Horizons Fall/Winter 2020

Many had experience with telehealth prior to the pandemic, but approximately 40% were new users. The study concluded that telemedicine is perceived to be, “a very satisfactory approach to receive care.” Prior use also appeared to induce a sense of familiarity with telehealth and led to greater popularity with users. It should be noted that the popularity of telehealth varies by age. A study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation found that elderly patients maintained concerns about the process, with 17% concerned about privacy and 64% worried about the quality of care. Even with the above concerns, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) project that the Medicare volume of

telehealth will continue at a long-term rate of 21%, though utilization rates will vary by specialty. Further increases could be expected as telehealth potentially expands within rural areas that lack access to healthcare providers. Some advocates of telehealth propose that its use could also help the US in treating mental health and coordinating care for people with chronic health conditions. To fully support telehealth and its expansion, the U.S. will need to focus on various areas to ensure that the resources needed are available. Broadband networks will be vital for its implementation. FCC data shows more than 18 million Americans do not have access to high-speed connections. Providing high-speed internet access to those Americans and upgrading existing connections to 5G networks will strengthen the infrastructure for this technology and subsequently the quality of healthcare received. Primary care provider and specialist cooperation will also be a factor in the expansion of telehealth. As much of a patient’s medical data can be spread across different systems, the delays in requesting and receiving a patient’s information can greatly decrease the effectiveness of a telehealth call.

... telemedicine is perceived to be, “a very satisfactory approach to receive care.”

COVID-19 & The Response of Telehealth

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