Kameron Matthews, MD, JD, FAAFP

🚨 Telehealth's Super Bowl is Here – Congress, It's Time to Act! 🚨 I was recently quoted in an article by Ben Leonard in POLITICO Pulse, where we discussed the urgent need for Congress to address the looming expiration of telehealth rules that have expanded access for Medicare patients. As we approach the end of the year, these critical legislative and regulatory deadlines are upon us, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Over the last 4 1/2 years, we've witnessed the transformative power of #telehealth, with tens of millions of Americans gaining unprecedented access to care. But now, the uncertainty surrounding the extension of these vital provisions is creating chaos within the healthcare system. As I mentioned in the article, "This is no way to run a healthcare system. It's being disruptive now, but it's going to be tremendously disruptive if we allow this to lapse." Providers are being forced to craft contingency plans, and the anxiety this unpredictability causes in our healthcare system and amongst patients is palpable. The American Telemedicine Association, ATA Action, and our members and partners are working tirelessly to advocate for a permanent solution. We need Congress to get to work now to ensure that Americans do not lose out on the access to care that has been achieved. Delaying action until the last minute will only lead to unnecessary disruptions that could affect millions of patients and the healthcare providers who serve them. Let’s push for immediate action to secure the future of telehealth! Thanks to Ben Leonard for shining a light on this critical issue. #Telehealth #Healthcare #Congress #AmericanTelemedicineAssociation #ATAAction #LegislativeAction #PatientCare Ann Mond Johnson Gina Cella Paul Samargedlis Allison Kavanagh Tom Mann Helen Hughes MD, MPH Sarah Lloyd Stevenson, MPH

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ICYMI! The CMS Office of Minority Health has released a new resource document of health equity-related data definitions, standards, and stratification practices. CMS’ Resource of Health Equity-related Data Definitions, Standards, and Stratification Practices offers a table of suggested definitions, standards, and stratification practices for 9 health equity-related data elements as well as several Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the purpose and usage of the document. It may also clarify differences in results that may arise when different data standards and definitions are used. /https://lnkd.in/etVzCYh4

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Heading to an important election, what #healthpolicy issues are we facing as a nation? Check out this new piece from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University! We cover everything from #Medicaid, #Medicare, to the #opioidcrisis. https://lnkd.in/eR4M7XF6

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I’m honored to be part of the newly assembled National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health. This growing coalition of business leaders and public health experts, alongside the Health Action Alliance, is committed to providing employers with the tools, insights and collaborative opportunities they need to ensure the safety of their employees. Recently, the World Economic Forum reported that CEOs have identified extreme weather as a top threat to their businesses in the coming year. While many executives are aware of the risks, few are prepared to protect their workers. Our inaugural report outlining our challenges, the Commission’s goals and initial recommendations is now available for download at https://lnkd.in/eFPpYDju #ClimateWorkforceHealth #ClimateHealthCommission  #HealthAction #ClimateChange #Adaptation #PublicHealth #Sustainability #ClimateHealth #ClimateandBusiness, #WorkforceHealth #EmployeeWellbeing

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"In 2003, the Institute of Medicine examined the impacts of health care disparities and proposed solutions in Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial Bias and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Because disparities persist, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an expert committee to revisit the 2003 report." The link to the updated report release webinar is below:

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Discover how prioritizing mental health in healthcare can lead to a more proactive approach, emphasizing prevention alongside treatment. It involves advocating for policy advancements, allocating similar urgency and resources to mental health as to physical health, and investing in preventive services. This shift aims to improve access to care, integrate services, destigmatize mental health challenges, and leverage technology for better diagnosis and support, ultimately fostering a resilient and diverse workforce capable of delivering culturally empathetic care. #thincvalue #valuebasedcare #mentalhealth #behavioralhealth #substanceusedisorder #addiction #healthcareworkforce

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Incredible news out of the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice - they’ve approved a resolution in support of #healthcommunicationai! As a field, health communication science needs to embrace new ways of engaging with people from all walks of life - in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing us today, address waning trust, and ultimately support the health and wellbeing of all! And AI must be a part of how we move forward! Read the resolution below and learn more at: https://lnkd.in/erTiwWHi

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Is corporate-owned primary care "failing"? This post from primary care leaders resonates right now. The short-term horizons of publicly-traded behemoths are leading many of them to retrench, if not dump, their primary care "line of business" (after overpaying to acquire them). Corporate capital was never going to be primary care's savior unless the underlying payment model and adequacy issues could be fixed. Medicare Advantage is a promising model but risk coding and quality stars gaming are distorting incentives and harming quality. Hospital-owned primary care is focused on funneling patients into systems for more expensive care. The public sector must play a bigger role in financing primary care because it's essentially a public good. More of it makes us healthier as a nation (and is cost effective) and the market (i.e., payers, hospitals) won't produce enough on its own. Some employers are building their own primary care or aligning with independent practices but they don't have enough clout on their own. I think #Medicare and #Medicaid are the players that must lead and align first. #primarycare Kevin Grumbach Yalda Jabbarpour https://lnkd.in/eqVYWDBC

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