How will this Toolkit help me?
This Toolkit will help you:
- Identify types of telehealth services
- Employ efficient telehealth workflows
- Understand the impact of key regulations
Introduction
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, an aging population, geographic and sociodemographic disparities in access to care, and health care professional workforce shortages drove the desire for virtual care. With the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), telehealth services became critical to ensure access to care, reduce patient and health care provider exposure to disease, protect vulnerable populations, conserve personal protective equipment, and improve clinical outcomes. As a result, the PHE and related federal and state waivers, executive orders, and legislation exponentially accelerated the adoption of telehealth.
While the PHE may eventually expire, many practices have now experienced the benefits of telehealth. A recent American Medical Association survey revealed that 70% of physicians stated that their organization would likely continue using telehealth in the future. Patient satisfaction rates with telehealth services are also high, and physicians concur that the patient experience is enhanced by telehealth.
However, the nationwide adoption and growth of telehealth led many practices to revert to the “doctor does it all” model of practice—an approach that is neither sustainable nor effective. This Toolkit and the related AMA STEPS Forward® Toolkit on Telehealth and Team-Based Care describe STEPS to successfully integrate and optimize telehealth in your practice with team-based care models and workflows in mind.
Access the complete Toolkit
Learn how to integrate and optimize telehealth in your practice in a sustainable way with the complete Toolkit PDF.
Disclaimer: AMA STEPS Forward® content is provided for informational purposes only, is believed to be current and accurate at the time of posting, and is not intended as, and should not be construed to be, legal, financial, medical, or consulting advice. Physicians and other users should seek competent legal, financial, medical, and consulting advice. AMA STEPS Forward® content provides information on commercial products, processes, and services for informational purposes only. The AMA does not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or services and mention of the same in AMA STEPS Forward® content is not an endorsement or recommendation. The AMA hereby disclaims all express and implied warranties of any kind related to any third-party content or offering. The AMA expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on AMA STEPS Forward® content.