American Medical Assoc. Supports Telemedicine Bill

CHICAGO — The American Medical Assoc. (AMA) this week supported the bipartisan Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act to expand the use of telemedicine to achieve quality care for patients.

The federal bill reflects the AMA’s belief that that the appropriate use of telemedicine can greatly improve access to quality care while maintaining patient safety. According to an independent study, the bill could save $1.8 billion over 10 years.

“This legislation has the potential to remove barriers to new healthcare delivery models that promote coordinated and patient-centered care. Importantly, the bill aims to maintain high standards whether a patient is seeing a physician in an office or via telemedicine,” said AMA President Dr. Steven Stack. “Telemedicine can strengthen the patient-physician relationship and improve access for patients with chronic conditions and limited access to quality care. The AMA’s guiding principles on telemedicine seek to foster innovation while promoting quality care.”

The bipartisan sponsors see telemedicine as a way to broaden healthcare, reaching populations that struggle with access.

“This bill shows Congress at its best — combining deep thinking, hard work, compromise, and bipartisanship,” Stack said. “In the end, the bill could improve health outcomes and save money. We look forward to working with other supporters to advance this important legislation in Congress.”