Recent Telehealth Trends, Insights and News - Sept 2024
NASA and telemedicine, The Fourth Wave of Healthcare and DEA prepares ruling on controlled subtances
It can be hard to stay on top of all the news, trends, technology and insights breaking through in the digital health space. That’s why, while you focus on serving your patients, we do the work for you with this July telehealth recap.
With that being said—curious about what’s new in telehealth? Stay up to date on NASA taking telehealth to space, the DEA prepares to issue another ruling on controlled substance prescribing via telehealth and gain insight into the “Fourth Wave” of healthcare.
Technology, News and Insights
NASA to Test Telemedicine, Gather Essential Health Data with Polaris Dawn Crew
As part of the Polaris Dawn mission with SpaceX, the crew will conduct research to better understand how exposure to space conditions affects the human body. The crew will test new medical approaches and technology on telemedicine capabilities, gather data on space motion sickness, and better characterize flight-associated injury risks. The crew will test drive a commercial device that can collect and integrate measurements of health, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and temperature.
Read the full NASA article here >>
Telehealth Groups Urge Feds To Extend Virtual Prescribing Flexibilities
The American Telehealth Association is calling it a “predictive and preventable crisis”. Healthcare stakeholders are also calling on Congress and the White House to extend the flexibility. The 330 organizations who have signed on to the effort say the pandemic-era allowances have allowed for uninterrupted access to essential care. Others, like the Rural Health Organization, are asking for a two year extension of the remote care flexibilities.
Read the full Healthcare IT News article >>
Policy and Regulatory
DEA Prepares to Issue Permanent Rule on Telehealth Prescribing
The DEA is in its final stages of its rulemaking process for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth. Leaked details reveal they may be taking a more restrictive approach than previously thought. According to the American Journal of Managed Care, the draft telemedicine prescribing rule limits the types of medications that can be prescribed using telehealth and mandates that half of all prescriptions be conducted in person. Sen Mark Warner (D) also responded to the restriction reports.
Read the full AJMC article here >>
House Committee Passes Telehealth Flexibility Extension
The previous telehealth flexibilities are set to expire by the end of the year. As the deadline looms, the legislation, called the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024, was unanimously passed in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It will now be sent to the House floor to await considering.
Read the full HealthCareDive article here >>
Industry Conversations
While The Industry Debates The Future Of Telehealth, Acute Telemedicine Is [Literally] Keeping Rural Hospitals’ Doors Open
The news of UnitedHealth Group ending its telemedicine offerings stirred up headlines like “telehealth is dead”. However, this article aims to paint a more accurate picture of U.S. healthcare. While those in urban cities often have ample access to quality healthcare options, the 66 million living in rural areas aren’t as fortunate. Telehealth may just be the key to keeping rural hospital doors open.
Read the full Becker’s Health IT article here >>
How The Fourth Wave Of Healthcare Will Empower Physicians
Healthcare is seeing a shift into what’s being termed “The Fourth Wave” - an era defined by the integration of digital health innovations, software development and data science. It marks a significant transition from reactive to proactive medicine. However this synergy between human experience and machine intelligence will only be possible if integrated into medical education. This is where the article aims to provide some insight into as well the role of innovation in this new predictive model.
Read the full Forbes article here >>
Growth, Funding and Innovation
Kaiser Permanente, Walgreens' CareCentrix Back Vesta Healthcare's $65M Round
Virtual care provider Vesta Healthcare announced the close of $65 million in series C funding with new debt financing. The round brings the company to a total of $160 million raised since 2019.
Read the full press release here >>
VA Makes Tele-Emergency Care Available Nationwide, Offering Veterans More Virtual Care Options
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that tele-emergency care is now available nationwide, a step that increases timely access to virtual emergency care options for Veterans enrolled in VA health care. The previously piloted program helped 61,182 callers with a 59.4% case resolution rate.
Read the full VA press release here >>
OpenLoop News and Resources
The Current State of Telehealth Insurance Coverage
The topic of telehealth insurance coverage can stir up some confusion. Although this technology can improve patient quality of care and enhance healthcare efficiency, telehealth policies may limit its benefits. This uncertainty among healthcare leaders who aren’t sure whether they should adopt virtual care into their workflow or leave it on the back burner. As leaders in virtual care, we want to bring you clarity on this subject so you can make informed decisions.
Read the full OpenLoop blog here >>
Can GLP-1s for Weight Loss Be Covered by Medicaid?
GLP-1 receptor agonists, often known by their brand names like Zepbound™ and Ozempic®, have gained considerable attention due to their weight loss capabilities. However, paying for these branded GLP-1 medications is one of the biggest access hurdles patients face. Paying out of pocket is simply out of the question for many, and even some private health insurance plans are reluctant to cover them. But what does coverage look like for public insurers like Medicaid? Read on to find out!