O&P Almanac Shines Light on Virtual Visits During COVID-19 and Beyond

O&P Almanac Shines Light on Virtual Visits During COVID-19 and Beyond
July 22, 2020
Hanger Clinic

Christine Umbrell’s cover story in the June/July 2020 issue of O&P Almanac features orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) professionals throughout the industry, including Hanger’s Chief Clinical Officer Jim Campbell, PhD and Chief Compliance Officer Mitchell Dobson, discussing the rise of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how virtual visits play an important role in providing consistent and timely care.

Embracing Telehealth in O&P

The O&P profession has not only been forced to change, it has been forced to do it quickly. Prior to the pandemic, telehealth was only a small part of operations due to the HIPAA restrictions that accompanied remote communications technologies. With the emergence of COVID-19, however, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services temporarily loosened its restrictions around telehealth services to allow for continued access to care while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of employees and patients.

With the sudden availability of telehealth came many decisions that needed to be made, including choosing the right platform, deciding which appointments could be done virtually vs. in-person, and determining the best approach for reimbursement. Hanger’s Jim Campbell and Mitchell Dobson, along with many others, discuss these topics in more detail within the article and provide predictions about future adoption.

Webinar: The Provision of O&P Care in a COVID-19 World

In case you missed it, panelists from Hanger Clinic and the VA Amputation System of Care participated in a webinar on May 21 where they discussed ways in which the O&P industry has adapted to new demands in delivery of care, communication, and increased safety measures in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

They also referenced several Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH) resources throughout the course of the webinar, which may help guide organizations as they continue to navigate through this pandemic.

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