The Hartford Healthcare Medical Group continues to conduct more than 25,000 virtual visits a month, despite restrictions being lifted. As the pandemic recedes, providers say that appointments over the phone and video calls will continue to function, as it has been successful for both doctors and patients.
Remote work is reaching every sector, including the health industry. While it was an emergency measurement because of the pandemic, telehealth will continue to occur in Connecticut.
Connecticut and Remote Care
At the start of this year, the state had the worst peak of cases of Coronavirus. However, now with the vaccination programs, and with 64.7% of Connecticut’s population vaccinated, things are slowly returning to normal.
When the pandemic took place, health institutions had to change their structure and implement virtual appointments. The results were successful, and now telehealth is pointed out as the future of medicine because of several aspects.
The CEO of Hartford HealthCare, Jeff Flaks, explains why telehealth is changing the healthcare industry for the better:
Telehealth dramatically expands access, it can be done affordably, it strengthens our care coordination with our patients, and it is part of the equity strategy, part of the way to remove barriers to care. I’m very confident it will continue.
Remote care was part of the strategy for some hospitals, but it wasn’t until the pandemic took over that it became a priority. The lack of technology and the right tools was one of the main difficulties. But now, after more than a year of improving the telehealth system, it’s been successful and likely to stay. In Connecticut, although there are on-site appointments taking place, telehealth is not going anywhere.
Equity and quality care are still a priority, and telehealth has the advantage of providing people who live in rural areas with quality healthcare without them having to move. Those who wish to continue with the traditional appointments can, but those who, for specific reasons, can’t access it now have the option to do it remotely.
