Author Archives: Erin Mallonee, Rebecca McGavin, and Saira Haque

About Erin Mallonee, Rebecca McGavin, and Saira Haque

Saira Haque leads RTI's telehealth research portfolio. She is an informaticist who has led a variety of evaluation, technical assistance, development and implementation projects in areas such as telehealth, vaccine barcoding and interoperability.

Telehealth and Medicare: What Happens After the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends?

What is telehealth? Telehealth involves using technology to facilitate healthcare interactions but has not been used extensively in Medicare in the past. The use of telehealth may be particularly relevant where there are geographic barriers such as a lack of local providers or a public health emergency such as the coronavirus pandemic. There are a… Read More »

What’s next for virtual care after the pandemic?

By | October 6, 2020

In March, CMS and other Federal agencies announced temporary telehealth policy changes in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.  These changes promoted continued access to care while allowing for physical distancing.  Virtual care encounters have increased since March.  However, as the public health emergency has continued, there are questions about the future of virtual… Read More »

Telehealth for Addiction: Online Support Groups

The current requirements for social distancing affect support groups for people with substance use disorders, but online support groups may provide the perfect solution. This post is the first in a series of planned posts on telehealth for addiction. COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV2, is putting tremendous strain on all… Read More »

Updated guidance on using telehealth during this public health emergency

By | April 15, 2020

Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled new guidance about using telehealth during this public health emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak.  This guidance will help increase access to telehealth services.  In addition, this will help people receive care who may not be able to visit their providers in person.  While the… Read More »

Using Telehealth to Fight the Novel Coronavirus

By | March 10, 2020

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is spreading across the US and around the world. Can providers use telehealth to help  identify and manage the novel coronavirus while helping organizations manage capacity and prevent the spread of COVID-19?  Read on to find out more. Because of its airborne person-to-person transmission, coronavirus and related… Read More »

The Changing Telehealth Policy Landscape

Although telehealth has been in use for quite some time, uptake has been low. In particular, an inconsistent policy landscape presents a number of obstacles, such as site restrictions on where telehealth can be delivered, provider restrictions on who can deliver services, and reimbursement restrictions around payment for services. However, some recently developed policies aim… Read More »

Using Telehealth to Deliver Care to Patients When and Where They Need It

By | September 24, 2019

Many issues affect the delivery of care to patients who are most in need. Particularly, those who live in rural areas or those who need specialized care may not have access to the care they need.  Patients whose care transitions across acute care and long-term/post-acute care (LTPAC) settings may have additional challenges in receiving coordinated… Read More »