[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 165 (Thursday, September 23, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 385--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF 
  SEPTEMBER 19 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25, 2021, AS ``TELEHEALTH AWARENESS 
                                 WEEK''

  Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Thune, Mr. 
Warner, and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) submitted the following resolution; which 
was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 385

       Whereas telehealth allows a health care practitioner to 
     furnish health care services to a patient or a practitioner 
     at a different physical location than the health care 
     practitioner;
       Whereas telehealth has played a significant role in 
     supporting access to quality health care services for 
     millions of patients during the COVID-19 public health 
     emergency and will continue to be essential beyond the end of 
     the public health emergency;
       Whereas following the unprecedented use of telehealth and 
     virtual care services in response to the public health 
     emergency, telehealth now represents a significant percent of 
     care delivery, confirming the need to balance in-person and 
     virtual care in the health care system;
       Whereas telehealth and virtual care services continue to 
     provide patients and families with safe, appropriate, and 
     high-quality care where and when they need it, and 91 percent 
     of Medicare beneficiaries are satisfied with their telehealth 
     experiences;
       Whereas telehealth allows health care providers to securely 
     connect with patients wherever they are when an in-person 
     interaction is not clinically necessary or available and 
     expands access to health care services for patients in need 
     of specialty care, enabling the health care system to do more 
     good for more people;
       Whereas telehealth is a bipartisan issue and Members of 
     Congress from both sides of the political aisle and both 
     sides of Capitol Hill are dedicated to ensuring patients 
     continue to have the choice to access telehealth once the 
     COVID-19 public health emergency ends;
       Whereas the United States must help improve broader access 
     to telehealth services for all individuals, including members 
     of rural and underserved communities; and
       Whereas ``Telehealth Awareness Week'' unites the efforts of 
     patients, caregivers, health care providers, policymakers, 
     and other stakeholders to advance the role of telehealth in 
     health care: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate supports the designation of the 
     week of September 19 through September 25, 2021, as 
     ``Telehealth Awareness Week''.

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