The American Telemedicine Association has made a significant announcement this week with the establishment of its new ATA Center of Digital Excellence, or CODE. This initiative aims to bring together major U.S. health systems to explore innovative ways of integrating digital pathways throughout the care continuum. The center will work towards driving the development and deployment of new best practices for patient-centered care, ensuring equitable access and improving clinical and operational outcome improvements.

Why It Matters - Advancing Digital Health Tools and Services

The new initiative by the American Telemedicine Association is focused on advancing leading-edge digital health tools and services. This is crucial as it aims to enhance clinical workflows, engage more patients and improve healthcare accessibility. By doing so, it has the potential to transform the way healthcare is delivered and accessed.The CODE comprises an alliance of leading health systems, with founding members such as Intermountain Health, Mayo Clinic, MedStar Health, Ochsner Health, OSF HealthCare, Sanford Health, Stanford Health Care, UPMC, and West Virginia University Medicine Children’s Hospital. Virtual care companies like Access TeleCare and AvaSure have also joined as founding sponsors, further strengthening the center's efforts.Elissa Baker, RN, the senior VP of digital strategy and clinical innovation at ATA, will lead the launch and engagement efforts of CODE. She will work with the center's members to make it a "vital catalyst in reshaping the digital care delivery landscape."The member organizations of CODE will compare insights and strategies, contributing to published workflows, success stories, and benchmarks. This will help shape best practices and maturity models in digital care delivery, enabling others to develop sustainable and effective models for integrating digital care.As the center expands and gains momentum, it plans to add more health systems, clinical leaders, and IT companies to the collaborative network. Regular summits and events will be hosted, and a variety of resources will be published for members through ATA's Member Connection starting in the spring. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and founding members will continuously review and select applicants as initiatives are identified. To learn more and submit your organization, visit the ATA's Center of Digital Excellence website.

The Larger Trend - Marshalling Industry-Wide Support

The American Telemedicine Association has been actively involved in recent months, working hard to marshal industry-wide support. This is particularly important as they aim to extend telehealth flexibilities in a legislative package before it expires at the end of the year.Kyle Zebley, the executive director of ATA Action, emphasized the need for Congress to act. "It is incumbent on Congress to do the right thing and pass legislation extending telehealth flexibilities for as long as possible," he said. "This includes both the existing Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the critical HDHP-HSA provision that allows Americans to access telehealth services before meeting their deductible. By acting in the best interest of patients and healthcare providers, Congress can address mounting ramifications and ensure all patients receive the care they need."

On the Record - Telehealth as a Critical Addition

ATA CEO Ann Mond Johnson stated in a statement, "Telehealth is not an either/or solution but a critical addition to in-person care. It addresses the gaps where traditional access is limited or unavailable. With these renowned health systems, we are setting the standard for how innovation and technology can enhance, extend, and equalize access to high-quality healthcare for all. Through CODE, we are convening top health systems to establish models that seamlessly integrate digital care into broader care delivery approaches."Telehealth plays a vital role in modern healthcare, providing an alternative or supplementary means of delivering care. It allows patients to access healthcare services from the comfort of their own homes, reducing barriers to care and improving patient outcomes. The establishment of CODE by the American Telemedicine Association is a significant step towards leveraging digital technology to enhance healthcare delivery and accessibility.