Telehealth needed in Ohio | News, Sports, Jobs

Earlier this month, Ohio lawmakers pushed the state closer to providing more options for patients who are not always able to quickly and easily get face-to-face with a doctor by passing expanded telehealth services.

House Bill 122 still must go through a few more steps before it becomes a law, but advocates see this as a game-changer:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed more significant burdens on cancer patients and their providers, but it has also revealed the critical role telemedicine can play in cancer care,” said American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Government Relations Director Leo Almeida.

Once the legislation is finalized, telehealth services will be expanded to include a number of professions including mental health therapists, speech, occupational and physical therapists, addiction counselors and others.

That means professionals in all of those fields will be better able to serve Ohioans who are in need of specialized care. And they also will be able to reach patients who may have transportation challenges or who simply aren’t willing to risk sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room until it is their turn for an appointment. Many people feel that the risk of “going it alone” in terms of their health care is safer than potentially being exposed to COVID-19 while sitting among other patients and their families.

The legislation is an incredible leap forward for Ohioans.

Kudos to those who are making the expansion of telehealth in Ohio a reality.