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As the novel coronavirus COVID-19 continues to spread, medical systems around the world are stretched thin. And with people practicing social distancing and staying at home to slow the spread of the virus, more medical consultations are moving online. Telehealth, or telemedicine, allows patients to meet with doctors and other medical personnel via video over the internet, often through a thirdparty videoconferencing platform. While the technology has existed for years, the urgency of avoiding in-person contact and facilities where people with COVID19 are being treated, as well as the possible cost savings of virtual visits, have led to a recent surge in its popularity. In fact, when IF vendor Sykes recently surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults, two-thirds said that COVID-19 has made them more willing to try telehealth options, with one-quarter reporting that they had not considered it before the outbreak.
According to telemedicine provider American Well's Telehealth Index: 2019 Physician Survey, 20% of physicians use this technology, an increase of 15% since 2015. More than 60% who are not currently using it also indicated that they would be likely to start in the next two years. But providers appear to be reticent about telehealth due to prohibitive costs. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the American Medical Association (AMA) noted, "despite regulatory and legislative changes to encourage the use of telemedicine, the financial burden of implementing it may be a continuing barrier for small practices." These costs can include setting up expensive IT infrastructure and ensuring that this infrastructure is secure against cyberattacks and compliant with HIPAA regulations governing patient confidentiality.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a $200 million program to help fund telehealth programs to encourage adoption among U.S. health care providers. The FCC will provide up to $1 million per facility with a particular emphasis on underfunded facilities that rely mostly...