ATS Comments on OSTP’s RFI: Strengthening Community Health Through Technology

On Feb. 28, the ATS filed comments in response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Request for Information: Strengthening Community Health Through Technology. The RFI is part of an initiative led by OSTP dedicated to Community Connected Health – an effort that will explore and act upon how innovation in science and technology can lower the barriers for all Americans to accessing quality health care and lead healthier lives by meeting people where they are in their communities.

The ATS comments described the Veterans Affairs’ iPad program - which, in collaboration with Apple, provides qualifying veterans with cellular-enabled iPads to access telehealth - as a successful model. The comments also provided examples of barriers to health care, including reimbursement and licensing policies of physicians, as well as broadband access in rural and urban communities. In responding to health equity priorities, the ATS commented on language as an important barrier to telehealth use and that patients who are limited English proficient (LEP) have documented disparities in care access, satisfaction, utilization, and quality. In addition, patients who are deaf or hard-of-hearing must be included in telehealth accommodations.