"This study is a key reminder that technology alone won't be sufficient to bridge this gap and the bridge may not be the same for all people. However, it may be the connector needed by certain communities or geographic areas." — Shantanu Agrawal, MD, Chief Health Officer, Anthem Inc.

Latinos were the most engaged in using remote mental health services during the pandemic in 2020, according to a new analysis commissioned by Anthem Inc. Read the details here.

Also this week, UMass Memorial Health will soon offer patients more opportunities to receive care outside of the hospital, using wearable monitors and other remote devices, to increase hospital capacity, and provide better outcomes. Scott Mace reports.

Latinos Embraced Remote Mental Health Visits Amid Pandemic

An Anthem Inc. study looked at Medicaid trends in 14 states in 2020 and found that, for people with existing mental health conditions, telehealth access to rose precipitously for all races and ethnic groups during the pandemic and accounted for 49% of all Medicaid mental health visits during a six-month period in 2020.

Hospital-at-Home Program Slated to Start Next Month at UMass Memorial Health

The technology backbone of UMass Memorial Health's Hospital at Home program, provided by Current Health, will provide real-time insight into patient health and coordinating in-home clinical care and services.

Wolters Kluwer Launches Remote Patient Education Platform

The new platform provides patients with hundreds of videos and more than 8,000 leaflets in 20 languages and at a remedial reading level.

Sen. Wyden: $3.5T Budget May Have to Trim but It Can Set a Path to 'Ambitious Goals'

Healthcare will account for a large proportion of the cost.

The Impact of Remote Work on Reading Body Language

Since millions of Americans have shifted to a remote work setting, it's more important than ever to be conscious of how communication is received.

Consensus Statement Sets 10 Leadership Imperatives for Recovery Phase of Pandemic

The recovery phase of the pandemic includes leadership challenges such as balancing competing priorities, maintaining staff engagement, and avoiding burnout.

Remote Sexual Harassment: It's Happening. Are You Ready?

Boundaries in a remote work environment don’t exist in the same way, but the damage caused by sexual harassment is still just as real.

From Crisis to Opportunity: Partnering to Address SDOH, Health Disparities

Creshelle Nash, MD, MPH, CHIE, medical director for health equity and public programs at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, shares how the pandemic has given the national healthcare system a vehicle to address social determinants of health and health disparities.

New AMA President: 'It is Such an Honor to be a Doctor'

A practicing family medicine physician from South Carolina becomes 176th president of the American Medical Association.

Must Reads

Pharma CEOs, lobbyists showered Democrat with cash after his attempt to torpedo Speaker Pelosi's drug pricing bill — The National Law Review
3 Telehealth stocks Wall Street predicts will rally by more than 50% — stocknews.com
In southwest Virginia, reestablishing a rural hospital system requires rebuilding trust — Richland Source
Telehealth investment and telehealth utilization: Let's look at the numbers — WKBN
Unintended consequences seen in proposed HIPAA privacy rule revision — American Medical Association
Internal Apple letter shows employees are still fighting to work from home — Vox
Opinion: Addressing healthcare inequities in telehealth — Forbes

That's all for this week's TeleHealth Briefing.

We'll be back in your mailbox next Tuesday with more news and reporting on telehealth and the business of healthcare.

Until then, check our website frequently throughout the week for updates. And, remember to sign up for our E-newsletters to keep you informed on the top industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.

If you've got news tips, thoughts, or suggestions, I'd love to hear from you at jcommins@healthleadersmedia.com.

Stay safe!

John Commins
Senior Editor

@ComminsCom