Telehealth: How It Came to Be & The Future

Greetings Stewards, 

When the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in March of 2020 we saw how massive uncertainty affected healthcare and the ability to identify and implement next steps to contain and end the pandemic. One change we saw emerge was the escalated use of telemedicine. But how is telemedicine evolving and what changes have been made since the pandemic began?

An article from Forbes highlights the rise of telemedicine and how legislation made it the way it is today, along with how it is also being shaped for the future. 

There were five key changes that were made to make telemedicine “from an underutilized secondary option to a primary mode of healthcare delivery.”

These five changes are:

• Expansion of telehealth services

• Parity of payment

• Changes in licensure

• Privacy and security regulations

• FDA regulations

Goals have included improving access to telemedicine, especially in regard  to insurance and licensing as affected by state lines. Privacy goals tended to focus on a balance of safety and efficiency.  

More changes will inevitably be needed as telemedicine evolves and transforms! But over the past few years, it has become a very important piece of our healthcare system. 

Have you experienced telemedicine? What are your thoughts on it and the direction that it is headed and/or what’s needed? We’d love to hear thoughts on Circle! 

Warmly, 

Asheanna