More than 230 healthcare organizations recently penned a letter to all 50 state governors urging action on expiring state licensure flexibilities, which have helped increase access to telehealth services during the pandemic.
At the start of the public health emergency, state governments across the U.S. used emergency authority to waive certain aspects of state licensure requirements and gave providers more flexibility to treat patients across state lines. Some states over the past few months have let these flexibilities expire along with their COVID-19 emergency declarations.
The Alliance for Connected Care, ALS Association and National Organization for Rare Disorders convened the group of signers, which included hospitals and health systems, patient advocacy organizations, academic medical centers, digital health companies and health information management associations.
"Patients and their families seek care across state lines for many reasons, and the licensure flexibilities put in place throughout the pandemic have been critical for expanding patient access to care, improving care coordination and continuity of care, and addressing workforce shortages," Alliance for Connected Care Director Krista Drobac said in a Nov. 1 news release. "State governors must act to ensure these flexibilities continue, and consider solutions to address the ongoing needs of patients both during the pandemic and in the future."
Click here to view the letter and full list of organizations that signed.