New report investigates how telehealth can reduce healthcare disparities in the treatment of Black Americans
As a member of the CEO Action for Racial Equality coalition, Clarivate has released this year's report as part of its commitment to provide researchers, policy makers and healthcare providers with critical data and insights to inform the creation of scalable and sustainable policy solutions and catalyze corporate engagement in the areas of education, healthcare, economic empowerment and public safety. The report features unique data and insights gleaned from Clarivate research products including: Taking The PulseTM and
As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, telehealth can provide access to critical healthcare services while keeping vulnerable patients out of clinics and hospitals. While the pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of healthcare, steps must be taken to ensure equitable access for Black Americans. Black communities have disproportionately faced barriers to address healthcare. There is an opportunity to build equity into the federal telehealth expansion policies established during COVID, improving Black communities' access to healthcare and combat existing disparities.
Telehealth's role in addressing healthcare inequities in
Longstanding inequities in access to healthcare amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated poor outcomes...and depression. These populations often face an array of barriers to positive health. In addition, access to broadband technology and telehealth-enabling devices in the black community can be an issue for older patients who may not own telehealth-enabling devices or potentially require assistance using them to connect with healthcare providers.1
Possible solutions
Even with continued support from policymakers, steps can be taken to ensure access to patients for whom sociodemographic factors, living arrangements or internet skills and experience impede use. To support better health outcomes, policymakers and regulators can extend or make permanent policies allowing for uniformity in reimbursement of telehealth services with in-person services, including audio-only visits and consultations with out-of-state providers. Regulators can examine liberalizing or vacating requirements that patients meet with a healthcare professional in-person before qualifying for teleconsults.2 Also, additional investment in expanding broadband infrastructure to underserved communities and the exploration of ways to get A/V-capable devices such as smartphones and tablets to patients who lack them could affect positive change.
The use of telehealth has soared since the advent of COVID-19. At the pandemic's outset, in the spring of 2020, 21% of
Providers can invest in building out their telehealth capabilities through partnerships with third-party platforms or internal development of their own systems. Comprehensive training can be offered to staff in conducting consultations via telehealth and helping their patients navigate telehealth platforms, along with cultural competency training to improve trust and communication with patients from underserved communities. In a recent survey, healthcare leaders were asked to identify the areas most in need of improvement within telehealth provision. Virtual care delivery best practices was the most-cited, followed by patient experience and satisfaction and patient-provider communication.5 Providers can also partner with local and national community groups, patient advocacy organizations and other healthcare industry stakeholders to establish trust and credibility within minority communities, including Black communities among other actions.
Life science companies can raise awareness of these digital resources among clinicians through rep details, digital assets (i.e., websites and apps), and promotional content. In addition, investing further analysis of the social determinants of health impacting Black and other minority patients using their products and incorporating guidance and solutions into patient support resources and consumer-facing digital assets could help to alleviate some of the barriers faced by these communities.
The report offers in-depth analysis of telehealth's potential as a partial solution to longstanding racial inequities in healthcare provision, and how stakeholders throughout the healthcare ecosystem, from providers, insurers, drug and device makers to regulators and policymakers, can encourage its adoption.
To learn more about the special report, Realizing telehealth's potential to reduce healthcare disparities: How healthcare stakeholders can utilize technology to remedy inequities in the treatment of Black Americans, visit here.
About Clarivate
Clarivate™ is a global leader in providing solutions to accelerate the lifecycle of innovation. Our bold mission is to help customers solve some of the world's most complex problems by providing actionable information and insights that reduce the time from new ideas to life-changing inventions in the areas of science and intellectual property. We help customers discover, protect and commercialize their inventions using our trusted subscription and technology-based solutions coupled with deep domain expertise. For more information, please visit clarivate.com.
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1 Source: Healthcare Business Insights, 2021. 2021 Trends Analysis: HBI State of the Industry,
2 Source: Market Access Intelligence. Clarivate. 2021
3 Source: Taking the Pulse
4 Source: Cybercitizen Health
5 Source: Healthcare Business Insights, 2021. 2021 Trends Analysis: HBI State of the Industry,
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