It took a pandemic for Americans to use this health-care innovation

[libertybele]

Yes, in some instances tele-health appointments certainly help people to avoid others that are sick in waiting rooms for a simple diagnosis and treatment, but telehealth appointments IMHO are very limited in benefit.  A doctor cannot listen to your heart, take your blood pressure, look into your ears or up your sinus cavities, listen to your lungs, etc.  In addition, many appointments (at least in my area) were rescheduled and doctors offices are still trying to catch up.  Many patients avoided going to the ER.  There was also a great reduction in procedures and laboratory testing (other than COVID).  The shutdown in hospitals, and other medical facilities and medical care that was experienced was harmful. 

It took a pandemic for Americans to use this health-care innovation

It took a worldwide pandemic for the decades-old promise of telehealth to make real-world sense in America.

Telehealth has long been heralded as a game-changer that can improve care and potentially lower health-care costs. Yet few patients and doctors had any interest in using it until March, when COVID-19 lockdowns forced large swaths of the population to stay home and fear of contracting the coronavirus largely kept people away from hospitals and physicians’ offices.

“You hear people in the telehealth industry talking about what they’ve been working on for 10-plus years,” said Kristi Henderson, senior vice president of innovation and telehealth for UnitedHealth Group’s Optum business. “In a matter of weeks [they] had more accomplishments than over that entire decade.”

Millions of Americans have called, messaged or chatted online with a health-care provider since March, essentially putting into effect the first national large-scale experiment of telehealth’s potential. To some degree, the experiment is working. A recent survey conducted by the consulting firm West Monroe found that one-quarter of 1,500 Americans would prefer to use telehealth over in-person visits once the pandemic ends.

“New ideas are being put out there and tested,” said Eric Mayeda, analytics leader at health-care advisory firm Chartis Group. “It’s kind of the cauldron of innovation that we’re seeing right now.”.............

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/it-took-a-pandemic-for-americans-to-use-this-health-care-innovation-11603460547?mod=home-page