The coronavirus pandemic has forced people inside and put unprecedented strain on our nation’s hospitals. Together, these factors have made it nearly impossible for patients to seek routine medical care in person.
As a result, an increasing number have turned to telehealth. Remotely delivered care isn’t new. But it took the spread of the coronavirus to push it into the mainstream. Telehealth is already distinguishing itself as a crucial tool in the fight against COVID-19 and can serve us long after this pandemic subsides.
Overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and anxious to contain the virus, hospitals such as NYU Langone Health have begun directing patients to consult with doctors by phone, computer, or tablet. NYU Langone recently added 1,300 providers to its telehealth network, as virtual visits skyrocketed from around 60 per day to 1,000 per day.
The Cleveland Clinic logged over 60,000 telehealth consultations in March, nearly 20 times their usual 3,400 monthly visits. Since January, the telehealth company Amwell has seen a 158% increase in the use of its app nationwide.
The government and private insurers have shifted their reimbursement policies to encourage telehealth. In many cases, doctors now receive the same payment for telehealth consultations as they would for in-person visits. Previously, telehealth payments were less than half as much. The Trump administration has further encouraged telehealth by making it available to all Medicare beneficiaries and letting doctors conduct virtual visits across state lines.
We shouldn’t abandon telehealth when the COVID-19 outbreak subsides. The country is facing a shortage of up to 122,000 doctors by 2032, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Telehealth can alleviate that shortage by enhancing the productivity of individual doctors and allow them to remotely meet the needs of patients in areas where the shortage is most acute.
We shouldn’t need to wait for a public health emergency to expand our reliance on telehealth.
Sally C. Pipes is president, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith fellow in healthcare policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her latest book is False Premise, False Promise: The Disastrous Reality of Medicare for All (Encounter 2020). Follow her on Twitter @sallypipes.
