Four ways you haven’t thought about using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic

With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has finally come of age. Like a lonely teenager who once struggled to make connections with a broader network of friends and was bound by strict parental controls, suddenly, telehealth has blossomed into the most popular kid in school by becoming an essential tool in the healthcare armament against this pandemic.

Almost overnight, telehealth providers reported an upswing in demand (see item #4 in this story) as key barriers to widespread telehealth usage vanished, including consumer awareness and physician and consumer acceptance. In an effort to quell the spread of disease and direct patients to the most appropriate setting, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services changed access requirements and reimbursement restrictions, and many other payers have followed suit.

While the primary focus of telehealth during these early days of the coronavirus public health crisis has been on screening COVID-19 patients and treating those who can manage their symptoms at home, there are four ways this form of care can help hospitals and healthcare systems address the issues that the pandemic has created.

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