Medscape Education Awarded Health and Human Services (HHS) Contract to Support Clinicians' Use of Telemedicine During COVID-19 Pandemic

Increased reliance on virtual care platforms by healthcare professionals, patients expected to continue

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Dec 02, 2020, 11:08 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Medscape Education today announced an upcoming free, accredited, online educational program, supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will offer clinicians information and insights on effectively leveraging telemedicine with patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond. Medscape Education is the leading destination for continuing education for healthcare professionals in the U.S.

The 10-part video series will cover a range of topics, including how best to use telemedicine to provide clinical services to patients, procedures for billing, assessing symptoms, diagnosing, discussing and prescribing therapies. Content will also explore how to effectively interact with patients and families using telemedicine, as well as non-clinical subjects, including types of telemedicine platforms available. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) can receive continuing medical education credit upon completion.

"Medscape Education is honored to be selected by HHS to develop this programming at a time when both HCPs and patients are navigating the new healthcare terrain," said Doug Kaufman, Group Vice President, Medscape Education. "Understanding these topics will give HCPs the confidence they need to engage with their patients via telemedicine, both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic."

"While COVID-19 has been an unfortunate catalyst for the growth of telemedicine, we believe the technology will allow for more accessible care, especially for those who are housebound; that inspires us to educate HCPs so that they are updated on best practices and protocols," said Kaufman.

The use of telemedicine has significantly increased during the pandemic. In market research conducted earlier this year by WebMD, more than three-quarters of physicians say their practice is offering telemedicine visits, nearly one-third of patients have used telemedicine since the start of the pandemic, and more than half say they want to continue using it in the future.

"We've seen how valuable telemedicine can be not only in modern medicine but also in responding to public health emergencies like a severe pandemic," added HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, M.D. "Providing educational material and training helps physicians and other healthcare providers support their patients safely and curbing of spread of disease. Greater education now helps our entire country become better prepared to protect health and save lives in future emergencies."

The curriculum will be available at Medscape.org beginning in December and will be offered at no cost. Healthcare professionals need only register with Medscape to gain access.

About Medscape Education

Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free C.M.E. and C.E. courses and other educational programs for physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals.

About WebMD

WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands Company, is the leading provider of health information services, serving patients, physicians, health care professionals, employers, and health plans through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, Jobson Healthcare Information, prIME Oncology, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org®, and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

SOURCE Medscape Education