Our recent brief, California Telehealth Developments and Children’s Access to Care, summarizes the state of recent advancements in children’s health through telehealth, or the delivery of health services remotely via technology.
As a result of technological advancements and lower costs, the adoption of telehealth has become more widespread as a critical tool for improving access to care and health outcomes for children in the state.
California has passed extensive telehealth policy reform and has sought to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technology. The policy developments of 2019 are indicative of a growing recognition of the value of telehealth; however, the new regulations do not necessarily work to improve access to care for low-income children and families who need it most.
With increased investment in telehealth, California can dramatically improve access to remote care for children across the state, but it will require a child-centered approach to telehealth that has not yet been fully recognized. There remains significant work to be done in California to develop child-centered telehealth policies that address the needs of California’s most vulnerable children.
