COVID-19 has provided us with many important lessons, but among the most significant for Sutter Health is how valuable expanded telehealth has been in reaching traditionally underserved communities in new and meaningful ways.

Sutter serves one of the most demographically and geographically diverse regions in the nation. Through our not-for-profit mission we work to ensure every patient gets the care they need, when and where they need it, regardless of their circumstances or ability to pay. We are committed to finding innovative ways to provide all of our patients with high-quality, accessible and affordable healthcare.

Like most U.S. health systems, the policy changes enacted to expand telehealth options to address COVID-19 made it possible for us to significantly expand our telehealth services. In our case, video visits increased by 32,000% – yes thousand – with patient satisfaction ratings right on par with in-person visits. As incredible as they are, what these numbers don’t tell you is how impactful these policy changes have been for vulnerable populations who otherwise may struggle to access the treatment they need.

Read this full article by Sutter Health President and CEO Sarah Krevans on the American Telemedicine blog.