Texas an example of proposal to make out-of-state doctors available

Anambra State’s telemedicine program is closing the healthcare access gap in rural communities, making universal health coverage more possible. The program began in 2022 and has since hired and trained 42 doctors in providing remote healthcare. As more people use the telemedicine program, public trust in primary healthcare across the region is increasing.

Teletherapy has seen a rapid increase since the COVID-19 pandemic and is helping meet the increased need for mental healthcare services by allowing people to easily access care from the comfort of their homes, with significantly fewer barriers to entry than traditional therapy offers. Practices that have begun offering teletherapy have seen a decrease in their no-show and cancellation rates and both private insurance and Medicaid have expanded coverage to improve access to care.

To help address care shortages, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact makes it easier for physicians to work across state lines, taking the typical three to six month licensing process and reducing it to about seven to 10 days. 37 states are currently part of the Compact, which has helped license 15,000 physicians.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact expedites medical licenses allowing doctors to provide healthcare across several states via telehealth. The Compact speeds up the licensing process, taking just a few days, and can be completed mostly online. Texas just became one of the 37 states that have joined the Compact.

Preggify is a telehealth platform that provides 24-hour support for pregnant women, where they can connect with doctors, get prescriptions and receive guidance on how to navigate their pregnancy. The platform also organizes weekly educational classes, conducts regular vital and blood pressure measurements and also monitors expecting mothers’ mental health. The platform was founded in 2022 and has built a community of about 2,000 women.

Dental offices like Asian Health Services are starting to incorporate mental health care in their dental services. By observing changes in oral health, building trust with patients to talk about their mental health and having them fill out questionnaires about how they’ve been feeling, dentists are able to identify patients that may be struggling and then help connect them with therapy and treatment. Asian Health Services screens 300 to 400 patients per year, about 7% of which are then referred to counseling.

Disability doula work is the practice of helping a newly disabled person navigate life changes. It typically involves another disabled person sharing knowledge, resources and lived experiences to support someone in need. Through the work if disabled individuals offering services on their own, or through groups like Project LETS, disability doula work can help reduce feelings of shame, grief and loneliness newly disabled people often face.

Care Ring, in collaboration with other organizations like the University of North Carolina School of Nursing, launched The Bridge, a community-based healthcare initiative that aims to make preventive care easier to access. The Bridge features a mobile care unit that provides free health screenings, counseling support and connections to community resources. Since December 2022, The Bridge has provided care to more than 100 people, 39% of which didn’t have a regular doctor.

The “Saving Lives! Improving Futures” project by the Festus Fajemilo Foundation works to help children with spina bifida who face incontinence issues reduce feelings of social isolation, preserve renal function, increase student retention and improve their overall quality of life. Since the project launched in 2017, it has benefited more than 150 people.

The Health and Social Development Foundation (HESED) aims to increase access to healthcare, specifically among pregnant women and children. HESED works to bring doctors closer to communities that struggle to get care and has also created designated spaces for important care that was previously inaccessible, like OBGYN checkups. Over the last three years, more than 400 people have received checkups from the center, regardless of their insurance status.