Telehealth News Recap - November 2021
It can be tough to catch up and keep up with the latest news, trends, interviews, and insights in the virtual care space. That’s why we’re here to do the work for you with our monthly telehealth news recap.
This month, we discuss the rising demand for DTC lab testing, how virtual care utilization is spread differently across patient populations, and the future of telehealth reimbursement.
Wheel News
Wheel Named on Forbes' Next Billion Dollar Startups List for 2021
We are proud to announce Wheel was recently featured on Forbes’ annual list of the 25 venture-backed startups most likely to become unicorns.
Read the full article from Forbes >
Trends & Insights
Direct-To-consumer Lab Testing: Legal, Regulatory, and Clinical Considerations for Companies
Research projects the global market for DTC lab services will reach a 2.4 billion valuation by 2025—prompting digital health companies and labs to start offering consumer-initiated testing. To launch a successful program, these are the critical legal, regulatory, and clinical considerations stakeholders need to consider.
Read the full article from Wheel >
Patients Who Are Most Likely to Use Telehealth
Telehealth adoption took off during the pandemic, but a new study reveals its utilization is not spread evenly across all patient populations. The research uncovered these five insights on how patient demographics used telemedicine and its various modalities in 2020 compared to 2019.
Read the full article from Becker Hospital Review >
These 2 Trends in Healthcare Could Change How You Visit the Doctor
Over the past year and a half, two major changes shifted the way patients view and receive health care. Sparked by the pandemic, these changes are helping to fill the voids left behind by traditional healthcare systems.
Read the full article from Yahoo Finance >
First Opinions & Engaging Conversations
It’s Time to Cement the Expansion of Telehealth
The Medical Director of Telehealth at St. John's Health shares how telehealth became a vital function of her clinic, the lessons she's learned, and her plea for Congress to solidify pandemic-era regulatory flexibilities before they expire.
Read the full article from MedPage Today >
Telehealth Skeptics Miss the Forest for the Trees
Limitations, disparities in outcomes, and high costs associated with telehealth have confronted the U.S. healthcare system. Now, advocates are defending the value of funding and expanding access to telehealth, arguing it's an essential addition to in-person care.
Read the full article from Stat News >
Policy & Regulatory Updates
ATA Urges Biden Admin to Safeguard Telehealth Coverage
The American Telemedicine Association wrote a letter urging Congress to extend the COVID-19 public health emergency through 2022. Doing so would uphold expanded telehealth coverage—buying patients more time and avoiding the impending 'telehealth cliff' should Congress fail to take long-term action.
Read the full article from HealthcareITNews >
Biden Administration Emphasizes Telehealth in Its Infrastructure Strategy
The Biden administration is pressuring Congress to support its Build Back Better plan, which includes initiatives that would link broadband connectivity and telehealth to U.S. infrastructure—ensuring people in rural areas can access the services and resources they need.
Read the full article from mHealth Intelligence >
Growth & Innovation
AAFP Pilots Elation Health EHR to Ease Provider Burden
The American Academy of Family Physicians and EHR-vendor, Elation Health, recently formed a partnership to trial the Direct Primary Care payment model. The model will hopefully create better healthcare experiences for patients and reduce the administrative burden on physicians.
Read the full article from Fierce Healthcare >
Reimbursement Flexibility Is Key to Digital Health Innovation
During HLTH 2021 last week, speakers discussed how regulations impact digital health innovation, the future of telehealth reimbursement, and how data will guide the transition to value-based care.
Read the full article from HealthTech >
At Wheel, we believe healthcare will move forward when we amplify the impact of virtual care for more patients. Find out how Wheel can help launch, scale, and sustain your telehealth business.
