The telehealth revolution has transformed how doctors and patients interact. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, between 50% and 80% of medical visits were conducted via telemedicine, up from just 1% before it. There are many benefits to this trend — increased convenience, the potential to reduce clinical overhead costs, and even new insight into patients’ lives. During a telehealth visit with one of our colleagues, for example, a patient with diabetes picked up a can of sugary cola. In that moment, our colleague saw the barriers to this patient’s diabetes control in a way she would never have during an office visit.
The Pitfalls of Telehealth — and How to Avoid Them
Four lessons from the rocky adoption of electronic health records in the late 2000s.
November 20, 2020
Summary.
Telehealth is a boon but as use has ramped up with the Covid-19 pandemic its downsides are becoming clearer. Unless providers are careful, it can exacerbate disparities in access and increase clinicians’ workloads. Taking a lesson from the adoption of electronic health records, the authors recommend four ways to prevent telehealth’s unintended consequences from undermining its benefits.
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