Before the pandemic, MO HealthNet telehealth patients were required to see doctors that were licensed in Missouri and an online or over-the-phone questionnaire was not enough to establish a provider-patient relationship. The PHE waived those two requirements.
According to Minnesota Department of Health data, rural Minnesotans are less likely to use telehealth services compared to their urban counterparts. The reasons why are complicated.
As tech enthusiasts who research and develop AI-driven chatbots in health care, we are optimistic about the role these agents will play in providing consumer-centered health information. But they must be developed with specific uses in mind and be built with precautions to safeguard their users.