Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Heart Failure/epidemiology , Hospitalization/trends , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Acute Disease , COVID-19 , Comorbidity , Coronavirus Infections/therapy , Heart Failure/therapy , Humans , Incidence , Pneumonia, Viral/therapy , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, US federal and state governments have implemented wide-ranging stay-at-home recommendations as a means to reduce spread of infection. As a consequence, many US healthcare systems and practices have curtailed ambulatory clinic visits-pillars of care for patients with heart failure (HF). In this context, synchronous audio/video interactions, also known as virtual visits (VVs), have emerged as an innovative and necessary alternative. This scientific statement outlines the benefits and challenges of VVs, enumerates changes in policy and reimbursement that have increased the feasibility of VVs during the COVID-19 era, describes platforms and models of care for VVs, and provides a vision for the future of VVs.