HHS

Federal leaders at the Departments of Veterans affairs and Health and Human Services have made patient support — both financial and technical — a vital component of its rapid expansion in telehealth services.

During a time when digital technologies in health care has presented many benefits, the pandemic has enabled the opportunity for health agencies to break down existing red tape and social inequities in order to provide better access to health care in rural communities.

The coronavirus pandemic has presented an opportunity for government to lead the charge on expanding access to care and address long-standing health equity challenges within the U.S. public health system, according to a leading public health official.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the need for major investments in digital health services and technology across the country, including telehealth and broadband infrastructure — particularly in rural communities.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, federal agencies knew they had to prioritize cybersecurity as employees shifted to telework. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency worked quickly to ensure federal agencies had the tools and guidance they needed to keep their data safe.

During the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the U.S. was heavily reliant on providers in Asia for things like personal protective equipment as it had little to no manufacturing capability for these items.

Lawmakers and public health experts are pushing for greater standardization of health data to improve public health response efforts and research outcomes.

With the trillions of dollars spent around COVID-19 relief and response funding, digital solutions are scaling and providing transparent oversight of that funding.

The Department of Health and Human Services has witnessed a significant spike in cyberattacks since the pandemic began, but has also experienced a change in how the agency prioritizes cybersecurity in its pandemic response efforts. 

AI is helping to prevent fraud, waste and abuse of funds.

• HealthCast

Data-sharing tools enable the agency to collaborate across the enterprise.

The agency has implemented flexible technological capabilities to support ongoing COVID-19 response efforts.