Opinion: Telemedicine will remain vital after the pandemic. We're helping seniors access it.

With an aging population, Maine seniors have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our seniors often have many medical diagnoses and issues, and go to doctor’s visits frequently. Since March last year, they’ve had to put themselves at risk for COVID-19 infection or miss vital appointments. In a typical year, many Maine seniors are forced to drive several hours across the state for specialized appointments at hospitals in Portland or Bangor. Not only is this a time and cost burden for our seniors, but it also discourages them from seeing their providers regularly. The added risk of disease has exacerbated the issue, resulting in Mainers delaying treatments and diagnoses.