The CONNECT for Health Act stands for the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act. This is an Act that is being submitted by the ALS Association (a group advocating for care and treatment for persons facing the progressive neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). The main point of the bill is to ensure that patients with ALS gain access to telemedicine and Telehealth regardless of their location. Patients who have access to telemedicine and Telehealth tend to be in rural areas, where access to health care for their needs is not within close proximity. This bill is pushing for the expansion of access so that patients who may live in the city or closer to their health services, but cannot physically get to them, can still get the health care and doctors appointments that they need. The ALS Association has agreed to, “work closely with stakeholders across the health care and technology ecosystem to expand a legal and regulatory environment where providers are permitted to deliver safe, high quality care using Telehealth and telemedicine regardless of care delivery location or technological method” (ALS Association). This would ensure that the process of using Telehealth and telemedicine for serving ALS patients would go as smoothly as possible on both ends of the line, and would ensure that patients are still getting the best care possible without the stress of having to leave their home.
Those in favor of this act support it because it would allow for a greater number of patients with ALS to get access to the much needed health care that they may otherwise not be able to access. Doing appointments online through this method increases the chances that more people will be able to make their appointment, as they do not have to leave their homes and travel to meet with their doctor. Another reason people support this act is because if patients are in a wheelchair or need lots of medical assistance to function, then they may not be able to travel or may feel too insecure to travel to the doctor’s office. Having their appointments available through an online format where they can talk to their doctor from the comfort of their home can have a significant positive impact on their self-esteem and reduce stress that comes along with trying to travel. Many in congress favor this bill and agree it would improve health access to many patients.
Currently there is no opposition to passing the act. All comments made on this act have been in favor of it. However, possible oppositions to this act may include that it does not allow for as much of a personal connection between patients and health care providers. By doing appointments online, and not in person, there is a limitation to how much of a personal relationship can be built. Another potential reason one might oppose this Act is because of the dependency on the internet that it requires. In order for patients to meet with providers through Telehealth and remote means, each person must have access to the internet and be able to keep a strong connection during the entire appointment. If the internet is down or not strong enough for one or more participants at the time of an appointment, then the patient may not be able to meet with their health care provider for their appointment. These are only possible oppositions to the bill and are not oppositions made my congress.
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