Source: NPR
More patients across the U.S. are turning to telehealth options in the face of scarce clinics and access to medical professionals in rural regions of the country.
According to a poll conducted by NPR, at least a quarter of rural Americans have relied on telehealth services to receive medical care.
About 14 percent of those included in the poll said they received some diagnosis or treatment instructions via email and 15 percent by phone.
Though most rural health facilities don’t offer telehealth services, some do, which dramatically helps patients who might not have access to health care services otherwise. One of the biggest barriers that now stands in the way of rural Americans and great health care access is the policies which would allow Medicare, for example, to cover those services that have been available in more recent years due to improvements in technology.
Read Full Story: NPR