Telehealth has shown promise in the past in decreasing barriers to care access, but was not widely used by provider organizations until the COVID-19 pandemic. The accelerated adoption of telehealth amid the pandemic demonstrates that virtual care could keep people safe from infection and help keep them on track with their health care. It also shows the promise of telehealth beyond times of crisis. Many providers and patients enjoy the flexibilities offered by telehealth, but some individuals with complex health and social needs may still experience barriers to accessing it.
Health care stakeholders can use this Playbook Collection to understand recent evidence behind telehealth-delivered interventions and learn about practical strategies to support effective implementation of these programs for people with complex health and social needs. While many of the below resources were published prior to the pandemic, the lessons therein can inform effective use of telehealth. This Playbook Collection will be updated as research is released capturing lessons from the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
What works in complex care telehealth interventions?
Following are summaries of peer-reviewed research, evaluations, and reports on telehealth programs for people with complex needs. Many of these programs have demonstrated positive results, such as improved quality of life for patients with serious illness and their caregivers and reduced acute care use and costs.
What do these models look like in practice?
Below find case studies and on-the-ground perspectives on specific telehealth programs for people with complex needs. Case studies detail each program’s population, care team structure, payment model, lessons and preliminary outcomes, and other care model features that may be useful for organizations interested in implementing these or similar models.
How can my organization implement this approach?
Following are practical tools and strategies that health systems, providers, and payers can use when seeking to build or enhance telehealth programs for people with complex needs.
Share your success: Let us know about your innovations in telehealth for people with complex needs.