Remote cardiology clinic visits during COVID-19 were used more often by certain traditionally underserved patient groups, but were also associated with less frequent testing and prescribing, new research shows. Neal Yuan “The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented shift…
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Amazon Jumps Into Healthcare With Telemedicine Initiative
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Amazon is making its first foray into providing healthcare services, announcing Wednesday that it will be offering its Amazon Care telemedicine program to employers nationwide. Currently available to the company’s employees in Washington state, Amazon…
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Pandemic Slices Medicare Physician Spending in First Half of 2020: AMA
Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, physician spending in the fee-for-service Medicare program was $9.4 billion less than expected — a drop of 19% — in the…
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More Competition for Docs as Insurers Boost New Telehealth Plans?
United Healthcare recently became the latest major insurer to offer a “virtual primary care service.” Initially, the service will be part of some employer-sponsored insurance plans in 11 states. United intends to expand its footprint next year. United is using…
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Researcher offers lessons learned from a pre-pandemic study of telemedicine use
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has become a new norm for many routine and non-emergency medical needs. But there are lessons to be learned from telemedicine’s use—or lack thereof—prior to the pandemic, and a new study from…
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From 84 days to 5 hours: Telemedicine reduces dermatology consult time
A new study from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Independence Blue Cross shows that when patients’ primary care doctors were able to photograph areas of concern and share them with dermatologists, the…
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Coronavirus has forced doctors, insurers to embrace telemedicine like never before
When pain radiated from Fred Thomas’ neck down his arm and he couldn’t feel his fingers anymore, he knew it was time to talk to a doctor. After getting an MRI ordered by his primary-care doctor, the 49-year-old land surveyor…
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