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VA Eliminates Licensure Barrier to Interstate Telemedicine

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As part of the new “Anywhere to Anywhere VA Health Care Initiative,” Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) providers will soon be able to provide telehealth services across state lines regardless of the state’s licensing rules. The goal is to create a national telemedicine network that can reach veterans in their homes or at locations outside VA hospitals. Effective June 11, the change is expected to increase access to care by making more clinicians available for appointments for patients in rural, remote, or medically underserved areas. Read more

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New Budget Deal Boosts Telemedicine Coverage

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Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed into law a bipartisan budget deal that impacts Medicare’s telemedicine coverage more than any past legislation, as described by one senator. After a brief government shutdown, Congress approved a two-year budget deal including parts of the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act, the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act, and the Increasing Telehealth Access to Medicare Act. Read more

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The Year Ahead in Healthcare Delivery

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In 2017, we watched the beginning of a trend toward value-based and patient-centered care, but where is healthcare delivery headed in the coming months? As 2018 unfolds, we at swyMed expect continued growth in patient-centered care, particularly in the following areas: Read more

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How Does the Net Neutrality Repeal Affect Telemedicine?

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Last month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 along partisan lines to repeal the 2015 ruling that instituted net neutrality. When the repeal takes effect in February, internet service providers (ISPs) will no longer be prohibited from blocking or slowing particular web content, or from charging distinct prices for different connection speeds. While some experts welcome the freedom of an open internet, transparency rules, and the stimulation of business development, others are more skeptical of the ramifications of such a move on the telemedicine industry and its patients. Read more

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Tele-Nephrology Brings Dialysis to Rural Areas

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A pilot program in Kentucky has shown that tele-nephrology can deliver dialysis treatments and other needed care effectively in rural areas. Doctors at the University of Cincinnati teamed up with Dialysis Clinics Inc. to bring dialysis to Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville, Kentucky, to treat patients who needed medical, surgical, or critical care. Two-thirds of the patients were treated successfully and discharged. Now, the hospital provides around-the-clock care to patients with kidney and electrolyte disorders. Read more

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USDA Announces Grants for Rural Telemedicine

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On November 19, in honor of National Rural Health Day, the U.S. Department of Agriculture bestowed $23.4 million in awards to expand rural telemedicine and mental health services, as well as distance education, for 75 projects in 31 states. The grants will help increase access to health care in rural areas with a shortage of providers for emergency medical care, routine examinations, virtual rounds, behavioral health services, and specialty services. Read more