It was amazing, and lifesaving, to see how quickly healthcare could move online during the pandemic. Healthcare facilities stepped up their game by bringing in the technology, patients stepped by learning how to use it and government stepped up by relaxing rules on reimbursement and licensure. To keep up the momentum we must continue to have engagement from all three players – and the one that seems most precarious is the relaxed rules.

The folks at Brookings recognized this and came up with a report that makes recommendations to help continue use and growth of telehealth…

1. Federal and state governments must continue telehealth availability and use in a post-pandemic environment through codifying its use, especially in legislation.
2. Modality neutrality must become a standard practice to adequately address digital disparities, and ensure full use of remote health care.
3. The U.S. must adopt a federal privacy standard to ensure patient/ provider confidentiality and reduce risks to data
4. The larger health care community must understand that they, too, are part of efforts to close the national digital divide through training, device availabilities, and online consumer engagement.
5. States and localities must prioritize telehealth in their broadband plan and include local stakeholders.
6. Telehealth should be incorporated in value-based payment initiatives.
7. The incorporation of AI into telehealth must prioritize equity and fairness.

I think it’s helpful for those of us outside of healthcare and/or policy field to see all that is required to make or sustain such a social shift in how we do things. But it’s really the fourth and fifth points that will relate to most readers. Access to healthcare is a compelling reason to strive for better broadband, especially in areas where physical healthcare facilities are not nearby. Remember to invite healthcare folks to your broadband planning meetings and remember to include telehealth training into your digital equity efforts.