Telehealth Resource Centers Support Letter
On May 31, more than 80 organizations called on Congressional Appropriators to increase funding for Telehealth Resource Centers. This increase in funding would provide a critical boost to the TRCs, which have experienced a high of an 800% increase in demand for telehealth assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic across the nation, yet have been level-funded since 2006. Learn more about this request.
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Spring 2022 Alliance Top Accomplishments
It has already been a momentous year for telehealth. This link and the below PDF provide key highlights of Alliance for Connected Care accomplishments thus far in 2022. We look forward to further successes later this year.
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Telehealth Comprised Largest Percentage of Private Health Claims In 2020, Report Finds
Inside Telehealth: Telehealth Comprised Largest Percentage of Private Health Claims In 2020, Report Finds
A report by FAIR Health found that telehealth made up the largest percent of private medical insurance claims in 2020, totaling 15.41 percent of all medical claims nationally. Utilization of health care services fell in every other category, including a 38 percent decrease in utilization of ambulatory surgical centers, 30 percent decrease of emergency rooms, and 16 percent decrease of urgent care centers. Telehealth usage also expanded by more than 7,000 percent across the U.S. in 2020. This is the first of FAIR Health annual reports to reflect changes in private health insurance claims caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the exponential growth in telehealth.
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Disparities Common in Telehealth Use Among Pediatric CHIP Patients
mHealth Intelligence: Disparities Common in Telehealth Use Among Pediatric CHIP Patients
According to data from Alabama’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), ALL Kids, researchers found that telehealth use was less common among those living in rural areas and members of lower-income families. Researchers also noted that children living in large or small rural areas were less likely to use telehealth, with 11.8 and 11.1 percent of each population having used virtual care services, respectively. The digital divide and the limited availability of resources likely played a role in creating care gaps. Researchers acknowledged that as the presence of telehealth continues to grow, it is essential to continue to increase accessibility and eliminate disparities.
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Patients Prefer Telehealth Over Visits in Person for Certain Services
Parkinson’s News Today: Patients Prefer Telehealth Over Visits in Person for Certain Services
A recent survey published in Movement Disorders found that telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic were perceived to be a good alternative to in-person health care appointments among people with Parkinson’s disease. Respondents said telehealth reduced travel, was more convenient, was suitable for follow-up appointments, and was preferred for speech-language pathology and mental health sessions. More than 40 percent of respondents reported that video or phone telehealth services were equally or more satisfying than in-person visits across all service types.
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Majority of physicians say telehealth enables more comprehensive quality care
American Medical Association: Majority of physicians say telehealth enables more comprehensive quality care
A survey conducted by the American Medical Association found that the vast majority of physician respondents say they’re currently using telehealth. The results suggest enduring interest in virtual care among physicians. Among physician respondents, 85 percent indicated they currently use telehealth, with the majority of decreased use attributed to a mix of virtual and in-person visits. There findings are similar to a survey conducted by the Alliance for Connected Care in March. An accompanying blog post on this survey from the American Medical Association can be found here.
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Telemedicine bridge clinics may be helpful for opioid use disorder treatment
Physician’s Weekly: Telemedicine bridge clinics may be helpful for opioid use disorder treatment
According to a study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, telemedicine bridge clinics had high show rates and allowed patients to fill prescriptions for opioid use disorder (OUD). The results show that 77 percent of the bridge clinic patients filled two or more buprenorphine prescriptions after their initial visit, indicating high engagement. Most of the patients (62 percent) had insurance through Medicaid, though 19 percent were uninsured. Outcomes were similar between those who used phone-only versus audiovisual visits. The results suggest that telemedicine bridge clinics may be useful long-term for patients suffering from OUD.
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Mental Health vs. Primary Care: How Americans Are Using Telehealth
U.S. News & World Report: Mental Health vs. Primary Care: How Americans Are Using Telehealth
Social workers and psychiatrists are among the providers Americans are frequently visiting via telehealth, highlighting the pandemic’s continued mental health impact. According to new evidence from private insurance claims data, the top specialty providing telehealth services nationally this past January was social work. This is just one sign of how prevalent the provision of mental health services through telehealth has been, as our country continues to grapple with the pandemic and its impact on many fronts.
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Telehealth can have a positive impact on health care use and health outcomes
Forbes: Telehealth can have a positive impact on health care use and health outcomes
A recent study by the University of Houston found that racial and ethnic disparities persisted in telemedicine. The research suggested that the promise of the positive impact of telemedicine on health care use and health outcomes could elude underserved populations. The research found that African Americans were 35 percent less likely to use telemedicine than white Americans. Hispanic people were 51 percent less likely than white people to have a telemedicine visit and Asian people and American Indian/Alaska Natives and Pacific Islanders were also less likely to use telemedicine. However, the research did find that the further away someone lived from their clinic, the more likely they were to use telemedicine and that this held true for African American and Hispanic patients. Researchers emphasized that clinics will need technology support staff to conduct pre-visit device and connectivity testing with patients, which can be instrumental in helping patients maximize telemedicine as an option to access care.
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Hispanic Patients Used Virtual Care Less After COVID-19 Diagnosis
mHealth Intelligence: Hispanic Patients Used Virtual Care Less After COVID-19 Diagnosis
A study published in BMC Health Services found that Hispanic and Latino individuals are significantly less likely to use, and therefore benefit from, virtual primary care as compared to White populations. Researchers found that virtual primary care increased significantly between the pre- and mid-COVID-19 periods, rising from 3.6 percent to 10.3 percent. However, in-person primary care remained relatively stable, dropping only slightly from 21 percent to 20.7 percent. While social vulnerability measures did not appear to impact virtual primary care use, individuals living in areas characterized as vulnerable based on minority status, language, housing type, and transportation were less likely to use in-person primary care than people living in areas not characterized as vulnerable in these ways. Researchers concluded that the expansion of virtual care amplified disparities in care access, as specific individuals had less access to certain necessary resources.
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