It was one year ago today that the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The announcement from Director-General Tedros Adhanom carried a clear sense that no aspect of life as we know it would remain unaffected. “This is not just a public health crisis; it is a crisis that will touch every sector—so […]

This is the second part of a two-part blog series on addressing social determinants of health. Robust population health management requires identifying populations at high risk for unmet social needs. While COVID-19 has highlighted the widespread inequities in our current health system, data analytics on populations who may not regularly access health care will enable targeted initiatives […]

This is the first part of a two-part blog series on addressing social determinants of health. The COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call to our society that systemic change and better coordination between our health system and public health entities is imperative in addressing unmet health-related social needs if we want to achieve health equity […]

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many facilities have severely limited operations and moved face-to-face services to virtually enabled services. This has greatly expanded the use of telehealth during the pandemic. However, as many states begin resuming face-to-face healthcare services during phased reopening, it is important to consider what telehealth and support for telehealth will look […]

This post was originally published on April 23, 2020 at The Medical Care Blog. As of April 17, 2020, the novel coronavirus has infected more than 2.4 million people globally and led to 170,000 deaths. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic largely emphasizes social distancing and shelter-in-place ordinances. These policies impact everyone, also upending the lives of […]

Telehealth is the interactive, electronic exchange of information for diagnosis, treatment, support or care management. With telehealth, medical information is generally shared through two-way audio and video and through other telecommunication technology—including mobile communication devices and remote monitoring devices—with the goal of improving a patient’s health status. Telehealth can enhance access to care and improve […]

Quarantine can be a scary word for many, and the psychological effects of isolation due to ongoing stay at home orders, social distancing, and self-quarantine are not well understood. Before COVID-19, the last large-scale quarantine in the United States was during a smallpox outbreak in the early 1960s. Prior research on the psychological effects of these […]

This blog was originally published on April 7, 2020 at The Medical Care Blog. The current requirements for social distancing affect support groups for people with substance use disorders, but online support groups may provide the perfect solution. This post is the first in a series of planned posts on telehealth for addiction. COVID-19, the disease […]

This is the third blog post in a three-part series on advancing interoperability. See the first post, Interoperability – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, and second post, Defragmenting Healthcare with FHIR. The effective and timely sharing of medical records is more vital now than ever before, as COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe. Key lessons from prior public health […]

The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating digital transformation. Many American families are redefining what it means to be “essential employees,” as others transition into longer-term remote work. App-based home schooling is now the reality for millions of students. COVID-19 is forcing us to adapt and adopt digital technologies, seemingly overnight. Patients and caregivers are also seeking […]