"A Reliable Playbook": What It Takes to Fix Telehealth's Trust Problem

The key to restoring trust in telehealth is in addressing the “underlying issues that are raising concerns in the first place,” according to Joseph Kvedar, MD. In this blog, he discusses the steps the ATA is taking, and the lessons healthcare can learn from other industries. The key to restoring trust in telehealth is in addressing the “underlying issues that are raising concerns in the first place,” said Joseph Kvedar, MD. I still recall my nascent days as a telehealth advocate, stretching back to the early 1990s. I often heard that telehealth would be most appropriate for rural communities because “they couldn’t access an in-person doctor.” I chafed at this point of view and often countered that telehealth was a legitimate care delivery model for both rural and urban citizens that could effectively compete with office-based care. It was clear, even then, telehealth was considered a second-class mode of care delivery. This mindset signals doubt, a seed that can, and unfortunately has, grown into a lack of trust.