The Tennessean | We must continue to lay the groundwork that will allow virtual care to flourish so all Tennesseans will benefit.

The physical distancing precautions Tennesseans have undertaken to slow the spread of the coronavirus has affected every aspect of our lives. These changes have necessitated hardships, especially in our workplaces, schools, and families.

All of us have had to innovate, whether working at home, educating students online, or gathering our families by teleconferencing across a computer screen.

Nowhere has innovation been more thorough, rapid, and important—literally, saving lives—than in the delivery of health care through telemedicine.

Prior to the onset of the pandemic in the United States, 11% of Americans told researchers they had used telemedicine. Since early March, McKinsey & Company consulting firm reports that number has soared to 46%, or 140 million Americans, who say they have used telemedicine in 2020.

Read the full article here: https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2020/07/17/keep-tennessee-cutting-edge-virtual-care/5452878002/