mental health and substance abuse issues and extending most COVID-19 freedoms until the end of 2023, as well as some coverage for FQHCs and RHCs.

mHealthIntelligence July 14, 2021

Texas Governor OKs Telehealth, RPM Services, Broadband Expansion

Governor Greg Abbott has signed new laws expanding Medicaid coverage for telehealth and remote patient monitoring services and creating a state department and strategy for expanding broadband connectivity.

HealthcareITNews July 13, 2021

How Geisinger uses telehealth to keep patients at home and out of the hospital

An executive at its Center for Telehealth explains how the Pennsylvania health system evaluates virtual care models – and when it knows it's time for an ER visit instead.

mHealthIntelligence July 13, 2021

Senators Seek Continued Support for Pediatric Telehealth, DLT Programs

Senator Jacky Rosen is leading efforts to boost the budgets for two pediatric telehealth programs and to continue support for the USDA's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program, which has been funding projects since 1994.

mHealthIntelligence July 13, 2021

Telehealth Outpatient Care Delivery Increased During Pandemic

A JAMA study outlined how telehealth outpatient care delivery increased last year for short-term and long-term treatments.

HealthcareITNews July 12, 2021

Deaconess Health RPM program reduces cost of care by $7.4 million

Remote patient monitoring technology also has helped the health system drop its 30-day readmission rate from 14% to 6%.

mHealthIntelligence July 12, 2021

Virtual Care Visits Improve Patient Satisfaction, Engagement Levels

A new study from the Cleveland Clinic shows how virtual care visits have improved patient satisfaction levels and produced similar outcomes as in-person care.

mHealthIntelligence July 12, 2021

22 States Changed Policies to Include Pandemic Telehealth Coverage

A Commonwealth Fund study finds that states altered their policies surrounding audio-only telehealth, cost-sharing, and provider reimbursement to improve telehealth coverage during the coronavirus pandemic.

HEALTHCAREDIVE July 12, 2021

Telehealth use stabilizing at 38 times pre-COVID-19 levels, McKinsey says

Telehealth use overall has stabilized at levels 38 times higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from 13% to 17% of visits across all specialties, according to new data from McKinsey released roughly a year since the first major spike in COVID-19 cases.

mHealthIntelligence July 12, 2021

Optimizing Telehealth to Benefit Patients and the Bottom Line

Optimizing telehealth strategies now that virtual care is here to stay can not only improve patient experience, but increase revenue.

Telebavioral Health Institute July 10, 2021

Creating a Virtual Office to Maximize Teletherapy or Telehealth Services

AOver the last year, many clients have reported satisfaction and acceptance of telehealth and teletherapy as a convenient way to receive care from the privacy of their own homes. Providers also find virtual care to be an effective and cost-efficient way to provide clients access to care. In the future, many clients and patients, as well as providers, can expect to make telehealth or teletherapy a part of their healthcare experience.

HealthcareITNews July 9, 2021

Telemedicine found to be effective for diabetes management in KSA and UAE

A new report released by the EIU shows that new hybrid models of care – involving in-person care, remote care, and predictive modelling supporting real-time care – will emerge post-pandemic.

HealthcareITNews July 9, 2021

Telemedicine found to be effective for diabetes management in KSA and UAE

A new report released by the EIU shows that new hybrid models of care – involving in-person care, remote care, and predictive modelling supporting real-time care – will emerge post-pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence July 9, 2021

New Research Center Aims Telehealth at Gambling and Gaming Addiction

The Kindbridge Research Institute, with help from Rutgers University's Center for Gambling Studies, is looking to develop a telehealth model to help treat people living with gambling and gaming addiction.

mHealthIntelligence July 9, 2021

UMass Memorial Eyes Telehealth, RPM Benefits in New Hospital at Home Program

UMass Memorial Health will soon launch a new program that integrates telehealth, remote patient monitoring and in-person care to treat patients at home rather than in the hospital.

FIERCE Healthcare July 8, 2021

Virtual visits drop for 3rd month as in-person care resumes

Americans are slowly returning to medical facilities to receive care and are using fewer telehealth services after last year's pandemic high, according to new data.

JDSUPRA July 8, 2021

Connecticut Telehealth Version 2021 and Beyond: Some Things to Know

With the proliferation of new digital platforms and increasing consumer demand, Connecticut providers could use a crash course, at the very least, on the contours of the new telehealth law signed by Governor Ned Lamont on May 10, 2021, Public Act 21-9 (the “Act”). 

HealthcareITNews July 8, 2021

Telehealth may help reduce medicine's carbon footprint

A wide-ranging study recently found that an increase in telehealth over the past six years corresponded with a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions due to transportation.

HealthIntelligence July 8, 2021

Congress Eyes Seniors’ Access to mHealth Tools for Diabetes Care Management

Senators Susan Collins and Jeanne Shaheen have submitted a bill that aims to expand access to mHealth tools for seniors in need of diabetes care management.

HealthcareITNews July 8, 2021

Patients are just as satisfied with virtual visits, Cleveland Clinic study finds

Researchers found that more than half of survey respondents agreed that their telehealth visit was better than an in-person one.

mHealthIntelligence July 8, 2021

Study: Addiction Treatment mHealth Apps Aren’t Protecting Patient Data

An analysis of 10 of the most popular mHealth apps for opioid addiction treatment and recovery finds that few are putting enough effort into protecting a user's personal health information.

JDSUPRA July 8, 2021

Connecticut Telehealth Version 2021 and Beyond: Some Things to Know

With the proliferation of new digital platforms and increasing consumer demand, Connecticut providers could use a crash course, at the very least, on the contours of the new telehealth law signed by Governor Ned Lamont on May 10, 2021, Public Act 21-9 (the “Act”). The Act was passed as a temporary statute in effect until June 30, 2023 and codifies aspects of the telehealth-related Executive Orders issued by the Governor during the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence July 7, 2021

Kaiser Permanente Study Measures the Impact of Telehealth on the Environment

A five-year analysis of outpatient visits at a Pacific Northwest health system found that a shift to telehealth helped to dramatically reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

HEALTHCAREDIVE July 7,2021

Digital health funding in 2021 smashes past year's record with $14.7B

The first half of 2021 alone brought in $14.7 billion in digital health funding, quickly zooming past the previous annual record set last year, according to Rock Health.

mHealthIntelligence July 7, 2021

Wyoming VA Center Takes Telehealth Services on the Road for Distant Vets

The Cheyenne VA Medical Center has taken its TECS program on the road, bring telehealth services to veterans across the state who need access to specialty eye care.

STATE of REFORM July 7, 2021

Alaska senators introduce Rural and Frontier Telehealth Expansion Act

Alaska Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski last week introduced the Rural and Frontier Telehealth Expansion Act. The legislation aims to permanently expand access to telehealth beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence July 6, 2021

Study IDs Need for Telemental Health Resources for Patients and Providers

A study out of Canada finds that policy experts and lawmakers need to provide more support for telehealth for mental healthcare services - and that both patients and their primary care providers will benefit.

CCHP July 6, 2021

Commonwealth Fund Analyzes State COVID-19 Telehealth Changes, Recommending Longer Term Expansion Data to Determine Permanent Policies

The Commonwealth Fund recently released an issue brief titled, States’ Actions to Expand Telemedicine Access During COVID-19 and Future Policy Considerations, to help inform future policy considerations for telehealth post-pandemic. Focusing on private insurance coverage, the authors reviewed pre-pandemic state telehealth statutes as well as state emergency actions related to telehealth between March 2020 and March 2021.

mHealthIntelligence July 6, 2021

NJ Governor OKs Telehealth Prescriptions for Medical Marijuana

Governor Phil Murphy has signed into law a telehealth bill he originally vetoed, after lawmakers amended the legislation to eliminate a waiting period and in-person exam requirements.

mHealthIntelligence July 5, 2021

Ochsner Health Takes Remote Patient Monitoring to a National Level

The New Orleans health system is marketing its remote patient monitoring programs to businesses and health plans across the country, and will soon expand the platform to cover more chronic health conditions.

Telebavioral Health Institute July 4, 2021

Telehealth Update: Continuing Telehealth Regulations to Support Ongoing Telehealth Services

Controversies are raging about the continuation of telehealth services and particularly telehealth reimbursement. Areas of contention about the future of telehealth as the nation starts to emerge from COVID include Medicare telehealth, Medicaid telehealth, telehealth licensure, and related telehealth regulations.

Health Care Law Today July 2, 2021

Florida Ends Telehealth Waivers; Department of Health Issues Update

lorida’s telehealth emergency waivers ended on June 26, 2021, after Governor Ron DeSantis’ Office allowed the waivers to expire. The waivers were originally contained in Emergency Orders 20-002 and 20-003. On July 1, 2021, the Florida Department of Health issued a gu

mHealthIntelligence July 2, 2021

Pilot Program Uses Telehealth to Help LTC, Rehab Patients Transition Home

West Virginia University is reporting good results in a pilot program that uses telehealth to help patients transition home after a stay in a long-term care or nursing facility.

HealthccareITNews July 2, 2021

How the pandemic has reshaped CIOs' views on adaptability, agility, security and hiring

Three health IT leaders from provider organizations nationwide share some advice based on tough lessons learned in the latest installment of Healthcare IT News' feature series.

USNews July 2, 2021

Telehealth Most Common in Coastal States During Coronavirus Pandemic

More than one-fifth of households recently had a virtual appointment with a health professional, according to Census Bureau data.

mHealthIntelligence July 2, 2021

Cincinnati Children’s Integrates Telehealth Into Suicide Prevention Study

The hospital is using a PCORI grant to integrate telehealth into a five-year study that aims to develop suicide prevention and treatment strategies for at-risk adolescents.

mHealthIntelligence July 1, 2021

Telehealth Services Reduce ER Visits for Individuals with Disabilities

Recent research indicates telehealth services have led to fewer ER visits and lower healthcare costs for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

HealthccareITNews July 1, 2021

How telehealth enabled critical care for newborns during COVID-19

When the United Kingdom went into lockdown, babies kept being born and kept needing care. That's where teleneonatology came in.

HealthccareITNews July 1, 2021

Nemours manages care at home through a single digital platform

Having a medical home platform helps to manage care and avoid unnecessary ER visits.

mHealthIntelligence July 1, 2021

Second Opinions Via Telehealth Have Value to Patients and Providers

The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic is using telehealth to offer second opinions, a service that benefits not only the patient but the primary care provider as well.

HealthcareITNews June 30, 2021

Report: Telehealth use beginning to taper

After a spike in spring 2020 – especially in California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Hawaii and Vermont – patient utilization of video visits has dropped off, say analysts.

mHealthIntelligence June 30, 2021

Clinicians Show Intent to Continue Telehealth Use Post-Pandemic

High comfort and satisfaction levels increase the chances of primary care providers continuing to offer telehealth and virtual care services after the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to a recent study.

HealthcareITNews June 30, 2021

Patients are looking to go back to brick-and-mortar post pandemic

New data from HIMSS' State of Healthcare survey reveals that the bulk of patients are looking to return to in-person care. However, younger generations are more likely to continue on telehealth.

JDSupra June 30, 2021

Abrupt End to New York State of Emergency Creates Uncertain Future for Out-of-State Licensed Health Care Professionals

On June 24, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order 210, which officially declared the end of the New York State of Emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic effective June 25, 2021. The issuance of the Executive Order marked an important milestone for life post-pandemic and a welcome result for small businesses barely treading water trying to comply with the COVID-19 restrictions. However, the abruptness of the announcement, the limited carve-outs for health care professionals and the organizations that employ or contract with them, and the lack of permanent alternative solutions will create a tumultuous few weeks for those parties.

HealthCare Law Today June 30, 2021

New Bill Targets Broadband Funding to Fuel Telehealth Expansion

New York’s telehealth emergency waivers have expired, according to a June 25, 2021 announcement issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office declaring the waivers (contained in Executive Orders 202 through 202.11 and 205 through 205.3) are no longer necessary. Concurrent with the Governor’s announcement, the New York State Department of Health issued a guidance document on the New York Medicaid program’s continued coverage of telehealth services for the duration of the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE).

HealthcareITNews June 29, 2021

What the future holds for HHS-OIG health IT enforcement

From interoperability to telehealth and beyond, an upcoming HIMSS21 presentation will shed light on the regulations and penalties health IT stakeholders should be mindful of in the months ahead.

HealthcareITNews June 29, 2021

Telemedicine saves the day for Avera Health in the COVID-19 era

In a preview of his upcoming HIMSS21 session, the health system's chief medical information officer talks about the processes and technologies powering the health system's pandemic response.

mHealthIntelligence June 29, 2021

As State Emergencies End, Providers Look for New Telehealth Limits

Healthcare providers in some states are scrambling to determine what their telehealth platforms can and can't do in the wake of expiring state emergency declarations.

HealthcareITNews June 29, 2021

Metro Health's telehealth and RPM program is helping patients avoid hospital stays

The Michigan provider organization has been keeping COVID-19 patients at home – and recording a 95% satisfaction rate among patients in the program.

HealthcareITNews June 29, 2021

Sen. Brian Schatz: Telehealth is 'single shining exception' to partisanship

Panelists emphasized virtual care's longer-term potential at the final day of the American Telemedicine Association conference and expo.

CCHP June 29, 2021

New Wave of Federal Bipartisan Bills to Expand Telehealth

At present, CCHP is tracking over 100 pieces of telehealth legislation in the current federal legislative session. This month we have seen a number of bipartisan bills introduced, continuing the federal push to expand telehealth availability and codify flexibilities allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).

mHealthIntelligence June 29, 2021

Florida Research Project Tackles Low Telehealth Access in Minority Populations

Researchers at the University of North Florida are launching a study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to examine how social determinants of health have negatively affected telehealth access in minority populations.

mHealthIntelligence June 28, 2021

Cures 2.0 Includes Provisions to Expand Telehealth Coverage, Services

While focusing on research to tackle cancer and other diseases, the massive Cures 2.0 bill unveiled last week includes provisions aimed at extending telehealth coverage and access beyond the pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence June 28, 2021

Uncertain Telehealth Laws Keep Substance Abuse Care Providers on Their Toes

Providers specializing in substance abuse care are using telehealth for services like MAT therapy, but the shifting landscape of post-COVID-19 telehealth rules may force them to scale back those plans.

mHealthIntelligence June 25, 2021

Senators Seek Extra Federal Funding for Telehealth Services in Frontier States

A group of Senators has submitted a bill that would boost federal funding for telehealth services in so-called frontier states and states that have limited broadband access.

mHealthIntelligence June 25, 2021 

Could telehealth worsen inequity? 'Not under my watch,' says HHS Sec. Becerra

Top health officials from HHS and VA have signaled their ongoing support for telemedicine in the long term, but also want to ensure that "technology is being used properly."

mHealthIntelligence June 25, 2021 

SF-Based FQHC Adds Telehealth, Remote Patient Monitoring to PACE Services

North East Medical Services, which offers PACE services to thousands of seniors in the San Francisco area, is adding remote patient monitoring and telehealth programs to the platform to expand and improve care.

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2021 

USDA, FCC, and NTIA Announce Interagency Agreement to Coordinate Broadband Funding Deployment

Broadband Integrity Coordination Act Prompted Agency Leaders to Improve Information Sharing to Best Deploy Federal Broadband Funds

Telebehavioral Health Institute June 24, 2021

Breaking News: New Bill Removes In-Person Requirement for Telemental Health

The Covid-19 pandemic was accompanied by a dramatic increase in demand for mental health services from standard mental health treatment to substance abuse disorder treatment. Contrary to common sense, Medicare recipients were required to see a provider in person within six months of getting telehealth services.

HealthcareITNews June 24, 2021

22 states changed telemedicine laws during the pandemic

Most pursued changes via administrative action, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report, which may not be a permanent solution after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.

mHealthIntelligence June 24, 2021

PA Payer Supports Innovative Telehealth, Remote Patient Monitoring Programs

Independence Blue Cross is issuing grants to support the expansion of three Penn Medicine Programs that aim to improve patient care through remote patient monitoring and telehealth channels.

Telebehavioral Health Institute June 24, 2021

Telehealth and Health Disparities

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 changed telehealth access in the U.S. and around the world. While the pandemic caused innumerable problems for businesses and industries, telehealth treatment modalities during the public health emergency saw high levels of growth in the U.S.

mHealthIntelligence June 24, 2021

Senators Eye Medicare Coverage for Telehealth in Diabetes Prevention Programs

A group of Senators has re-introduced a bill that would establish Medicare coverage for telehealth services in CMS-sanctioned Diabetes Prevention Programs.

HealthcareDive June 24, 2021

Biden admin 'absolutely supportive' of telehealth once crisis ebbs, Becerra says

The Biden administration's top health policy official on Thursday reiterated his support for expanded telehealth access after the COVID-19 national emergency expires, as Congress considers a slate of bills that would permanently nix regulatory barriers to virtual care.

Telebehavioral Health Institute June 24, 2021

The Hybrid Healthcare System: Post-Pandemic Telehealth

Healthcare providers have been using telehealth to provide treatments to patients due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many providers use zoom or telephone to diagnose and give treatment to clients or patients, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to do the same thing once the public health emergency (PHE) ends.

FIERCE Healthcare June 23, 2021 L

Top health experts talk telehealth regulation, health inequality

While the telehealth industry is booming, plenty of challenges remain, including the changing regulatory environment and the impact on vulnerable communities.

JDSupra June 23, 2021

Bipartisan CONNECT for Health Act of 2021 Seeks to Permanently Expand Telehealth Reimbursement

On 29 April 2021, Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021, S. 1512 (the Act).1 The bill, which currently has 59 cosponsors in the Senate,2 aims to codify the expanded access to telehealth services provided by the current Section 1135 waivers due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), in addition to other measures that support the provision of telehealth care.

mHealthIntelligence June 23, 2021

Telehealth Yields Similar Outcomes as In-Person HIV Treatment

A new study finds that treating HIV with telehealth produces similar health outcomes as face-to-face treatment, presenting a potential solution for individuals in rural areas who have difficulty accessing care.

CCHP June 22, 2021

New SAMHSA Telehealth Guide: Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory recently released a new evidence-based resource guide titled, Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders, to support implementation of telehealth across diverse mental health and substance use disorder treatment settings.

mHealthIntelligence June 22, 2021

New Program Combines Telehealth, Peer Support to Treat Veterans With PTSD

University of Texas researchers are treating veterans living with PTSD with a combination of telehealth sessions and in-person support from peers who've successfully completed treatment.

mHealthIntelligence June 22, 2021

Cheney, Dingell Launch Bipartisan Effort to Codify COVID-19 Telehealth Waivers

When COVID-19 arrived in the United States, the Trump administration temporarily waived numerous government barriers to allow health care workers to deliver remote care througUS Reps Liz Cheney and Debbie Dingell are joining the telehealth policy bandwagon with a bill that - like so many others - aims to extend telehealth coverage and access beyond the pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence June 21, 2021

Is It Time for a Telehealth Strategy?

Survey finds telehealth will grow 37% from pre-COVID levels when PHE ends, indicating a pressing need for telehealth strategy.

mHealthIntelligence June 21, 2021

Banner Health Eyes Connected Health Strategy With Digital Health Formulary

The Arizona-based health system has launched a digital health program that allows providers to prescribe apps and services for remote patient monitoring and other platforms.

HealthcareITNews June 21, 2021

How telemedicine can help everyone have a primary care physician

The National Academy of Medicine says having a primary care doc is key. A physician expert in telehealth explains technology's role in fulfilling this need.

mHealthIntelligence June 21, 2021

Can a Package of Telehealth Bills Gain the Attention of Congress?

Senator John Kennedy is hoping that four telehealth bills packaged together can push Congress to take action on long-term connected health policy.

HealthcareITNews June 21, 2021

Texas passes law authorizing teledentistry

The state board of dental examiners had previously issued guidance that effectively banned virtual dentistry.

Forbes June 18, 2021

Transforming Telehealth Access In The Post-Pandemic Era

Telehealth has emerged as a viable delivery model of care and in the process has helped to transform the digital patient journey and redefined what the "digital touch" looks like.

HealthcareITNews June 18, 2021

CIOs tackle barriers to innovation, telehealth integration, analytics and more

Four health IT leaders from across the country discuss lessons learned during the pandemic in the latest installment in our feature series. They spotlight some "long-term 'change the game' strategies" developed over the past year.

mHealthIntelligence June 18, 2021

Medicare Sees Increased Use Under Extended Telehealth Coverage

With other payers looking at Medicare’s actions on telehealth coverage, a Kaiser Family Foundation brief offers insights on Medicare beneficiaries that support the permanent expansion of connected health services.

mHealthIntelligence June 18, 2021

FCC Launches Connected Care Pilot Program, Announces 36 Award Recipients

The Federal Communications Commission has posted new guidelines for its Connected Care Pilot Program and announced 36 telehealth projects that have qualified for funding.

JDSupra June 18, 2021

Executive Summary: Tracking Telehealth Changes State-by-State in Response to COVID-19 - June 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth services.

mHealthIntelligence June 17, 2021

Can retail play a role in connecting Americans with care?

Leaders from Walmart, Best Buy and Philips offer their predictions for the future of telehealth – and part their companies can play.

The Hill June 16, 2021

Sen. Manchin paves way for a telehealth revolution

When COVID-19 arrived in the United States, the Trump administration temporarily waived numerous government barriers to allow health care workers to deliver remote care through telehealth. These changes allowed providers to deliver life-saving care and slow the spread of the virus.

Fierce HealthCare June 17, 2021

Past, current ONC chiefs: Bipartisan work, industry collaboration yields successful health IT policy

The role of national coordinator for health IT comes with its fair share of policy constraints and budget limitations, but partisanship is one of the few Capitol Hill hurdles the office has managed to avoid over the past decade and a half.

HealthcareITNews June 17, 2021

Why there's no future in healthcare without digital

Leadership is crucial to developing new strategies to provide more sustainable healthcare and improve outcomes, says David Labajo, VP of digital sales Europe at GE Healthcare.

mHealthIntelligence June 17, 2021

Remote Patient Monitoring Promotes Chronic Care Management, Home Health

Remote patient monitoring solutions can play a critical role in chronic care management and home health programs that work to drive down care costs and improve patient outcomes.

JDSupra June 16, 2021

The “State” of Telehealth: Oregon Looks to Provide Parity for Telehealth

On June 1, 2021, the Oregon Governor, Kate Brown, signed House Bill 2508A (“HB2508A” or the “Bill”) which, among other things, requires parity for healthcare services delivered through telehealth, upon satisfaction of certain criteria. The Bill expands coverage of and reimbursement for telehealth services in Oregon, promoting equitable and safe access to care.

HEALTHCAREDIVE June 16, 2021

Mobile health apps have 'serious problems' with patient privacy, study warns

Mobile health applications have "serious problems" with privacy, according to a new analysis of more than 20,000 health-related mobile apps published Wednesday in the BMJ.

The Hill June 16, 2021

Sen. Manchin paves way for a telehealth revolution

When COVID-19 arrived in the United States, the Trump administration temporarily waived numerous government barriers to allow health care workers to deliver remote care through telehealth. These changes allowed providers to deliver life-saving care and slow the spread of the virus.

HealthcareITNews June 16, 2021

Telemental Healthcare Access Act would repeal in-person service requirements

The bipartisan bill would eliminate a mandate for Medicare patients to be seen in person before receiving virtual behavioral care. .

mHealthIntelligence June 16, 2021

mHealth Collaborative Unveils New Definition, Resources for ‘Virtual First Care’

The IMPACT initiative, launched in January by the Digital Medicine Society and the American Telemedicine Association, is aimed at helping providers and payers who want to skip in-person services and focus solely on virtual first care.

mHealthIntelligence June 16, 2021

How telehealth overcomes barriers to cleft palate care and speech therapy

Dr. Cate Crowley, a professor at Columbia University and cleft palate care medical advisor, explains telemedicine's reach and ability to reduce stigma.

Fierce Healthcare June 15, 2021

AMA adopts policies to advance telehealth, close digital divide and tackle prior authorization burdens

The country’s largest physician organization is taking steps to rein in bureaucratic prior authorization requirements that can lead to delayed and disruptive treatment for patients.

CCHP June 15, 2021

KFF Report on Telehealth Medicare Use Offers Future Policy Implications

A Kaiser Family Foundation brief presents new information and analysis of Medicare beneficiaries’ utilization of telehealth using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) survey data from between summer and fall of 2020 while CMS emergency telehealth expansions were in effect.

mHealthIntelligence June 15, 2021

Asynchronous Telehealth Can Extend Primary Care at Community Health Networks

At one community health network, asynchronous telehealth is expanding access to primary care services for patients.

The Washington Post June 14, 2021

The Health 202: Lawmakers are deciding the future of telehealth

During the pandemic, Medicare has been paying for health care delivered virtually for a broader swath of patients. Many view that as a positive development for the future of health care in the United States — but the waivers for telehealth are headed for expiration at the end of the year.

mHealthIntelligence June 14, 2021

Is the Time Right for Skilled Nursing Facilities to Embrace Telehealth?

The pandemic has given skilled nursing facilities an opportunity to embrace telehealth. Are they ready now to prove sustainability and scalability?

Jdsupra June 14, 2021

[Webinar] Protecting the Telehealth Consumer: FTC and State-Based Considerations - June 22nd, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT

As the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is easing, telemedicine is facing an important crossroads. While telehealth services have demonstrated their value as an integral part of care delivery, federal and state waivers instituted during the crisis are likely to expire soon. As lawmakers and agency officials consider updated or expanded digital health rules, regulators are expected to intensify their scrutiny of providers.

mHealthIntelligence June 14, 2021

CAMA Launches Telehealth Immersion Program to Promote Sustainability

The American Medical Association has launched a new program to help providers craft a long-term strategy for telehealth scalability and sustainability.

The CT Mirror June 12, 2021

Telemedicine a blessing for some, inaccessible for others

When the pandemic began, LaVita King of Bridgeport worried about how she would continue to see her behavioral health therapist and primary care physician at Southwest Community Health Center.

The Hill June 11, 2021

Make Medicare and Medicaid telehealth coverage permanent

Unpacking the impact of COVID-19 will take years. In the U.S. alone hundreds of thousands of people lost loved ones, lost their incomes and are still managing the virus’ long-term physical effects. Many more are dealing with increased anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

Kaiser Health News June 11, 2021

Doctor on Call? Lawmakers Debate How Much to Pay for Phone Appointments

It took covid-19 to give millions of Americans the option of telling their doctor about their aches and pains by phone.

mHealthIntelligence June 11, 2021

New Senate Bill Seeks To Continue COVID-19 Telehealth Coverage

A bill submitted this week in the US Senate seeks to make permanent several emergency telehealth measures enacted during the pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence June 11, 2021

Tribal Communities See Benefits and Challenges in Using Telehealth

A recent roundtable discussion about virtual care in tribal communities examined the telehealth methods that Native Americans use and the technological challenges they still face.

Telebavioral Health Institute June 10, 2021

Harris Poll Shows 84% of US Patients Prefer Telehealth Appointments

While 2020 virtual health care policies during the public health emergency are starting to wane, more than 600 bills supporting new telehealth laws are currently pending at A recent Harris Poll survey confirms that clients/patients have embraced virtual care due to its convenience and the personal safety it offers. The Harris Poll, currently part of Harris Insights and Analytics, is one of the longest-running surveys investigating public opinion, motivation, and social sentiment in the United States since 1963. An online survey of adults was carried out in the United States, on behalf of NextGen Healthcare, a company specializing in healthcare technology.

Telebavioral Health Institute June 10, 2021

Risks & Benefits of Telehealth: Controversy about Post-Pandemic Telehealth

While 2020 virtual health care policies during the public health emergency are starting to wane, more than 600 bills supporting new telehealth laws are currently pending at both the federal and state levels. Congressional measures largely support the expansion of telehealth access, especially in Medicare. The many benefits of telehealth have become quite obvious to many consumers and professionals alike.

HealthcareITNews June 10, 2021

Amazon attracting multiple companies to telehealth service

An Amazon exec said that the organization has had "quite a bit of interest from other companies in using this service," according to CNBC.

mHealthIntelligence June 10, 2021

Kentucky Hospital Association Signs Remote Patient Monitoring Deal

The non-profit is partnering with California-based Community Wellness to give healthcare providers in the state guidance on launching remote patient monitoring programs.

mHealthIntelligence June 10, 2021

Telehealth has enabled wider access during COVID-19 – but not for everyone

Experts at the American Telemedicine Association annual conference and expo highlighted the improvements necessary for virtual care to be truly equitable.

mHealthIntelligence June 10, 2021

Q&A: How a Brooklyn Clinic Developed Its Virtual Care Strategy

Oula launched in 2019 and started seeing patients in 2020. The prenatal clinic's co-founder and CEO explains how they developed a virtual care strategy and are now transitioning to a hybrid platform.

HEALTHCAREDIVE June 9, 2021

Telehealth use dropped again in March, but at slower rate

Telehealth use dropped for the second month in a row in March, though the rate of decline slowed a bit, according to new data tracked by nonprofit Fair Health.

mHealthIntelligence June 9, 2021

With ER Visits Rising, Payers Pitch mHealth and Telehealth as an Alternative

With the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, people are going back to the ER, and payers are trying to steer them instead toward mHealth apps, telehealth platforms and retail clinics.

HealthcareITNews June 9, 2021

Mount Sinai eases translation in 200 languages through its Epic telehealth platform

The New York health system integrates Language Line Solutions, Epic and Caregility to deliver telemedicine to its widely diverse patient population.

mHealthIntelligence June 9, 2021

New Survey Finds Patients Are Ready for Remote Patient Monitoring

Four out of five are in favor of remote patient monitoring, according to a survey by MSI International, and many see value in the platform for chronic care management.

mHealthIntelligence June 8, 2021

Canadian Study Highlights Value of Telehealth Access for Postpartum Care

The study found a 30 percent increase in women seeking help for postpartum mental health issues during the coronavirus, highlighting both the value of virtual care access and the need for more services.

HealthcareITNews June 8, 2021

Knock, knock, knockin' on the digital front door

A mobile patient engagement IT expert discusses next steps for the technologies that have grown in use and popularity during the pandemic.

mHealthIntelligence June 8, 2021

ASF Grants Fund Innovative Telehealth Services for Autism Treatment

The grants will fund studies that focus on using telehealth to improve care management and access for families of children with autism.

Kaiser Health News June 7, 2021

Covid Was a Tipping Point for Telehealth. If Some Have Their Way, Virtual Visits Are Here to Stay.

As the covid crisis wanes and life approaches normal across the U.S., health industry leaders and many patient advocates are pushing Congress and the Biden administration to preserve the pandemic-fueled expansion of telehealth that has transformed how millions of Americans see the doctor.

mHealthIntelligence June 7, 2021

Study Targets Benefits of Asynchronous Telehealth for Mental Health Care

Researchers at UC Davis say an aysnchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth platform can be just as effective as an audio-visual platform in providing telemental health services.

HealthcareITNews June 7, 2021

What data and technologies are needed to propel telehealth quality?

A hospital physician specializing in strategic initiatives offers an in-depth preview of her HIMSS21 educational session, which will explore ways to build on today's telemedicine success for the future.

mHealthIntelligence June 7, 2021

How Medical Practices Can Succeed At Remote Patient Monitoring

Once mastered, the remote patient monitoring platform gives the practice a pathway to establishing meaningful care management.

HealthcareITNews June 7, 2021

Health IT's role in the home

Connect America CEO Janet Dillione describes the role of remote patient monitoring and hospital in the home in the evolving delivery of healthcare.

mHealthIntelligence June 7, 2021

Georgia Partnership Aims to Use Telehealth to Help the Uninsured

Emory University and Giving Health are joining forces to study how the non-profit can expand its telehealth services to help low-income, uninsured people with chronic conditions.

Health Care Law Today June 7, 2021

Telemedicine Companies Can Use Patent Law as a Strategic Advantage

This is the first of a multi-part series on how telemedicine and digital health entrepreneurs can better avail themselves of patent and intellectual property strategies to gain a competitive advantage and increase the asset valuation for their company.

mHealthIntelligence June 4, 2021

New mHealth Group Targets Data Security, Tackling the Digital Divide

The Digital Health Measurement Collaborative Community (DATAcc) looks to develop best practices for the use of mHealth data gathered outside the traditional healthcare setting.

mHealthIntelligence June 3, 2021

Telehealth Use Yields Successful Post-Op Physical Therapy Results

An Intermountain Healthcare study has found that physical therapy services delivered via telehealth for post-operative patients produce similar outcomes to in-person care, and at a lower cost.

mHealthIntelligence June 3, 2021

Illinois Moves to Expand Telehealth Coverage, With Limited Payment Parity

Illinois lawmakers have OK'd legislation to permanently expand COVID-19 telehealth coverage, with payment parity for mental health services and a task force to study long-term reimbursement.

HealthcareITNews June 3, 2021

Glen Tullman: In the future, telehealth will just be 'health'

Patients will expect care to meet them where they are, said the Livongo founder and former Allscripts CEO at the American Telemedicine Association annual conference.

HealthcareITNews June 2, 2021

Providers face a magnetic pull toward in-person care, says ATA board chair

American Telemedicine Association Board Chair Dr. Joseph Kvedar called on clinicians, suppliers, payers and patients to play their part in fighting for long-term telehealth access.

Politico Future Pulse June 2, 2021

Fixing what telehealth couldn’t

THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU … AND YOU… AND YOU: Health providers are grappling now, and probably for some time to come, with a backlog of needs that went unmet as patients stayed home for fear of getting Covid. But human maintenance can only be deferred so long.

HealthcareITNews June 2, 2021

How we can avoid the 'telehealth cliff'

Advocates at the American Telemedicine Association's annual conference warned that Congress must act to safeguard telehealth access before the public health emergency ends.

mHealthIntelligence June 2, 2021

Could Congress Help Community Health Centers Expand Mobile Health Outreach?

A bill before Congress would give community health centers more leeway in using HRSA funding to build and equip mobile health units for community outreach.

HealthcareITNews June 2, 2021

What is needed for telehealth's next big steps forward?

Cisco's global healthcare leader spells out the necessities for virtual care evolution, and discusses the importance of the digital front door.

mHealthIntelligence June 2, 2021

Wellstar Uses Remote Patient Monitoring to Create Partnerships With Patients

The Atlanta-based health system is finding that a remote patient monitoring program involves a lot more than collecting and using data, and that relationships play a role in seeing success.

CCHP June 1, 2021

GAO Reports on Telehealth COVID-19 Flexibility Findings

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) released testimony May 19th regarding their ongoing assessment of COVID-19 flexibilities within the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as required under federal pandemic response oversight provisions included the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Provided before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, the GAO focused its summarized findings around the effects of program flexibilities and preliminary observations related to telehealth waivers of certain federal requirements, as well as considerations regarding ongoing use.

mHealthIntelligence June 1, 2021

Texas Lawmakers OK Telehealth Expansion for Medicaid, Public Health Plans

Unanimously approved by both chambers and headed to the governor's desk, the bill permanently extends coverage for a wide range of telehealth platforms, including audio-only services.

mHealthIntelligence June 1, 2021

FCC Is Ready to Move Forward With Connected Care Pilot Program

The agency hopes to get the OK at its June commission meeting to post a second Report and Order on the program, which aims to boost telehealth adoption by funding broadband expansion projects.

HealthcareITNews June 1, 2021

Blessing Health System's school-based telehealth program is a hit

In a HIMSS21 educational session, the rural health system's virtual health coordinator will walk attendees through how the program works, the technologies used and the successes achieved.

Health Care Law Today June 1, 2021

Five To-Do’s for Telemed Companies Before the Public Health Emergency Ends

Patient privacy will continue to be a top priority for regulators as patients continue to rely heavily on telemedicine. Foley & Lardner LLP attorneys say taking steps now to ensure compliance with HIPAA will put vendors and health-care providers ahead of what is sure to be a hectic and confusing time as the public health emergency waivers and federal enforcement discretion comes to an end.

mHealthIntelligence May 28, 2021

mHealth Program Aims to Address Pandemic Stress, Burnout in Nurses

The mHealth platform offers positive affirmation and support resources via text messages to nurses who have experienced heightened stress from working during the pandemic.

Fierce Healthcare May 28,2021

J.D. Power: Telehealth use boosts members' satisfaction with health plans

Increased telehealth use under the pandemic is encouraging members to engage more with their health plans, according to a new report from J.D. Power.

HealthcareIT News May 28, 2021

HIMSSCast: Telehealth in the trenches

Two small-practice therapists discuss their COVID-19 telehealth experiences.