Telehealth
Healthcare from anywhere.
Telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — uses digital communication technologies like video calls and secure platforms to deliver care remotely, so patients and providers can connect without being in the same room.
The Basics
What is telehealth?
HRSA defines telehealth as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical care, health education, and public-health administration. A provider may see a patient by telehealth once an appropriate practitioner-patient relationship is established — and the initial exam still has to meet the medical standard of care.
How it works
- Live video & phone — talk to your provider in real time.
- Secure messaging — exchange messages, email, and files safely.
- Remote monitoring — connected devices gather vitals at home.
Law & Policy
The rules that make telehealth work
Physician-Patient Relationship
How a valid practitioner-patient relationship is established for virtual care — the gateway to everything else.
Learn morePrescribing & the DEA
Telehealth prescribing rules, controlled substances, and the DEA waivers CTeL helped extend.
PrescribingReimbursement
Medicare, Medicaid, and private-payer coverage — and the coverage-vs-parity questions that decide what gets paid.
ReimbursementResearch
CTeL's 50-state surveys and original studies — the evidence base policymakers rely on nationwide.
ResearchFraud & Program Integrity
Where oversight is heading — OIG priorities, False Claims Act risk, and staying compliant.
Program integrityWhy It Matters
The benefits of telehealth
- Convenience — care from home, less travel and waiting.
- Accessibility — reaches remote and underserved areas.
- Continuity of care — regular check-ins for chronic conditions.
- Cost savings — avoids travel costs and time away from work.
- Healthcare equity — bridges gaps in access.
What it treats
Telehealth is well-suited to a wide range of conditions and visit types:
- Minor illness & injury
- Chronic disease management
- Mental & behavioral health
- Dermatology
- Prescription refills
- Follow-up & post-op
- Nutrition counseling
- Physical therapy
Policy 411
What it takes to make telehealth permanent
To accurately score the Telehealth Modernization Act, Congress and the CBO need the right research:
- Comprehensive data on utilization, costs, and outcomes.
- Substitution vs. supplementation — does telehealth replace or add visits?
- Payment-parity analysis for utilization and spending.
- Fraud & abuse monitoring with outlier-billing detection.
- Long-term projections beyond the standard 10-year window.
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