telemedicine

Getting abortion medication online is easier than ever thanks to regulatory changes. The practice is pushing the boundaries of the traditional doctor-patient relationship.

Prescribing medical abortions across state lines is now risky for doctors. "We're talking about something that's a protected right in one state and a felony in a sister state," says one legal scholar.

A ban on using telemedicine to prescribe controlled medications was suspended in the pandemic. That's allowed many to seek opioid addiction treatment, but some worry about potential for abuse.

State rules were temporarily loosened in 2020 to help patients get care outside a doctor's office. But is telehealth by phone safe and effective? State legislatures and insurers must soon decide.

An NPR poll finds that while a large majority of people using telehealth during the pandemic were satisfied, nearly two-thirds prefer in-person visits. That may foretell telehealth's future.

Certain diagnoses are harder to catch without an in-person connection. And beyond that, a doctor reflects on the loss of a ritual that can provide "real comfort and meaning" to physician and patient.

As part of their social distancing policies, elected leaders suggested phone and video medical appointments would be covered by health insurance. So why are some patients paying $70 per virtual visit?

What if you don't have COVID-19 symptoms but do have a fierce earache or infected bug bite or a child with a sudden rash? These days, many more people are getting diagnosed via calls or video chats.

Officials warn that schemes devised to steal from Medicare have embraced telemedicine. One man was prescribed $4,000 of medical equipment he didn't need and never asked for.

A telemedicine initiative at Meridian Health Services is making it possible to offer psychiatric care to more patients in remote areas. It's also helping recruit doctors in a tight labor market.