Horizons Fall/Winter 2020

INDUSTRY UPDATE HEALTHCARE

COVID-19 & The Response of Telehealth by Thomas Zetlmeisl, CPA, CFE, CFF, CGMA & Max Langmack C OVID-19 has uprooted much of our daily lives over the past six months including the operations of our Patients now regularly use it as a virtual option for meeting with their primary care providers. This expansion has been aided by expanded access to technology and Congress appropriating $200 million towards telehealth as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

healthcare system. The US healthcare system has quickly adopted new technologies to adapt to the new restricted environment we are all living in. COVID-19 has impacted all facets of healthcare, from the way providers interact with patients to the way systems charge for services. One big shift providers have begun implementing is the use of telehealth, an option for providers to care for patients without an in-person visit.

These legislative changes propelled a dramatic increase in the use of this technology from 0.1% of primary care visits to more than 40% since the shutdown orders were issued. A study conducted by Michigan State University concluded that 43% of its respondents had used telehealth.

Telehealth has achieved quick adoption by both healthcare providers and patients.

Fall/Winter 2020

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