Telemedicine January 2022

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Posted By: Annmarie Budniak January 26, 2022

We are combining our Telemedicine and Virtual Care reports into Telemedicine News and Updates. We are seeking out the latest developments around Telemedicine. How is telemedicine used to benefit patients and care givers? What are the newest innovations in telemedicine technology? How telehealth and virtual care fit into the realm of Telemedicine.

Industry News:

American Telemedicine Association Launches ATA Action, Taking Stronger Stance as the Voice of the Industry, to Advocate for Telehealth Policy and Permanency
The American Telemedicine Association (@AmericanTelemed), the premier organization working to accelerate the adoption of telehealth, launched ATA Action, its new affiliated trade organization focused on ensuring individuals have permanent access to telehealth services across the care continuum. ATA Action will work to support the enactment of state and federal telehealth coverage and appropriate payment policies to secure telehealth access for all Americans, including those in rural and underserved communities. The ATA also announced today that Kyle Zebley, vice president, public policy, will also serve as the executive director of ATA Action.

Wheel Raises $150 Million Series C to Power the Virtual-First Care Revolution
Wheel (@Wheel_Health), the health tech company powering the next generation of healthcare, announced a $150 million Series C round co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Tiger Global. New investors Coatue and Salesforce Ventures participated in the round, along with existing investors CRV, Tusk Venture Partners, and Silverton Partners. This brings Wheel’s total funding to $216 million to date, including a $50 million Series B round in May 2021. Wheel will use this new round of funding to continue accelerating the next chapter of healthcare innovation by helping more companies introduce virtual-first care to their millions of patients.

Amwell Launches “Mind Your Mind” a Mental Health Initiative with Social Ambassador Ashley Tisdale
Amwell® (@amwell), a national telehealth company, announced the launch of “Mind Your Mind” a new mental health initiative designed to raise awareness for mental health issues and help people receive care via a licensed therapist or psychologist through the award-winning Amwell mobile app or desktop experience, at a low cost. As part of this initiative, Amwell is partnering with actress, singer, and mental health advocate Ashley Tisdale and additional social influencers to offer a limited-time promotion ($10 first visit) to people who use the exclusive coupon codes including ASHLEY10 from Dec. 2021 through Feb. 2022.

Let’s Talk Interactive Completes SOC 2 Type 1 Examination
Let’s Talk Interactive (@LetsTalkInter), a provider of customizable telehealth solutions for healthcare providers and organizations, announced that the company has successfully completed its SOC 2 Type I examination.

Product News:

Quest Diagnostics Launches Virtual Preventive Care Service Through QuestDirect™ to Help Individuals Take Control of Their Health
Adults across the country can now access comprehensive virtual preventive care without visiting a doctor’s office through the new Comprehensive Health Profile from QuestDirect™ the consumer-initiated testing platform from Quest Diagnostics (@QuestDX). This new offering evaluates more than 100 health-related data points — combining access to the same laboratory tests doctors order, a behavioral health risk assessment and biometric measurements, such as weight and blood pressure, to give individuals a personalized snapshot of their overall health.

Mitera Launches Peaches&Me and 23Pears At-Home Genetic Tests
Mitera, a telehealth company focused on reproductive health, announced the launch of its at-home reproductive genetic testing products, Peaches&Me™ and 23Pears™, in all 50 states. Peaches&Me is the first non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) that can be requested online directly by patients themselves and administered from home. It screens for conditions such as Down syndrome and predicts fetal sex as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Trailblazing Telemedicine Provider CallonDoc Makes Access to Affordable Healthcare Easier with At-Home Test Kits and Free Delivery
CallonDoc (@callondoc_com), a healthcare provider that gives patients the ability to consult with experienced doctors from the comfort of their own homes, now offers at-home testing kits with free front-door delivery. Priced from $35-$50, the kits enable users to test themselves for various health conditions including diabetes, cholesterol, thyroid, kidney and liver problems and STDs. Each multi-specimen kit arrives in a pre-paid box enabling users to send their specimen(s) to the lab and receive the results within 3-5 days via a patient account containing information and next steps. In the event of a positive result, treatment for the specified condition(s) is included in the price of each kit.

Collaboration News:

19Labs, QT Medical Launch Complete Telehealth Solutions With 12-Lead Resting ECG, Ultrasound, & More
19Labs (@19_labs) and QT Medical announced a collaboration, to bring comprehensive, cost-effective, and intuitive eClinics worldwide. 19Labs’ GALE eClinics come in different form factors such as portable kits, healthcare kiosks, telehealth carts — and have a growing portfolio of 25+ smart diagnostic devices. The inclusion of QT Medical’s PCA 500 further advances GALE eClinic’s extensive diagnostic suite with proprietary algorithms and other powerful features.

RecoveryOne’s Virtual Physical Therapy and Musculoskeletal Solution Now Available to Select Cigna Medicare Advantage Customers as In-Network Benefit
RecoveryOne, a digital health innovator dedicated to improving health outcomes for recovery from musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries of all types and reducing costs, announced it has expanded its collaboration with Cigna to offer virtual physical therapy and a broad MSK solution for Medicare Advantage (MA) customers.

Dubai-Based Al-Futtaim Electronic – Techserve Partners with TytoCare to Expand Digital Health Services
TytoCare (@TytoCare), the global health care industry’s first all-in-one modular device and examination platform for AI-powered, on-demand, remote medical exams, announced its partnership with Al-Futtaim Electronic-Techserve, a group company of Al-Futtaim. The partnership with TytoCare will enable Al-Futtaim to broaden its reach across the healthcare spectrum, covering all touchpoints, from specialists to local clinics.

Teladoc Health Improves Access to Whole-Person Care Through an Expanded Partnership with National Labor Alliance
Teladoc Health (@teladochealth), a global provider of whole-person virtual care, announced an expanded partnership with the National Labor Alliance of Health Care Coalitions (NLA), the largest alliance of labor unions and labor management coalitions, to offer its full suite of virtual care products and services. Teladoc Health’s general medical, specialty care, mental health, expert medical services, chronic condition management, and virtual primary care programs will now be available as part of the exclusive endorsement to the NLA’s Coalitions, their member Funds and their six million members across all 50 states.

Reliq Health Technologies, Inc. Partners with Data Soft Logic to Add over 50,000 New Patients per Year to Reliq’s iUGO Care Platform
Reliq Health Technologies Inc. (@ReliqHealth), a global healthcare technology company that develops Virtual Care solutions, announced an agreement with Data Soft Logic (DSL) to provide iUGO Care to their existing and new clients. The Data Soft Logic platform is a cloud-based home health and hospice care solution that provides a suite of applications including point of care, billing, scheduling, accounting and human resources.

Latest News from the FCC:

FCC Awards Additional $42.7 Million for COVID-19 Telehealth Round 2
The Federal Communications Commission (@fcc) approved an additional 68 applications for funding commitments totaling $42,702,383 for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. This is the FCC’s fifth funding announcement of approved Round 2 applications, bringing the total to over $208 million awarded to health
care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.

Carr Announces Agenda and Panelists for Telehealth Roundtable
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr released the final agenda and panelists for the virtual roundtable being held on Monday, December 6, 2021, starting at 10:00 a.m. EST. The roundtable will provide a forum for health care providers that are participating or seeking to participate in the FCC’s telehealth initiatives to share their experiences, learn from each other’s work, and identify opportunities for both private and public stakeholders to facilitate the successful, longterm implementation of telehealth services.

To Read:

Making Telemedicine Affordable for Every Budget By Joel E. Barthelemy (@globalmed_usa) – Telehealth has one superpower it’s famous for – bringing quality care to the underserved. Virtual visits can level the playing field between patients who enjoy multiple options for specialty care and advanced treatment and those who go without essential care. But to fill the care gap, two conditions must be met.

To Listen:

HealthcareNOW Radio Telehealth Playlist
The Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines telehealth as “the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration.” To learn more and find out about the latest in telehealth tune in to the episodes on this playlist. Additionally, be sure to read HCNR’s Friday Five which recaps the site’s month long concentration on telehealth.

Defining the Industry According to the AAFP:

Telemedicine is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance. It occurs using a telecommunications infrastructure between a patient (at an originating or spoke site) and a physician or other practitioner licensed to practice medicine (at a distant or hub site).

Virtual Care is a patient service model for healthcare providers.

Telehealth refers to a broad collection of electronic and telecommunications technologies that support health care delivery and services from distant locations. Telehealth technologies support virtual medical, health, and education services.

Hashtags to follow for updates on Telemedicine:

Telehealth.HHS.gov
During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, we don’t have to choose between medical care and social distancing. When patients can get health care through telehealth — and doctors can provide it — we protect ourselves and our communities. The Telehealth.HHS.gov website provides information about the latest federal efforts to support and promote telehealth services.

The American Telemedicine Association Events
ATA is a non-profit association based in Washington DC with a membership network of more than 10,000 industry leaders and healthcare professionals. We are a leading telehealth association helping to transform healthcare by improving the quality, equity and affordability of healthcare throughout the world. Find their next event.

Upcoming Events

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ATA Edge Policy Conference (@AmericanTelemed)

What: ATA EDGE Policy Conference
When: January 12, 19, 26, and February 2, 2021
Where: Four Week Series of Virtual Events
Register Now.

The ATA EDGE Policy Conference will focus on the latest state and federal telehealth policies and temporary waivers put in place in response to COVID-19, and the strategies to make access to telehealth permanently available following the public health emergency. This four-week virtual series of two-hour sessions, January 12, 19, 26, and February 2, will convene thought leaders, policymakers, and pundits to discuss post-election perspectives, explore the implications for telehealth, and highlight the modalities that can bridge the gap for vulnerable populations, rural communities, and deliver quality care when and where it’s needed.

ATA2022 Annual Conference & Expo (@AmericanTelemed)

What: ATA2022 Annual Conference & Expo
When: May 1-3, 2022
Where: In Person Boston, MA
Register Now.

ATA2022 will showcase a mix of practical applications of telehealth – from preventative and primary care to behavioral health and other areas of specialty care — and hands-on workshops, mixed with luminary vision of important next steps for telehealth’s future.