Telecommunications

commentary

Telemedicine Abortion? It's Not as Easy as It Sounds

The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has providers and health advocates strategizing about how to provide more abortions where it is still legal. Expanding virtual medical visits is one popular idea. Policymakers and clinics could take steps to make telemedicine better understood, easier to use, and more equitable.

Zachary Predmore @zspredmore, Julia Rollison @Julia_Rollison

blog

Keeping Russians Informed, No-Fly Zone Policy, Telehealth: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how to ensure Russians have access to accurate news about the war in Ukraine, strategic considerations for keeping a no-fly zone option on the table, treating pain conditions among U.S. service members, and more.

commentary

How China Plays by Different Rules—at Everyone Else's Expense

A single Chinese state-run firm has secured a controlling interest in at least 33 radio stations in 14 countries. But there is virtually no opportunity for foreign ownership, input, or influence in the Chinese media marketplace. This inequity presents U.S. leaders with an opportunity: Unless China opens its media marketplace to foreign investment and ownership, its firms should be forced to divest their American holdings.

Christopher Paul

commentary

Could the Move Toward Zoom and Other Collaboration Technologies Due to the Pandemic Change the Very Makeup of Populations?

Collaborative technologies such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams have transformed how we work, visit the doctor, and go to school. But can they also shift demographic trends in migration, fertility, morbidity, and mortality? And if so, how?

Esther M. Friedman, Andrew M. Parker

commentary

Rethinking the Impact of Audio-Only Visits on Health Equity

New pandemic-era flexibility that allowed audio-only health visits to be routinely reimbursed as telehealth may be leading to substandard care for those it was meant to serve. It may be time to consider limiting audio-only visits in the pursuit of health equity.

Lori Uscher-Pines, Lucy B. Schulson

blog

Equity in Research, North Korean Instability, Traffic Stops: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how RAND applies an equity lens to research, instability in North Korea, what police think about traffic stops, and more.

commentary

How COVID-19 Lessons Can Transform U.S. Mental Health Care

It would be a powerful conclusion to the pandemic if Americans reimagined a health system that was resilient against future threats, including the resulting psychological trauma. Policymakers have the opportunity now to cut short the pandemic's long tail of mental illness by taking decisive action.

Ryan K. McBain @ryankmcbain

commentary

No Patient Left Behind: Considering Equitable Distribution of Telehealth

The pandemic has revealed telemedicine's potential to improve health care delivery and access. Telemedicine could help reach patients who would normally be excluded or alienated by the traditional structure of the health system.

Rama A. Salhi, Mahshid Abir, et al.

blog

Game Theory to Help the Vaccine Rollout, Abraham Accords, Telehealth: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how game theory can help the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, potential economic benefits of the Abraham Accords, telemedicine use during the pandemic, and more.

commentary

The Doctor Will Call Me Maybe: The Uncertain Future of Audio-Only Visits and Why We Need Them to Address Disparities

Audio-only health care visits have been instrumental in maintaining access to care during the pandemic. Despite this, coverage for audio-only visits is likely temporary. Devaluing and prematurely casting off a key telemedicine modality could mean the difference between a needed doctor visit and no visit at all.

Lori Uscher-Pines, Maggie Jones, et al.

blog

Unemployment Insurance, Domestic Extremists, Housing Insecurity: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on what the pandemic has revealed about America's unemployment system, why stopping domestic extremism will be difficult, how housing insecurity may affect sleep, and more.

blog

Political Violence, COVID-19 Vaccine Questions, Mental Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on why we need to brace for more political violence after the Capitol attack, COVID-19 vaccine questions and answers, how to reform the U.S. mental health system, and more.

commentary

Patients Log On to See Their Own Doctors During the Pandemic

Telehealth use has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Can this form of high-quality, low-cost care be maintained over the long term? As discussion of post-pandemic policies begins, lessons from patients' use of telehealth will provide valuable guidance.

Shira H. Fischer @ShiraFischer, Joshua Breslau @JoshuaBreslau

commentary

Teleworking During the COVID-19 Pandemic Highlights Educational Inequity

The ability to telework is associated with both reduced risk of COVID-19 infection and with significantly lower risk of job loss. There are large disparities in who is able to telework by race and ethnicity—but even larger ones by educational attainment.

Jason M. Ward @jason_m_ward

commentary

What Influences Quality Improvement Processes in Health Care?

Periods of rapid change offer both opportunities and challenges for health care quality improvement. Understanding the building blocks that need to be in place to support improvement processes may help those seeking to embed improvement capabilities and capacity into their organisations, both as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Gemma-Claire Ali, Emily Ryen Gloinson, et al.