Doctors and patients are calling for more telehealth. Where is it?
1 min read
Summary
US doctors are only licensed to practice medicine in the state in which their qualifications are registered, meaning they cannot prescribe treatments across state lines without taking on more bureaucratic tasks.
Telehealth has proven effective as a solution, with convenience for the patient and potential to access otherwise inaccessible specialist advice or rare expertise, but the licensing issue still applies.
With the surge in popularity of telehealth sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress extended the Medicare coverage of telehealth provision until March 2025, but doctors are pushing for permanent regulations to be established.
Alternative solutions are being proposed, such as a centralised compact for doctors to register for telehealth privileges across all participating states, and programmes allowing easier reciprocity between neighbouring states.