Tuberculosis was once a disease deemed ultimately fatal once contracted but thanks to modern medicine TB is curable, yet over 1 million people die annually from the disease. With 22 percent of all TB cases occurring in California the CDC recommends the high cost, travel dependent and labor intensive directly observed therapy (DOT) as the most effective treatment. The Center for Connected Health Policy has released a report on what benefits telehealth could bring to the treatment of TB.

Recently, both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed amicus briefs with the US Court of Appeals for Fifth Circuit supporting Teladoc’s case against the Texas Medical Board (TMB). 

Telehealth has the ability to bring patients and doctors who are miles apart face-to-face through the use of technology, but exactly what kind of facilities actually take advantage of the advancements of telehealth?

To help meet the needs of its patients, the Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding its telehealth program, offering more home options for those in rural and underserved communities.

CMS has announced the ten rural hospitals participating in Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) demonstration to test new delivery models in sparsely-populated areas, with the goal of treating more rural Medicare beneficiaries closer to home rather than having them travel long distances for care.

The possibilities of telehealth are endless, yet the industry can be slow and apparently uneager to implement related programs. States have been averse to implementing systems that can provide care to people in rural areas, but times are changing.

Three states will receive $9 million in grants to help train rural physicians in efforts to fight opioid addiction, HHS announced at the meeting of the National Governors Association.

Telemedicine startup Avizia recently raised $11 million in its first round of funding, a milestone that will help the Reston, Virginia-based company further expand its telehealth video chatting platforms.