Healthcare Innovation February 9, 2022
Military Health System told GAO that telehealth was a valuable tool in providing mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that it facilitated continuity of care
A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report to Congress highlighted the expansion in telehealth use for mental healthcare for military service members during the pandemic.
Telehealth visits made up about 15 percent of outpatient mental health visits before the pandemic (from January 2019 through February 2020) and increased 275 percent from February 2020 to a peak in April 2020 of 118,246 visits. These visits have decreased since but remain above pre-pandemic levels.The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Military Health System told GAO that telehealth was a valuable tool in providing mental healthcare during the COVID-19...