he American Academy of Neurology released an update to their 2014 position statement on telehealth in which they reiterate their call for expanding its use.
“Telehealth won’t replace all in-person neurologic care, but for people with neurologic conditions, it has been shown to complement it,” Jaime Hatcher-Martin, MD, PhD, of SOC Telemed in Reston, Virginia, said in a press release. “It is also important that people have options. In addition to video visits, telehealth visits by phone are essential to ensure access to care for people who either cannot afford or who do not have access to highspeed broadband internet.”
The update to the 2014 statement, which was published in Neurology, “reflects recent advances in telehealth practice and research and changes in related regulations, policies, and legislation,” Hatcher-Martin and colleagues wrote. They called for policies that limit “unnecessary restrictions” to virtual health care and outlined factors that impact the delivery of telehealth, including access, standards, reimbursement, practicing across state borders, professional liability and care coordination with local providers.
The researchers outlined multiple benefits of telehealth, including improved access to neurological care; greater comfort, convenience and safety; decreased travel time and related costs; and earlier intervention, among others. Hatcher-Martin and colleagues also noted that “video visits have proven to be cost-effective,” though they acknowledged that these visits do not decrease practice-related expenses compared with in-person visits because of needs related to technical infrastructure and support.
Barriers to access, research gaps
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