Telehealth has the potential to expand access to care to previously underserved populations. However, it also has the possible side effect of worsening health disparities – and it’s vital, stakeholders say, to make changes to address that dynamic as soon as possible. “The pandemic brought telehealth to the forefront of everybody’s mind,” said Dr. […]
A hacker group known for ransomware attacks posted sensitive employee files online following a cyberattack at a Gallup, New Mexico, health system. According to NBC News, the group stole sensitive employee files from Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services and posted them to its website, seemingly in an attempt to extort payment. The […]
Montana state senators this past week unanimously voted to pass a telehealth expansion bill out of committee. The bill, introduced by Sen. Rhonda Knudsen, R-Culbertson, by request of the state auditor, would safeguard telehealth coverage after the COVID-19 pandemic. “My constituents care about this, and this is important to everyone in Montana,” said Knudsen […]
There’s no question that the COVID-19 crisis ignited unprecedented patient interest in telehealth. But along with the skyrocketing appointment rates and glowing reports about patient and provider satisfaction came concerns about security, accessibility and longevity. Many of those questions are still unanswered as we turn the corner into 2021. But to gain a sense of […]
Tampa General Hospital has launched TGH InnoVentures, a venture capital fund designed to help drive a “culture of innovation” at the large academic medical center. WHY IT MATTERS TGH InnoVentures will have three components: The TGH Innovation Lab will help with the creation and curation of ideas and tools to help physicians and other team […]
In response to increasing patient demand for telehealth, Kaiser Permanente this week announced the launch of a new “virtual-first” healthcare plan in Washington state. The plan, which will be available January 1, 2021, through Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington direct to employer groups and consumers, will center telehealth as a foundational modality of care […]
The American Hospital Association sent an open letter to President Donald Trump this week recommending actions that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should take to safeguard patient access to telehealth after the public health emergency ends. The president issued an executive order in early August in support of making some temporary flexibilities for telehealth […]
The Medicaid Transformation Project, founded by the health system network Avia and former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services acting administrator Andy Slavitt, released its Phase One report this week after two years of operation. 30 health systems and the Veterans Health Administration are MTP members, comprising 378 hospitals in 28 states. Phase One focused […]
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that it would invest $1.6 billion toward the commercial development of a COVID-19 investigational vaccine by the Maryland-based company Novavax. HHS also announced that it would provide $450 million to Regeneron to manufacture and supply the company’s antiviral antibody treatment, REGN-COV2. The clinical trials for […]
A new report from the Commonwealth Fund found a “plateau” in the growth of telemedicine visits, accounting for a relatively small percentage of rebounding ambulatory care services. As states experiment with reopening – and re-closing – their economies in response to concerns around coronavirus, continuing attention has been paid to skyrocketing rates of telehealth visits. […]
