Critical steps to scaling telehealth for national reform

Telehealth services show great promise to expand access to care while improving patient safety and reducing costs of care for all Americans. The expansion of telehealth has been slowed by a host of factors, including limited reimbursement, legal and regulatory barriers, limited provider capacity, and a lack of general public knowledge and/or acceptance of telehealth technologies and services. To hasten the expansion of telehealth requires a multifaceted and coordinated approach that will include healthcare professionals, regulators, payers, lawmakers, and patients. This paper will outline the steps necessary to scale telehealth services to a level that will help to address issues such as access to care, patient safety, quality, provider shortages, licensure and preparedness, all important elements of healthcare reform.