North Carolina has 145 primary care shortage areas across the state, making access to health care especially difficult for patients living in rural areas. In this presentation, Katherine Restrepo will delve into the data as well as the role telemedicine can, and is, playing to expand access. For example, by using technology to deliver health care at a distance, research has shown benefits for patients dealing with such conditions as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression. To that end, Katherine will discuss how legislators can expand telemedicine by removing licensing barriers that limit growth, and she will explain why they should resist imposing new regulations on insurance companies.
