Michigan Establishes 13 Test to Treat Sites With Telehealth Options

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched Test to Treat programs that leverage telehealth at 13 locations across the state.

The launch is part of the federal COVID-19 Test to Treat Initiative, which enables people who test positive for COVID-19 to receive a medical evaluation and consultation, and, if eligible, a prescription for antiviral medication during the same visit. The initiative operates through hundreds of local pharmacy-based clinics, federally qualified community health centers, and long-term care facilities. Some Test to Treat sites also have telehealth options.

The 13 new sites opening across Michigan all include a telehealth service. Patients who come in for testing and receive a positive result can then use telehealth on-site to speak with a healthcare provider. If clinically appropriate, the provider can submit a prescription for antiviral medications to a convenient pharmacy. These services are provided to the patient for free.   

"Through a partnership between the State of Michigan, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, telehealth is enabling easy access to these life-saving medications," said Matt Quinn, science director of the Army's Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center, in the press release.

The overall goal of the Test to Treat Initiative is to increase access to two oral antiviral pills, Pfizer's Paxlovid and Merck’s Lagevrio (molnupiravir), which the federal government distributes to states and territories.

"Early access to these medications helps support faster recovery and decreases the risk of hospitalization," said Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, chief medical executive at MDHHS, in the press release. "COVID-19 treatments are most effective at preventing severe illness when taken as soon after symptoms start. This program provides Michiganders with limited access to a health care provider the ability to be evaluated and treated for COVID-19, rapidly, confidentially and at no-cost."

The state department selected the new Test to Treat sites based on several criteria. These include communities with a high Social Vulnerability Index, which is a measure of communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters; sites with a high percentage of people over age 50 tested; and areas with limited access to care other than emergency departments.

The launch of the new Test to Treat sites comes a few months after Washington State similarly expanded on the federal initiative by providing a free telehealth program that enabled Covid-positive patients to access medical consultations and prescriptions at no cost and without an insurance requirement.  

Patient satisfaction with telehealth has remained high, even though usage has ebbed and flowed during the pandemic.

According to data from FAIR Health, national telehealth use jumped 10.2 percent in May, marking the second consecutive month that usage increased. But that figure dropped almost 4 percent in June.

Despite the decline, virtual care is popular among patients. A survey conducted by JD Power in June and July shows that 94 percent of respondents who had received care through telehealth in the preceding year said that they intend to use it again.