The high rate of spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus required quarantine and minimal contact between doctors and patients. This is where modern technology could help. Unfortunately, time has been lost, and the topic of telemedicine - remote medical services - is only now beginning to gain momentum.
As part of the $2,2 trillion CARES law signed a couple of days ago by US President Donald Trump, aimed at comprehensive assistance in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic and its consequences for the country's economy, a certain amount of money for telecommunications assistance to medical institutions in America. This is planned to be done as part of the "COVID-19 Telehealth Program" managed by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The US Congress allocated $19 million to the FCC for the COVID-200 Telemedicine program. Money from this fund can be claimed by health care providers in the US (hospitals, hospitals, and the like). The program should help medical institutions directly involved in patient care in the acquisition of telecommunications equipment, devices and broadband communication lines.
The organization of remote medical offices should help stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it excludes personal contact between the doctor and the patient and does not put at risk patients who are not yet infected with coronavirus with dangerous chronic diseases. This is just the exception when the presence of a doctor is practically not needed. They have not yet learned how to properly treat SARS-CoV-2, and pulling an infected organism to the hospital is to harm the population in the most accessible ways.
Funding under the FCC's "COVID-19 Telehealth Program" will continue until either the allocated fund is depleted or the pandemic ends. In parallel, the FCC issued final rules for the provision of care for the Connected Care pilot program. As part of the latter, medical institutions will be financially supported for up to three years to deploy telemedicine services with a focus on low-income Americans and veterans.
Source: 3dnews.ru