Seeking to make it easier for combat veterans living in remote areas to access mental-health services, the Department of Veterans Affairs is opening five “telemental health” hubs.

Arizona has become the 29th state to require health insurers to cover telemedicine services as though they were in-person consultations after legislation was signed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.

Most patient portals are falling short of their potential to facilitate physician-patient communication and improve clinical outcomes. Yet in many cases the fix may be as basic as increasing interactivity and incorporating personalized messages, according to an analysis running in the May edition of the Journal of Internet Medical Research.

Panhandle Mental Health Center, now known as Panhandle Health Group (PHG), is aiming to expand its care delivery to create a holistic, integrated health-care environment, reports the Star Herald.

Less than 37 percent of physicians surveyed by the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice reported having an understanding of “the cost of tests and procedures to the health system.”

A new study conducted by the American Psychiatric Association found that 86 percent of psychiatrists through the three largest carriers in the Health Insurance Exchange Network in the Washington, DC, were either unreachable or unable to schedule new visits.

Hospital infections affect two million people every year and cause 100,000 deaths. Roughly 70 percent of these infections are caused by diseases that could have been prevented by doctors simply washing their hands.

Technology is enabling big changes to make providers more accessible to patients. But is provider-patient virtual care enough to address the access needs of our aging population?