Hospitals should prepare now for future telehealth demands

Current patient deferral of nonurgent services could lead to a “care debt” down the line, say Duke researchers. To meet those needs, health systems should be building out a robust telemedicine infrastructure. In an article published in the Journal of the American Informatics Association this week, Duke University researchers examined COVID-19’s effect on transforming the telehealth landscape.

“Whether healthcare enterprises are ready or not, the new reality is that virtual care has arrived,” researchers said.