Making telehealth services inclusive for all

Telehealth is the delivery of health care services, where patients and providers are separated by distance. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased focus on telehealth. Many health providers had to reduce or pause their services, and patients were not able to access in-person services due to lockdowns and quarantine restrictions. The World Health Organization states that about 61% of the countries which reported service disruptions due to COVID-19, also reported an increased utilization of telehealth services. Telehealth platforms provide both opportunities and barriers for persons with disabilities. If designed with accessibility standards in mind, telehealth can have an incredibly positive impact on the lives of persons with disabilities by improving access to quality and cost-effective health services for all regardless of where they live. However, if the barriers to accessing these platforms are not removed, telehealth can further the digital divide and exclusion of persons with disabilities.

In this episode Carine Weiss talks to Andrea Pregel about how the area of digital health, or ‘telehealth’ has been evolving in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and what this has meant for persons with disabilities. We talk about the barriers and benefits for persons with disabilities to access telehealth and the steps that need to be taken to make digital health accessible and barrier free for all users.

Transcript of the Podcast Season on Disability Inclusive Development - Episode 6