MDH study recommends supporting telehealth, expanding broadband access

The Minnesota Department of Health is recommending continued support for telehealth services after summarizing findings from two years of research.

The health department is tasked with studying the impact of the 2021 Minnesota Telehealth Act on private-sector health insurance.

In a news release, MDH Commissioner Brooke Cunningham said the study “shows that telehealth offers a real choice that can be comparable to in-person care, especially for behavioral health care and chronic disease management.”

The findings also call for expanding broadband access in Greater Minnesota where there are more frequent barriers to accessing telehealth.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients and health care providers have increasingly found value in the convenience and flexibility of telehealth, according to the study.

MDH’s study of telehealth identifies wide agreement among Minnesota providers, patients, health plans and public health professionals that telehealth expands access to care, makes getting care faster and easier and reduces barriers for patients.