Telehealth trends shaping Arizona’s health care future

This is the seventh installment in a series of segments compiled as a collaboration between Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) and Arizona PBS. This segment is centered around telehealth.

CFA surveyed Arizonans in their Gallup poll about what kind of Arizona they would like to see. The survey results unearthed seven shared values amongst Arizonans. CFA then did a deeper dive and looked at ways to take action and make Arizona more fair and equitable for all.

Telehealth became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to see growth afterwards. Telehealth has helped to make health care more accessible to all.

Dr. Shad Marvasti of HonorHealth helped explain everything you should know about telehealth, including what it is, how it works and who it benefits.

Marvasti estimates that about 30% of his visits are telehealth. He also says it can be great for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, especially if they are being seen in person on a regular basis. According to Marvasti, it can make seeing the doctor more convenient.

“Telehealth is also useful in the cases of people who have challenges with transportation, or single parents, or others who are struggling to be to kind of balance everything in their life and get themselves to the doctor’s office,” Marvasti said.

Telehealth is also having a major affect on mental health care according to Marvasti because it thrives in the space of not needing a physical exam.

“And we’re seeing actually telehealth implemented in mental health now, where mental health is really lacking in our healthcare system,” Marvasti said. “Being able to do health care videos for mental health counseling where you definitely don’t need a physical exam, you just really need to be able to have that one on one interaction, that conversation can be really powerful.”

Marvasti also noted that telehealth helps the healthcare industry deal with a lack of primary care physicians by expanding availability and access.

He also wants to see complete reimbursement for telehealth by insurance companies so that it would be on par with a traditional office visit.