Dr. Bekaii-Saab on the Impact of COVID-19 on Telemedicine

Tanios S. Bekaii-Saab, MD, FACP, medical oncologist, medical director, Cancer Clinical Research Office, vice chair and section chief, Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses the impact of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on telemedicine.

COVID-19 has created a pandemic of such magnitude that the majority of the population has never experienced before, explains Bekaii-Saab.

Moreover, COVID-19 raises specific concerns regarding older individuals with comorbidities as they are at an increased risk of dying from the virus, says Bekaii-Saab.

To minimize the number of patients exposed to COVID-19, Mayo Clinic implemented safety measures like telemedicine early on, explains Bekaii-Saab. Though telemedicine was used prior to the outbreak, its role has grown significantly over the course of the pandemic. It is likely that telehealth will retain its role after COVID-19 has subsided, concludes Bekaii-Saab.