The American Heart Association (AHA) and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Center for Virtual Care Value and Excellence (UNC-Chapel Hill ViVE) have established a joint clinical commitment to advance telehealth integration and patient care quality. National Health Institute data indicates telehealth now represents 23% of healthcare encounters, with some specialties experiencing virtual visit rates exceeding 50%.
The partnership aims to generate real-world knowledge, develop implementation frameworks, and explore emerging technologies like artificial intelligence to improve healthcare delivery. Key objectives include creating evidence-based resources, enhancing professional education, and expanding telehealth research dissemination.
Dr. Saif Khairat, director of UNC-Chapel Hill ViVE, emphasized the collaboration's significance in transforming virtual care from a pandemic necessity to a sophisticated, integrated healthcare system. The organizations will focus on bridging research discoveries with practical patient and provider applications in both urban and rural settings.
Through this collaboration, the AHA and UNC-Chapel Hill seek to advance telehealth integration by developing comprehensive educational resources, supporting integrated care models, and improving professionals' understanding of virtual healthcare technologies and practices.
