CM107 unit 8 Discussion
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University of Phoenix *
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Course
107
Subject
Medicine
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by ProfessorStrawNewt20
Telehealth medicine is not a new technology in the medical field. However, the effects of
covid-19 pandemic have had on the demand for more use of telehealth technology has been
astronomical. Per (Trends in the use of telehealth during the emergency of the covid-19
pandemic, 2020) Telehealth is the use of two-way telecommunications technologies to provide
clinical services through virtual means.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2019 the use of telehealth visits increased by
more than 4000 percent in the first couple of months of the pandemic (Panmanabhan,2020).
However, before the pandemic telehealth office visits were rarely heard about due to all the
restrictions in place from Medicare, Medicaid and other payers had on the reimbursement for
such visits. Since the pandemic Medicare and Medicaid have waived those restrictions because
of the cares act bill. Which have mad telehealth visit more accessible for people to use (Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid services, 2021; public law 116-136, 2020)
Telehealth visits were encouraged greatly during the worldwide lock down to help
prevent the spread of the virus and to also help with the demand for medical care while clinics
and doctor’s offices were closed due to the lock down. It was also thought that it would help save
on supplies like gloves, masks, and other protective gear so that the hospitals that remained open
and full of covid patients would have more supplies to operate with. In additions telehealth made
it possible for doctors all over the world to consult virtually with other providers, for providers to
consult with the patient’s family and for the patient and the family to communicate virtually
during these difficult and scary times that are filled with so much uncertainty (Emerson, 2020).
The pandemic has affected telehealth services also for mental healthcare. Since
the stay-at-home order was issued it was feared that suicide rates would go up with people not
being able to go to work or to go anywhere and children not having any interaction with other
children because school closings. The isolation people were feeling added to the reason why
telehealth visits for preventive mental health services have risen more than ever before.
As
people are ordered to stay home the possibility of increased depression, suicidal thoughts and
other mental health disorders is possible because of the effects of covid-19. Furthermore these
services now can reach people that were not possible before in places like rural aeras and other
places that have limited mental health resources because more than 90% of all psychologists and
psychiatrists and 80% of Master of Social Work, work exclusively in the metropolitan aeras
(Pfender 2020).
In conclusion, covid-19 pandemic has had a lot of effects on telehealth services
weather it be medical or mental health services. The technology has come further over the past
year than it has in the past decade because of the pandemic and there is going to be a lot of
decisions that will need to be made when this pandemic is over about what waivers will stay in
place and what ones will go. One thing that is for sure telehealth services have been
revolutionized and people all over the world will be waiting to see what the future holds for these
services.
References page
Koonin LM, Hoots B, Tsang CA, et al. Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the
Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January–March 2020. MMWR Morb
Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69:1595–1599. DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6943a3external icon.
Paddy Padmanabhan, August 4, 2020
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/blog/has-telehealth-hit-high-watermark
Ron Emerson, Global Healthcare Lead, October 6,2020 – Transforming the Medical
Landscape: Telehealth Before, During & After COVID-19
https://blog.zoom.us/transforming-medical-landscape-telehealth-before-during-after-
covid-19/
Emily Pfender MA, RBT J Patient Exp. 2020 Aug; 7(4): 433–435.
Published online 2020 Aug 6. doi: 10.1177/2374373520948436
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7415938/
https://www.cms.gov/medicare/covid-19-accelerated-and-advance-payments
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2021; public law 116-136, 2020
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