Shaping the Future of Telehealth: Key Insights from the Recent House Subcommittee Hearing
Erkeda DeRouen, MD ? Digital Health Risk Management Consultant ??TEDxer
I help digitally-enabled healthcare organizations intelligently navigate clinical risk and compliance?
Most of us are keeping a keen eye on the evolving world of telehealth. Recently, there was a House subcommittee hearing concerning the future of telehealth that has all of us biting our nails.
At the heart of the discussion were legislative proposals intended to amplify patient access to telehealth. Jeanette Ashlock, a multiple sclerosis patient advocate, passionately articulated her experiences, illustrating just how essential telehealth has become in managing her healthcare needs. This story rings so true for many, as telehealth has the ability to improve access and equity in healthcare.
What was particularly surprising was the lawmakers' unanimous recognition of telehealth's advantages. With a strong bipartisan consensus, there was a call for making telehealth services more accessible.
Healthcare leaders also contributed significantly to the discourse. They underscored the transformative role telehealth has played in both care delivery and workforce support. Substantial emphasis was placed on four pivotal areas:
The hearing wasn't just a talk-shop, but a call to action. It emphasized the pressing need to bridge the digital divide, instating permanent accessibility to telehealth. However, this can't be realized without urgent legislative action.
The call to Congress was clear: protect telehealth access, but without imposing burdensome restrictions. We need oversight and access. We mustn't continue to hit a congressional brick wall with tiny extensions on key aspects of comprehensive digital care. We need to push forward with these decisions swiftly. As we move forward, it's essential that we not lose sight of this message.
This hearing highlighted that telehealth is changing the landscape of healthcare delivery and patient experience. As we continue to navigate the space, let's remain committed to fostering an environment that supports continuous improvement, innovation, and above all, puts the patient at the center of care. We must continue to advocate for better healthcare through digital health innovations.
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Do you have any takeaways?
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