Many Californians have used telehealth services for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, despite patients and doctors embracing telehealth, state policymakers have been slow to permanently improve access to digital health care services.
In an executive order helping make telehealth services more accessible for Californians by relaxing security and privacy requirements for health care providers, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted the problems, “I find strict compliance with various statutes, regulations, and certain local ordinances specified or referenced herein would prevent, hinder, or delay appropriate actions to prevent and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Gov. Newsom is right, but his
