Raising The Stakes In Telehealth

By Vicki Amendola, Editor, Health IT Outcomes

The tumultuous landscape of healthcare in America today has providers and patients alike looking for the best options to balance patient outcomes and cost. Healthcare reform continues to be a moving target, and managed care, medical homes, and ACOs (accountable care organizations) appear to be the wave of the future. Couple all of this with continued cuts in healthcare funding, and rising healthcare costs, and we are in the midst of a very daunting battle indeed. Despite the financial challenges, increased access to appropriate healthcare resources is necessary if we are to improve the health status of all Americans. The University of Kentucky recognized this critical need more than a decade ago, becoming a strong advocate of leveraging telehealth to bridge the gap between patient and provider. The University, along with the state, has become a driving force behind ongoing telehealth integration and legislation.