As a push comes for a “return to normal,” it is apparent how valuable telehealth is for many populations. As medical professionals and policymakers determine a path forward they must address the barriers to access for certain populations and work towards an equitable future for telehealth. The latest equity and telehealth news round-up covers legislation that offers standalone telehealth benefits for employees, telehealth services for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients, what virtual appointments have meant for disabled women of color and what physicians think about the future of telehealth.
Bipartisan legislation to offer standalone telehealth benefits for employees
The House of Representatives has drafted a bill that would provide new virtual care options for employees. The Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act would allow employers to expand access to telehealth benefits to all workers, including part-time and seasonal employees, by offering standalone service programs in addition to existing health insurance plans. This legislation is joined by other telehealth-related bills including the Telehealth Extension Act and the Telehealth Modernization Act. Learn more about the legislation here.
Health system adds American Sign Language feature for telehealth
Loyola Medicine has implemented an American Sign Language (ASL) feature to enhance telehealth services for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. Research has shown that deaf patients typically have a hard time interacting with the healthcare system and may experience poor outcomes. ASL will be an addition to the health system’s 250 languages available for interpretation and will allow the team to care for more patients and improve the quality of care. Read more about enhancing telehealth services for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.
Telehealth use remains inconsistent across minority populations
New research shows that telehealth remains inconsistent across populations due to the digital divide and racial disparities. Researchers noted that Black and Hispanic patients were much less likely to participate in a visit conducted through telehealth compared to white patients. Although telehealth has proven useful during the pandemic, many populations do not partake in it due to a lack of access to resources, like broadband. Learn more about the study here.
Most physicians are still using telehealth, study finds
A recent AMA survey of more than 2,300 physicians found the vast majority are still using telehealth to deliver patient care, and that many are motivated to continue providing telehealth services. The survey comes as Congress recently extended the availability for telehealth for Medicare patients beyond the pandemic public health emergency, and as many are advocating for additional action to make these and other policies that have offered coverage and convenience to patients permanent. Learn more about other findings of interest from the AMA survey here.
For disabled women of color, telehealth has been a lifeline
Over the past two years of the pandemic, the rise of telehealth services has become a lifeline for many people within the disabled community. Virtual care has allowed those with disabilities to access care from their homes while significantly lessening their risk of exposure and infection of COVID-19. But many disabled people, particularly disabled women of color, have been left out of the conversation surrounding the risk of reducing telehealth services for patients. Learn more in this interview with disabled women of color.
As in-person care returns, telehealth can continue to be a valuable tool for increasing access to care for many populations beyond the pandemic. Learn more about Virginia Telehealth Networks’ effort toward improving equity in telehealth. Become a member of VTN to gain access to webinars, supplementary materials and other members-only content.