After seeing a 7,500 percent growth in telemedicine usage in 2020, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is continuing its telehealth coverage policy. The coverage was extended until March 31, 2022, and covers telemedicine visits as well as in-person care. “If we’ve learned anything during the pandemic, there is a significant patient demand for primary and behavioral health telehealth services, which may be the best areas to drive innovation that will improve outcomes, affordability and access for members and patients,” Roberta Capp, MD, CMO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

Source: Media Center

In appreciation of their commitment to advance health IT, DirectTrust has named individuals, teams, and organizations as Interoperability Heroes for the third quarter. Vaishali Patel and the data analysis team of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) were named one of DirectTrust’s Interoperability Heroes for quarter three. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the varied accomplishments of those working in their individual ways to advance interoperable data exchange,” Scott Stuewe, president and CEO of DirectTrust, noted in a public statement.

Source: EHR Intelligence

Alice Walton, the Walmart heir, and philanthropist is passionate about healthcare reform and has supported a number of initiatives aimed at improving the health of Northwest Arkansas residents. After seeing research on the large sums of money spent on healthcare in the United States yet disproportionately poor health outcomes, she launched the Whole Health Institute.”We offer resources for individuals and work directly with health professionals, medical systems, business and community leaders, and others to integrate a whole-health approach,” she told TalkBusiness.

Source: Talk Business