Dr. Joyce Tracks Impact of Expanded Telehealth Services, Encourages Reliable Access in Rural Communities
Washington, DC At today's Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing entitled "The Future of Telehealth: How COVID-19 is Changing the Delivery of Virtual Care," Congressman John Joyce, M.D. discussed the increasing prevalence of telehealth and its impact on patient cost and accessibility. Additionally, he urged the inclusion of telehealth training in for medical students and other professionals.
"The increase of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred substantial changes in the delivery of care," said Dr. Joyce. "Last year when Congress acted to provide the Secretary of Health and Human Services with additional flexibilities surrounding telehealth, I don't think that any of us envisioned the full impact this would have. The pivot to telehealth has raised new questions surrounding patient access, cost, rural availability, and even privacy and security."
During the hearing, Dr. Joyce asked the expert witnesses to discuss the challenges they have faced while providing telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as solutions to these barriers. He raised concerns about access in rural communities, including those he represents in Pennsylvania. Dr. Joyce and the witnesses also discussed the importance of training emerging medical professionals to maximize the effectiveness of telehealth resources.
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