5 More Takeaways About the Telehealth Boom

The second of a two-part story on 10 takeaways about the telehealth boom. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a bumpy ride in the U.S., featuring one controversy after another. One of the few areas of agreement is that the widespread adoption of telehealth amid the pandemic has been, by and large, a positive development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a bumpy ride in the United States, featuring one controversy after another. One of the few areas of agreement is that the widespread adoption of telehealth amid the pandemic has been, by and large, a positive development.

Here are the remaining 5 takeaways about the telehealth boom.

6. Telehealth has a role in inpatient care

Doctors attending to patients who are at home has fueled the COVID-19 telehealth boom, but telehealth is also playing a role in inpatient care. “During [the pandemic], we also found ways to implement telehealth among our inpatients in the hospital,” Pageler says. “This allowed physicians to care for patients in isolation while minimizing the spread of infection and conserving personal protective equipment, such as masks and gowns.”

Antall says many overwhelmed hospitals have had to “beam in” specialists from parts of the country with fewer COVID-19 cases. “We also saw telehealth as an important way for the ‘worried well’ to see a doctor from the comfort of their home so they didn’t have to take up critical space in emergency rooms if not necessary,” he says.