Ron Southwick

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Even after winning a U.S. Supreme Court case, hospitals have been waiting to see bigger reimbursements in a federal drug pricing program.

A federal judge has found the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services must end its policy of reduced Medicare reimbursements in the 340B drug pricing program for 2022. The program offers discounts on some outpatient drugs for hospitals that serve a high percentage of patients in underserved communities.

unanimously struck down the Medicare cuts to hospitals and health systems

 in the 340B program in a June decision. The case revolved around $1.6 billion in annual Medicare payments. Former President Trump’s administration implemented cuts of nearly 30% in drug payment rates in 2018.

However, the high court sent the case to the lower federal court for a remedy. The high court case focused on the years 2018 and 2019, but hospitals have fumed because the Medicare cuts have continued through 2022.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras of the District of Columbia issued a 

 Wednesday ordering the health department to stop the Medicare cuts for 2022.

The judge said a ruling on the other years would come at a later date.

Still, hospital advocacy organizations cheered the ruling. Melinda Hatton, general counsel and secretary of the American Hospital Association, said that the order to restore payments for 2022 is much-needed good news for hospitals. The American Hospital Association has been pressing the government to repay health systems.

“Halting these cuts will help 340B hospitals provide comprehensive health services to their patients and communities,” Hatton said in a statement.

Hospitals participating in the 340B program have said the reductions in drug payments are hurting their ability to provide care in underserved communities in urban and rural areas. Hospital leaders also said the reduced rates are adding to their already troubled finances.

Hospitals losing billions in 2022, more than half could have negative margins

“We continue to urge the Administration to promptly reimburse all the hospitals that were affected by these unlawful cuts in previous years and to ensure the remainder of the hospital field is not penalized for their prior unlawful policy, especially as hospitals and health systems continue to deal with rising costs for supplies, equipment, drugs and labor,” Hatton said in a statement.

Hospital groups have said they don’t want to see cuts in other areas to offset the higher 340B payments.

Maureen Testoni, president and CEO of 340B Health, an advocacy group for hospitals in the drug program, praised the judge’s decision.

“This is an important victory for 340B hospitals that have been fighting these unlawful Medicare cuts for nearly six years,” Testoni said in a statement. “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has the clear responsibility to restore the appropriate payments for 340B drugs immediately, and now a federal court has ordered it to do so without delay.”

Hospitals have been battling the federal government for years over the 340B program. While the reduced rates began under Trump, President Biden’s administration maintained the policy.

The health department had sought more time to restore the rates. But in his ruling Wednesday, Contreras said that was not an option, especially since the department “admits” that the rate is “unlawful.” The judge also noted that the health department plans on paying “the proper reimbursement rate for the 2023 year.”

“HHS should not be allowed to continue its unlawful 340B reimbursements for the remainder of the year just because it promises to fix the problem later,” Contreras said.

Hospitals have maintained the 340B program provides essential help in serving disadvantaged patients and communities. In the Supreme Court case, the AHA and other hospital groups said the reduced payments could force providers to reduce some services in underserved communities.

Pennsylvania hospitals fear return of 'venue shopping' in malpractice cases

Still, critics argue the 340B program has grown beyond its initial purpose. The program has grown from $9 billion in 2014 to $38 billion in 2020.

Some also say hospitals are not passing on sufficient discounts to patients. The Alliance for Integrity and Reform of 340B also has said 

some 340B hospitals are not providing enough charity care

The Community Oncology Alliance has argued against the health department’s plans to increase payment rates in the 340B program in 2023. Small hospitals, including some rural hospitals, along with independent practices, will pay the price if rates rise in 2023, the alliance contends.

The group said the higher rates for the 340B program will come at the expense of other hospitals, due to federal spending rules requiring the changes to be budget neutral.

““This is a classic example of the government kicking independent practices and small hospitals while they are down,” Ted Okon, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, said in a 

. “It’s mind-boggling how CMS is proposing to drastically overpay large 340B hospitals for drugs, which then get marked up for patients and commercial payers.”

Hospitals in the 340B program have faced another challenge over the last year as pharmaceutical companies reduce their discounts in the program. More than a dozen major pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Merck, and Pfizer, have said they are restricting some discounts.

Hospitals have said the policy from the drug companies 

is costing some systems millions of dollars

Articles

A judge has directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to halt cuts to the drug program for 2022. Hospitals have battled the government over the program for years.


Hospitals cheer court ruling on 340B drug payments: ‘An important victory’

During the early months of the pandemic, more than 16,000 Americans died due to cancer and COVID-19, a new study has found.

. Researchers examined 16,561 cancer deaths between March 2020, when COVID-19 upended American life, and December 2020.

The study found greater percentages of blood and prostate cancer deaths with complications of COVID-19, compared to deaths from those cancers without complications from the virus.

U.S. life expectancy fell about two years due to COVID-19 pandemic

Patients with cancer are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, due to their weakened immune system, said Dr. Xuesong Han, scientific director, health services research at the American Cancer Society.

“Patients with hematological neoplasms or blood cancer and prostate cancer might be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 complications and die from it,” Han, the lead author of the study, said in a news release. “It is important to further study these patient populations to develop care strategies that reduce the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus as well as optimize disease management for patients with comorbid COVID-19 infection.”

Here’s a look at the numbers involving deaths with blood and prostate cancer.

Deaths involving cancer and COVID-19 were more likely to occur in large metropolitan areas and among men, the researchers found.

Researchers also found differences regarding race. The study found a higher percentage of deaths involving cancer-COVID patients who were Black, Hispanic and American Indian, compared to cancer deaths with no tie to COVID-19.

In addition, there was also a higher percentage of deaths involving both cancer and COVID among patients in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, compared to those patients who weren’t infected with the virus.

Among cancer patients who weren’t infected with COVID-19, most died at home (53.2%), while some died in hospice facilities (10.8%).

However, three out of five (61.5%) cancer-COVID deaths occurred in an inpatient setting, while 18.7% took place in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

Han said the results warrant additional studies of cancer patients with COVID-19, particularly beyond 2020. COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked with the Omicron variant in early 2022.

It’s also worth paying attention to the higher costs associated with patients battling both cancer and COVID-19, Han said.

“The high portion of cancer-COVID-19 complicated deaths in medical facilities suggests that the economic burden needs to be evaluated by future studies,” Han said in a statement. “Future studies should also monitor the mortality burden from COVID-19 variants, such as Delta and Omicron, among patients with cancer, especially after vaccines became widely available.”

In a separate study published this summer, researchers found 

disparities in delays in cancer care among Black and Hispanic patients

Black patients were six times more likely than white patients to experience cancer treatment delays that exceeded four weeks, the study found. Latinx adults were nearly three times more likely than white adults to see treatment delayed for more than four weeks. That study was published in 

Cancer patients are at higher risk of contracting the virus. A new study led by the American Cancer Society sheds light on cancer and COVID-19.

More than 16,000 cancer deaths linked to COVID-19 in 2020, study finds

The Orange County Fire Rescue evacuates residents from an assisted living facility near Orlando Thursday. (Photo by Orange County Fire Rescue.)

An HCA Healthcare hospital in Port Charlotte, Florida has temporarily closed and transferred patients after losing part of its roofing in Hurricane Ian.

The HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital located in Port Charlotte is suspending services until further notice, HCA Florida Healthcare said in a 

 Thursday. About 160 patients were transferred.

“The hospital lost a layer of its roofing to sustained high winds during the storm, which caused water leaks that impacted areas of the building,” HCA Florida said.

Fawcett Hospital transferred the facility’s most seriously ill patients before Ian made landfall, HCA Florida said Thursday.

Water rained down into the intensive care unit due to losing part of the roof, while storm surge led to flooding in a lower level emergency room Wednesday, 

. Dr. Birgit Bodine told CBS News that staff expected a challenging time from the storm "but we didn't anticipate that the roof would blow off on the fourth floor.”

The hospital has four floors, and patients were concentrated on two floors, Bodine told CBS News.

, Bodine said, “Everybody’s doing good and actually, surprisingly, in decent spirits.” Bodine described how staff moved everyone out of the ICU.

HCA Florida said it has reached out to try and contact family members of patients and set up a hotline for loved ones to check on patients (844-482-4821). HCA said it is also offering financial aid to staff affected by the storm.

Some Florida hospitals, especially on the state’s west coast, 

transferred patients ahead of Ian’s arrival

. Hospitals closed facilities, postponed surgeries, and suspended some services due to Ian, which caused catastrophic damage in parts of Florida.

Across the state, 15 hospitals transferred patients due to the hurricane, according to the 

The Florida Health Care Association said 43 nursing homes evacuated about 3,400 residents as of Thursday, the 

 reported. Emergency crews were still working late Thursday to help evacuate residents in assisted living facilities in Orange County, which includes Orlando. 

HCA Florida Englewood Hospital is closed and is transferring patients. HCA has also temporarily shut down some emergency services in the Tampa area.

, which operates several hospitals in Florida, said Thursday that Morton Plant North Bay Hospital is closed, along with ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient centers, and urgent care centers in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. 

BayCare said its hospitals in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk Counties are open, but elective procedures are suspended. BayCare is also offering patients one free telehealth visit through Oct. 12.

 stayed open through the storm, although some care locations were closed. Tampa is reopening most urgent care and outpatient rehabilitation centers Friday, although some remain closed.

 also operates a host of hospitals in Florida, closed medical group offices Wednesday and Thursday and also paused some home visits.

Ian regained Hurricane strength after crossing Florida and reaching the Atlantic, and is expected to hit the Carolinas Friday. A hurricane warning has been issued along the coast of South Carolina and a part of North Carolina.

An HCA Healthcare hospital closed and transferred patients after losing a layer of roofing in high winds. Hospitals and nursing homes across Florida evacuated patients.

Hurricane Ian rips part of roof off Florida hospital

While many health organizations are focusing more on health equity, disparities in mental health are leading to deaths that could have been avoided.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, part of the  Morehouse School of Medicine, examined the toll of disparities in mental health in a 

In an analysis of data between 2016 and 2020, the institute estimates there were 116,722 preventable deaths among members of minority groups. The institute also estimated the total cost of those disparities reached $278 billion over that four-year span.

Daniel Dawes, executive director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, said the report is the culmination of “a 15-year dream of studying the economic burden of mental health inequities in the United States.”

“I think we expected that the numbers were going to be quite frightening, and that’s probably an understatement,” Dawes told 

Even though Dawes described those figures as “astronomical,” he also said it was certainly a low estimate. Nearly 6 million Americans were excluded from the data sets, including those in the military, residents of nursing homes, and those who are incarcerated. Many are the most marginalized and medically underserved, he said.

“Lives are being lost, yes, but also decisions are being made based on inaccurate data, which quite frankly, is perpetuating that ongoing cycle of inaction,” Dawes said. “So that’s why this is huge.”

, Dawes discussed the factors contributing to inequities in mental health and what healthcare leaders and policy makers can do to close those disparities. 

(See excerpts of our interview with Dennis Dawes in this video. The story continues below the video.)

Bryan Stevenson says ‘health equity is really health justice’

David Satcher, the former U.S. surgeon general and founder of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, has said, “There is no health without mental health.”

Plenty of factors are preventing members of racial and ethnic minority groups from their optimal mental health, Dawes said.

“What we found in our study is, there really is a link between race, economics and mental illness,” he said.

“We know that they’re exacerbated by, when we talk about the social determinants of health, those are the structural conditions that all of us are born into, that we live in, that we die in,” Dawes continued. “Are we able to access transportation? How about getting quality education? Can we access employment, true employment opportunities? Housing is a major one as well.”

Collectively, when members of underserved communities have trouble accessing those basic needs make it extraordinarily difficult to be healthy.

These barriers to mental health, and all health, didn’t just happen to members of racial and ethnic minority groups, Dawes stressed.

“This society has intentionally erected barrier after barrier to weaken their bodies and hasten their deaths,” Dawes said.

“We know it is not an accident,” he said. “It is not an organic outcome when we see these health disparities, these health inequities, among racial and ethnic minority groups.”

Hispanic, Black Americans saw larger drops in lifespan in pandemic

Political determinants of health, which determine how resources are allocated and how policies shape communities, play a major role in shaping those social drivers, Dawes said. “Those factors have led to the higher rates of health inequities,” he said.

The stigma surrounding mental health is also a barrier that must be addressed, Dawes said. Many members of minority communities also have a distrust of the medical establishment. Such distrust stems from decades past, including the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study of Black men, who weren’t given penicillin or even informed consent about the nature of the study.

“Stigma has played a long role,” he said. “You go into the 1800s when blacks were excluded from mental health services, because they weren’t deemed as having the capacity to have a mental illness.

“We know there is still a huge stigma … There is significant mistrust because these population groups were experimented on, either systemically or mentally,” Dawes said. “For us, it is really important that we address the issue in a very wholesome manner. If we don’t, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

It’s critical to educate the public on the nature of mental illness, Dawes said.

“Mental illness is a chronic disease. It is not an acute or temporary condition,” he said.

“I think for too long in our country, mental health, behavioral health has been relegated to an inferior position. On this hierarchy of chronic diseases, it falls really low.”

Hospitals and healthcare systems can play a significant role in addressing the disparities in mental health.

“Healthcare administrators, healthcare executives, really could help us bolster greater attention that is paid to this critically important issue, if they were to prioritize it, if they were to ensure that there is parity between mental health and physical health, and actually dedicate the investments, the time and attention to it, so that we could elevate whole health,” Dawes said.

Members of minority communities often don’t come in contact with any health services, and Dawes said it’s even worse when talking about behavioral health services.

Because of that, Dawes said, “It’s absolutely critical that we integrate primary care and behavioral healthcare.”

Health groups say it’s time to integrate behavioral health and primary care

Only 13.5% of children in minority groups have access to behavioral health services, Dawes said. Many Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American communities rely on emergency departments or federally qualified health centers for their health needs.

“If they are able to touch our primary care system, if they’re able to go to the community health center, for instance,  imagine how much healthier we could help them become, if we were able to offer those services within those settings,” Dawes said.

Telehealth has been showing more potential to expand access to behavioral health services. 

Mayo Clinic researchers have found a high degree of accuracy in psychiatry diagnoses through telehealth

 among those struggling with substance use.

Telemedicine can potentially help those in underserved communities, Dawes said, but there are still some barriers to improve access.

“I think we also need to address the digital divide in communities of color,” Dawes said. “There are so many folks that don’t even have broadband access, who would need that in order to access telepsychiatry or telehealth services. I think if we can get over that gap, that chasm, then I think we would see greater results.”

Outside the health industry, the federal government needs to invest more in mental health and substance use, he said.

“We often see the federal budget giving basically cents to the dollars that physical health conditions like diabetes and cancer and heart disease have,” Dawes said.

Dawes said he hopes the study drives greater attention to the glaring gaps in mental health and the economic burdens from those disparities.

“It was sobering, but it was also vindication of what we had anticipated was the result,” Dawes said. “I think it provided the tangible evidence that we needed in order to demonstrate this is a real problem and is worthy of our attention.”

The Morehouse School of Medicine examined the toll of inequities. Daniel Dawes of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute spoke with Chief Healthcare Executive about the need for equity in behavioral health.

Mental health disparities led to nearly 117,000 deaths: ‘It is not an accident’

A Massachusetts state agency has signed off on a plan by Mass General Brigham to reduce spending, and the agency would like more authority to control healthcare costs.

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, an agency focused on reducing the growth in healthcare spending, voted this week to approve a plan by Mass General Brigham designed to produce $127.8 million in annual savings. 

The Massachusetts commission hailed the plan as the first ever required by the agency and the first of its kind in the nation. Citing concerns about Mass General Brigham's spending, the commission ordered the health system to develop a performance improvement plan in January.

Mass General Brigham aims to generate most of the savings ($90 million) in price reductions. The rest of the savings are expected to come from reducing utilization ($32.4 million) and shifting care to sites with lower costs ($5.4 million). The proposal also calls for improving accountability through value-based care, the commission said.

The state commission and Mass General Brigham have wrangled over the cost saving plan for some time. Mass General Brigham initially proposed a plan that would have found $70 million in annual savings, but then revised the proposal at the behest of the commission.

Mass General Brigham is embarking on a nearly $2 billion plan to expand its facilities, a plan that was also modified after state officials expressed concerns. 

Mass General Brigham is also expanding its home hospital program

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, which was formed 10 years ago, is 

also pushing for greater power to control healthcare prices

The commission said in a statement that it should have “greater oversight tools, including authority to impose escalating financial penalties to deter excessive spending.”

In addition, the commission is calling for Massachusetts to take further steps to reduce the growth in healthcare costs, including caps on hospital price increases; more scrutiny of provider mergers and expansions; and greater oversight of the pharmaceutical sector, including prices. (Read the agency’s 

Massachusetts has greater hospital utilization than the national average, the commission said. Massachusetts inpatient stays are 7% higher than the U.S. overall, while emergency department visits are 11% higher, and outpatient visits are 42% higher than the national average. The commission said the difference has closed somewhat in recent years.

“The long-term systemic factors underlying high spending growth persist, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has only added new headwinds,” Deborah Devaux, chair of the health policy commission, said in a statement. “We must continue to address affordability challenges or the Commonwealth will not be able to meet its cost containment goals. Today’s report makes strong recommendations for all stakeholders to address these challenges.”

The commission points to price increases as the need for more action. From 2018 to 2020, hospital prices for procedures in inpatient settings rose 7.9%, and they increased by 7.1% for services in hospital outpatient departments. Prices for services in physician offices rose 3.2% over that time.

From 2017 to 2020, consumers paid 50% more for a 30-day supply of prescription drugs for chronic conditions, according to the commission.

David Seltz, executive director of the health policy commission, said the agency is looking for new ways to constrain the rise of healthcare costs.

In a statement, he said the commission’s recommendations reflect “the willingness to change course and provide a new, progressive blueprint to address the most important challenges facing our health care system today.”

they are facing serious financial difficulties

Hospitals are projected to lose billions of dollars this year, and 

more than half of all hospitals are expected to finish 2022 in negative margins

, according to a recent report by the American Hospital Association. Hospitals are reporting higher labor costs as well as staffing shortages around the country.

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission reached an agreement with Mass General Brigham on a plan to reduce spending. The state agency wants more authority to control hospital costs, including financial penalties.

After pushing a major health system to cut costs, a Massachusetts agency wants more power

President Joe Biden says he wants to end hunger in America by the end of the decade, and the White House touted commitments from healthcare organizations to address food insecurity.

Biden hosted a conference on hunger in Washington Wednesday. It was hailed as the first conference on hunger at the White House in 50 years. 

Healthcare leaders say that it’s impossible to improve health equity without helping the millions of Americans who are hungry. One in 10 U.S. households had food insecurity in 2021, according to the 

“Everyone, everyone has an important role to play, local, state, territory, and Tribal governments and the federal government as well; the private sector; civil society; agriculture; philanthropy; academia,” Biden said.

Several health organizations pledged to do more to fight hunger. Here's a rundown of the healthcare groups, hospitals and companies who are making commitments to expand access to healthy food and training for healthcare providers.

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine committed to donating $24.1 million in education coursework in nutrition and food as medicine to doctors nationwide.

The ACLM will donate $22 million for continuing medical education to 100,000 doctors and other medical professionals. The ACLM will also donate $2.1 million to cover half the cost of training in lifestyle medicine for one primary care provider at each of the nation’s 1,400 Federally Qualified Health Centers.

"It is clear that simply managing the symptoms of chronic disease with ever-increasing quantities of expensive medications and procedures without addressing the root causes of those diseases is a failure of our health care system,” ACLM President Cate Collings said in a 

The Rockefeller Foundation and the American Heart Association, with the Kroger grocery chain, announced a plan to mobilize $250 million to build a national 

. The effort is slated to launch in the spring of 2023. The groups said it would develop tools to address health equity, expand access to food and reduce healthcare costs.

 announced a commitment of $8.4 million to promote nutrition equity and security. Anne Klibanski, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham, said the system is eager to join a national effort. "We know that access to healthy, nutritious food can have a monumental impact on patients’ health outcomes and it is disproportionately impacting underserved communities in every city and state,” she said in a 

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville will invest $4.8 million to help implement a Lifestyle Medicine curriculum in all interested medical schools, the White House announced.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation will launch a two-year, $3.5 million initiative to expand access to healthy food and the “food is medicine” movement in North Carolina.

Nemours Children’s Health, the pediatric health system, plans to expand access to donation programs and develop educational tools to reduce food insecurity and health disparities.

Nemours Children's Health's first chief equity officer looks at equity beyond medicine

Boston Medical Center plans to build farms at two new facilities in 2023, the White House said. The farms will supply produce to hospital patients, cafeterias, and its food pantry, where doctors can refer their patients for free food.

How Boston Medical Center uses remote monitoring to track vulnerable patients

The Association of American Medical Colleges participated in the conference. The AAMC plans to work with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to hold the inaugural Medical Education Summit on Nutrition Practice. It’s slated to take place in 2023.

The American Academy of Pediatrics will work with Share Our Strength, a nonprofit focused on ending hunger, to offer training to all 67,000 pediatricians who are members of AAP. The training will involve screening for food insecurity and helping educate doctors on resources that can help patients.

The president hosted a conference on nutrition and health. Some health groups are investing money and resources to expand access to food and training to physicians.

Biden wants to end hunger by 2030. These health groups vowed to fight food insecurity.

While telehealth is gaining in popularity, a new report by athenahealth reveals patients and providers are using virtual care differently.

Jessica Sweeney-Platt, vice president of research and editorial strategy at athenahealth

 released today by athenahealth, the Massachusetts-based healthcare technology company. Female physicians are also more likely to use telemedicine than male doctors.

Jessica Sweeney-Platt, vice president of research and editorial strategy at athenahealth, talked with 

“The data absolutely say and absolutely show that male providers and male patients are significantly less likely to use telehealth than either female providers and female patients,” Sweeney-Platt said.

In addition, Black and Hispanic patients are using telehealth more than white patients, but they’re less likely to see the same provider. The study also found patients are turning to telehealth for mental health and to manage chronic conditions.

Hospital and health system executives should think about ways to use telehealth to connect with patients. “It is filling very real care gaps for patients,” Sweeney-Platt said.

(See excerpts of our conversation with Jessica Sweeney-Platt in this video. The story continues below the video.)

Telehealth bill enjoys wide support, but Senate passage isn’t guaranteed

In 2021, male clinicians were 24% less likely to see patients in telehealth appointments than female physicians, according to the report. The report found the disparity widened throughout the year.

Male patients also used telehealth appointments 15% less than female patients, the report stated. Patients who visited one male provider had 60% lower odds of adoption compared to patients with a female provider.

While Sweeney-Platt said the gender differences among providers are clear, she said, “What’s harder to determine is whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“Is this a problem? I don’t know,” she said. “It’s consistent with other studies that have been done both using athenahealth data and other data that show very different practice patterns between male clinicians and female clinicians.”

Female physicians tend to spend more time with patients

, and some have fewer visits in a day. As a result, while female physicians may be doing more to meet their patients needs, they can end up earning less if they see fewer patients. A study published in the 

 in October 2020 found women primary care physicians spend, on average, an additional 2.4 minutes with their patients, and they generated 11% less in annual revenue.

With male physicians using telehealth less, should health system leaders spur them to see more patients virtually? Sweeney-Platt said it’s a tough question.

“I don’t know whether there is something that can or should be done about it but I think it’s interesting to add that insight,” she said. “These gender practice patterns seem to be showing up even in a relatively more recently widely adopted modality like telehealth. So we’re seeing in-person practice patterns playing out across virtual care as well.”

Telehealth diagnosis shows high level of accuracy, study finds

More doctors are using telehealth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Four out of five doctors (80%) saw patients via telemedicine in 2022

, according to a recent survey on physicians usage of digital tools from the American Medical Association (in 2016, only 14% engaged in virtual visits).

Black and Hispanic patients are taking advantage of telehealth, and they are more likely to engage in telemedicine than white patients, the study found.

However, Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to see one dedicated clinician or provider.

“If a white patient is using telehealth, it is more likely they are seeing a single provider across both in-person and telehealth visits,” Sweeney-Platt said. “Whereas if a Black or a Hispanic patient is using telehealth, it is less likely that the next visit that they have in person or telehealth will be with the same provider.”

Sweeney-Platt said the study raises interesting questions for hospitals and health systems.

“I think it’s an interesting challenge for health system executives to think about the role and the importance of continuity of care in the quality experience that they are providing to patients,” Sweeney-Platt said.

“This is consistent with another finding from the study which is that practice-level demographics were very important in terms of the likelihood of a patient using or not using telehealth,” she added. “So basically, if a practice decides that telehealth is a valuable form or a valuable means through which to engage with their patients, to provide access to patients, then patients not surprisingly will be more likely to use telehealth.”

Health system leaders should examine “the ways in which telehealth can be used to encourage continuity of care, as opposed to maybe further fragmenting the care experience,” Sweeney-Platt said.

Using telehealth to improve equity and access

A report by athenahealth finds a gender gap in the use of virtual care. Jessica Sweeney-Platt of athenahealth talked with Chief Healthcare Executive about telemedicine.

Ron Southwick

Articles

Hospitals cheer court ruling on 340B drug payments: ‘An important victory’

More than 16,000 cancer deaths linked to COVID-19 in 2020, study finds

Hurricane Ian rips part of roof off Florida hospital

Mental health disparities led to nearly 117,000 deaths: ‘It is not an accident’

After pushing a major health system to cut costs, a Massachusetts agency wants more power

Biden wants to end hunger by 2030. These health groups vowed to fight food insecurity.

Female doctors, and female patients, are more likely to use telehealth

How health systems are missing opportunities to engage patients

Hurricane Ian forces Florida hospitals to evacuate patients

Artificial intelligence and its potential to change healthcare