Why Telehealth Is So Critical For Marginalized Patient Populations

The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine's board president, Dr. Holly Yang, talks about social determinants of health, equity concerns, and virtual treatment, which she calls a "game changer" for marginalized patients. According to a 2019 survey by the Office of Health Policy of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, those with Medicaid and Medicare (29.3% and 27.4%, respectively), Black people (26.8%), and those making less than $25,000 (26.7%), had the greatest rates of telehealth visits.

In order to increase the quality of care, practitioners and medical organisations must seek to comprehend the needs of the nation's underprivileged patients who use telehealth services. Since the pandemic, when telemedicine became a widely used treatment option, the necessity of telehealth has been a contentious issue in healthcare discourse.