Six Ways Telehealth Made Progress in 2018

1. Collaboration between bedside and virtual care teams paved the way for seamless care. 
2. Legislation supported the expansion of telehealth services. In June 2018, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publicly encouraged states to utilize telemedicine and telepsychiatry to facilitate coordinated care.
3. Large scale research studies showed significant reduced telehealth cost, paired with positive satisfaction and quality.
4. Retail players broke into the telehealth market, possibly spurring additional innovation. Retail giant Walmart partnered with consumer health and hygiene company RB to launch a telehealth initiative with Doctor on Demand, a virtual care provider.
5. Growth of virtual care for behaviorial health enhanced the mind-body connection.
6. The line between physical and virtual care began to blur. Use cases appeared covering the full spectrum of care from acute to post-acute and urgent to managing healthy lifestyles.

Sources: https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/innovation/6-ways-telehealth-made-progress-2018 

Source: https://www.healthexec.com/topics/care-delivery/walmart-telehealth-campaign-doctor-demand