For episode 8, ProviderTrust sat down with Dr. Mia Finkelston of Amwell to discuss the rapid expansion and adoption of Telehealth spurred by the pandemic. Although Telehealth usage recently dropped slightly due to the return of in-person care, overall usage has still stabilized at levels 38 times higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. And the proposed 2022 Medicare physician fee schedule, released on July 13, will allow Medicare providers to offer certain services via Telehealth until the end of 2023, while CMS decides whether to add those services to the Telehealth list permanently.
Dr. Mia has been practicing via Telehealth exclusively since 2012, so she has an in-depth understanding of the ins and outs of virtual care. As a board-certified family physician of 30 years, Dr. Mia has been with Amwell for nine years. During the discussion, she noted that had someone asked her if she thought she’d be practicing solely via Telehealth 30 years from now, she probably would have said no. When Dr. Mia first started practicing Telehealth, she initially kept her physical practice open for a short time because only 13 states allowed the use of telemedicine. However, today she is now licensed to practice via Telehealth in 30 states.
Check out the full episode and listen to Dr. Mia discuss:
- Why she made the move to Telehealth;
- What she enjoys most about her role as a Medical Director at Amwell;
- How the pandemic has impacted and continues to impact her world as COVID-19 variants persist;
- What she believes the future holds for Telehealth;
- The need to focus on behavioral health because of the current mental health crisis;
- The importance of ensuring Telehealth is not only cost-effective but is also equally available to all patients;
- And more.
