Telehealth Post-Pandemic: A Roadmap for the Coming Decade

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Project Summary The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid implementation of telehealth, leading to limited reflection on how to sustain quality care and what permanent policies are needed for continuing these services. Therefore, the objective of this proposed conference is to convene a Think Tank to develop and disseminate best practices for providing high-quality telehealth care and promoting policy changes that support equitable access to quality, safe, and efficient healthcare for all Americans. This Think Tank will assemble a multi-disciplinary group of decision leaders from health systems, physician groups, researchers, patient advocates, technology groups, insurers, and policymakers from Michigan. Michigan is an ideal setting for this conference because of its racial, political, cultural, economic, and geographic diversity. Thus, the guidance developed through this Think Tank will be able to be translated nationally. The rationale is that this conference provides a timely opportunity for these groups to reflect on the quick shift to providing telehealth during the pandemic and chart a course for best practices and next steps to ensure its sustainability. There are two specific aims for this Think Tank: 1) Develop practice, policy, and research priorities to guide evidence-based guidelines for providing telehealth services, and 2) Actively distribute these priorities to a national audience. For the first aim, Think Tank will cultivate connections among healthcare providers, health systems, government, industry, and researchers engaged in telehealth. Through a pre-conference literature review, key topics will be developed, and workgroups will be formed to delve into the issues and document gaps and evidence-based practices. For the second aim, the team will leverage partnerships with Connect America, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare to disseminate Think Tank findings and recommendations to a national audience. The team will also disseminate findings at national conferences, through social media, and on its website to improve the use of telehealth, telehealth access, and the equitable coordination of care. The conference deliverables will include a literature review, a website including blogs and podcasts, at least six publications to be published in Telemedicine and e-Health, policy briefs, an updated telehealth curriculum, and presentations at national meetings. This contribution is significant because the work done at this Think Tank conference will directly inform policymakers’ and practice leaders’ decisions for improving telehealth solutions to provide better access and healthcare to all patients. This will have tangible impacts on and guidance for the sustained implementation of telehealth nationally.