Caitlin Clement|3/2/2023|3 min read

Recent Telehealth Trends, Insights and News - February 2023

FDA advisors recommend RSV vaccine, Axena Health receives $25M and tips on expanding clinician licensure

What's new in telemedicine for February 2023?

It can be hard to stay on top of all the news, trends, technology and insights breaking through in the digital health space. The industry continues to grow faster each day. That’s why, while you focus on serving your patients, we’ll do the work for you with our monthly telehealth recap. 

Curious about what’s new in telemedicine? Stay up-to-date on the recent RSV vaccine, predicted virtual care market growth and the digital health companies leading specialized care.

Technology, Insights and News

Telehealth Boosts Visit Frequency Among Type 1 Diabetes Patients

A recent research survey published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology found that the use of telehealth increased clinic attendance while lowering physician-related distress among adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes. The article dives deeper into the background of the study, the groups used as well as a more detailed review of the results.

Read the full mHealthIntelligence article here >>

Paving The Way For The World's First RSV Vaccine, FDA Advisers Recommend Shot From Pfizer

In a narrow vote, Food and Drug Administration advisers recommended Tuesday that the agency approve the country's first RSV vaccine for older people, a shot from Pfizer for people ages 60 and up. The single-dose shot was shown to reduce the risk of illness from respiratory syncytial virus by as much as 86%.The article also addresses next steps and the work toward evaluating a similar RSV vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline.

Read the full ABC article here >>

Policy and Regulatory Updates

DEA Announces Proposed Rules for Permanent Telemedicine Flexibilities

In a press release by the DEA, they announced proposed permanent rules for the prescribing of controlled medications via telemedicine. Additionally, the proposed rules would provide safeguards for a narrow subset of telemedicine consultations. The press release goes further into the eligibility and what the result of the new rules would be.

Read the full DEA press release here >>

Industry Conversations

Q&A: Innovating in maternal health to address 3 key factors

AMA spoke with OBGYN Erika C. Gibson, MD, MPH and co-author of a case study report on their cocoon pregnancy care model done by The Southeast Permanente Medical Group. The purpose of this digital care model is to close the care gaps in prenatal care and lower the high rates of maternal mortality in the U.S. Read on to learn more about the program and Dr. Gibson.

Read the full AMA article here >>

Digital Health Tools Propel Chronic Condition management to a new age of care

Chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, are the leading causes of death and disability according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and a 2017 RAND report. This article talks about innovations in digital health, like AI and remote patient monitoring, care teams better collect, monitor and act upon patient health data to make real-time changes to treatment plans.

Read the full Medical Economic article here >> 

DEA Proposed Rule On Remote Prescribing Draws Criticism

The DEA rule, released late Friday, would end most of the pandemic-era flexibilities that temporarily halted the 2008 Ryan Haight Act and allowed providers to prescribe controlled substances virtually without an in-person appointment. If finalized, Schedule II drugs will go back to fully requiring an in-person visit before prescribing it virtually. Read on to hear the discussion surrounding this proposed rule.

Read the full Digital Health Business & Technology article here >>

Industry Growth and Innovation

Digital Health and Wellness Market Worth $1.103 Trillion by 2028 - Yahoo Finance

According to Arizona Advisory & Intelligence latest research report, the digital health and wellness market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 22% from 2022 - 2028. The continued interest in the adoption of telehealth, the growing reign of AI and data analytics are significant factors for driving the market. 

Read the full PRNewswire press release here >>

Axena Health Secures $25M Series A Investment to Accelerate Global Adoption of Digital Health Treatment for Female Incontinence

Axena Health, Inc. (Axena Health), a newly-formed commercial-stage medical device company focused on women’s pelvic health, today announced a $25 million Series A investment from AXA IM Alts through its Global Healthcare Private Equity Strategy.

Read press release here >>

OpenLoop News

12 D2C Digital Healthcare Companies Leading Specialized Care

These companies focus on care services covering women+ health, sexual and reproductive health, chronic disease management, mental and behavioral health and more. As the virtual care world turns to a more personalized care approach, here are some of the companies leading the charge.

Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>

How To Expand Your Clinician Licensure

Obtaining your medical license can be a challenging and time consuming process, but expanding your licensure can open up new opportunities to practice what you love. Whether you’re right out of residency looking for a permanent position, exploring locum tenens or moving to a new state, we have a few tips that can help make the process easier.

Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>