Abstract

Early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, in-person ambulatory health care visits declined by 60% across the United States, while telehealth* visits increased, accounting for up to 30% of total care provided in some locations (1,2). In March 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated regulations and guidance changing telehealth provisions during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, including the elimination of geographic barriers and enhanced reimbursement for telehealth services† (3-6). The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers a voluntary weekly Health Center COVID-19 Survey§ to track health centers' COVID-19 testing capacity and the impact of COVID-19 on operations, patients, and staff. CDC and HRSA analyzed data from the weekly COVID-19 survey completed by 1,009 HRSA-funded health centers (health centers¶) for the week of July 11-17, 2020, to describe telehealth service use in the United States by U.S. Census region,** urbanicity,†† staffing capacity, change in visit volume, and personal protective equipment (PPE) supply. Among the 1,009 health center respondents, 963 (95.4%) reported providing telehealth services. Health centers in urban areas were more likely to provide >30% of health care visits virtually (i.e., via telehealth) than were health centers in rural areas. Telehealth is a promising approach to promoting access to care and can facilitate public health mitigation strategies and help prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory illnesses, while supporting continuity of care. Although CMS's change of its telehealth provisions enabled health centers to expand telehealth by aligning guidance and leveraging federal resources, sustaining expanded use of telehealth services might require additional policies and resources.

Highlights

  • Limited data are available on expansion of virtual health care visits among U.S. health centers during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • During July 11–17, 2020, 963 (95.4%) of 1,009 Health Resources and Services Administration–funded health centers that responded to a voluntary weekly survey reported providing telehealth services

  • What are the implications for public health practice?Telehealth is a promising approach to promoting and expanding access to care, especially in the South and rural areas; this cost-effective modality can facilitate public health mitigation strategies and prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory illnesses, while supporting continuity of care

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Summary

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Telehealth Practice Among Health Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, July 11–17, 2020. CDC and HRSA analyzed data from the weekly COVID-19 survey completed by 1,009 HRSA-funded health centers (health centers¶) for the week of July 11–17, 2020, to describe telehealth service use in the United States by U.S Census region,** urbanicity,†† staffing capacity, change in visit volume, and personal protective equipment (PPE) supply. CMS’s change of its telehealth provisions enabled health centers to expand telehealth by aligning guidance and leveraging federal resources, sustaining expanded use of telehealth services might require additional policies and resources This analysis used Health Center COVID-19 Survey data for the week of July 11–17, 2020; the response rate was 73.2% (1,009 of 1,379 health centers). Characteristics of health centers* by percentage of visits provided using telehealth and factors associated with telehealth expansion (N = 1,009) — Health Center COVID-19 Survey, United States, July 11–17, 2020. Region Northeast Midwest South West U.S territories and freely associated states§

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Discussion
What is added by this report?
What are the implications for public health practice?
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