More Than 30 Health-Driven Organizations Pledge Their Commitment to Age-Inclusive Telehealth

Health systems, philanthropy leaders, private companies and patient advocates are among those that have signed on to support a West Health-led initiative for telehealth designed for older adults.

SAN DIEGO—November 03, 2023 —More than thirty organizations across the country are demonstrating their commitment to elevating telehealth standards to better serve older adults, adding to momentum that West Health has been building for more than two years.

Through their public pledge of support, the health-focused groups are aligning themselves with the mission of the Center of Excellence for Telehealth and Aging, which is working to reshape the delivery of telehealth to meet the needs, values and preferences of older adults and those who love and care for them.

“Telehealth can be a tremendous benefit for our nation’s seniors, but only if our leading health organizations and patient advocates stand up to acknowledge the work that must be done,” says Liane Wardlow, Ph.D., senior director of clinical research and telehealth at West Health. “We applaud all the groups that have already signed on to take the telehealth pledge, and we look forward to working together to see that telehealth is optimized for some of our most vulnerable patients.”

Beginning in 2021, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Health convened more than 30 national experts in geriatrics, telehealth and patient advocacy to create the first-ever set of principles and guidelines for providing telehealth to older adults. The best practices call for telehealthcare that is equitable and accessible, person-centered and integrated and coordinated within the patient’s care system.

Those seminal efforts resulted in the Center for Excellence for Telehealth and Aging, or CE4TA, which is now leading the charge to ensure telehealth providers enhance their offerings. The center offers practical tools, vetted resources and a community of experts to help health organizations make essential improvements to remote care options for seniors.

“Telehealth has proven to offer faster referral times, reduced travel, lower costs and a host of other benefits that make it an attractive option for older adults,” says Shelley Lyford, chief executive officer of West Health. “But as we know, many challenges have emerged for seniors who engage in remote care—challenges that telehealth services simply weren’t designed to address. As we look to set new standards for telehealth, I encourage all health organizations to take the pledge and stand with us for better remote care.”

Organizations can show their commitment by adding their name to the Pledge of Support page at ce4ta.matrc.org.

The organizations featured below are the early adopters of this movement:

About West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego, and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org and follow @westhealth.

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More Than 30 Health-Driven Organizations Pledge Their Commitment to Age-Inclusive Telehealth

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