Page 10 - Telemedicine - Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery Part One

SVMIC Telemedicine: Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery

half of the cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, and

respiratory specialists surveyed were using telehealth before
the pandemic. More than three-quarters of those surveyed

said they would continue to use virtual care technology in the
future. The survey adds yet another data point to the massive
1
increase in telemedicine use amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Some health systems have reported staggering growth, with

many pointing to the relaxations in federal regulations around
telehealth as facilitating the change. Other survey respondents

indicated they needed to see patients in-person in order to best
provide care – again, an unsurprising response, particularly

with regard to patients who may not have access to remote
monitoring tools. The report also found that telemedicine mobile

app downloads had dramatically increased.

There is no question that the relative ease of adoption of
telemedicine by physicians and the enthusiastic acceptance by

patients highlights the demand. One of the many questions yet
to be answered once the numerous public health emergency

provisions related to telehealth are lifted or expire is: Will these
suspensions and reimbursement models become permanent?

As of late 2020, when this course was developed, several
bills put forth in Congress aimed at safeguarding access to

virtual care after the pandemic. One such bill, The Telehealth
Modernization Act, proposes numerous provisions including:

• Permanently amend Medicare originating site rules for
telehealth to include a patient’s home

• Expand the types of practitioners eligible to furnish
telehealth services

1 https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/vast-majority-specialists-increased-use-telehealth-
tech-during-covid-19-pandemic

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