For Claudia, making an all-day drive to get needed medical treatment was simply a fact of life. Twice a week, Claudia drove three hours each way, plus frequent stops, to take her disabled daughter from their Yuma, Arizona, home to Phoenix to get the regular care she needed. But now, she’s able to see the doctor on a computer or a smartphone for most of the appointments, and the mother and daughter only need to make the trip to Phoenix once a month.
Why the change? During COVID-19, rules regarding telehealth — technology that enables people to get help from their healthcare providers directly on their smartphones, computers, and landline phones — were relaxed so that in-person appointments would be limited for safety’s sake during the pandemic. In-person appointments are frequently not necessary to deliver the type of care needed, and telehealth can help provide that care to a patient from the convenience and comfort of their own home. And that’s been a game-changer for many Americans like Claudia and her daughter.
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