American Geriatrics Society position statement: Telehealth policy for older adults

Authors

Alison M. Holliday, Devoted Health, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
Ardeshir K. Hashmi, Cleveland Clinic, Center for Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Adaora O. Okoli-Umeweni, Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey, USA.
Ariba Khan, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
Shivani K. Jindal, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Swati Gaur, Geriatric Medicine, New Horizons Limestone, Gainesville, Georgia, USA.
Veronica Rivera, Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
Neela K. Patel, Division of Geriatrics & Supportive Care, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Recommended Citation

Holliday AM, Hashmi AK, Okoli-Umeweni AO, et al. American Geriatrics Society Position Statement: Telehealth Policy for Older Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. Published online July 12, 2025. doi:10.1111/jgs.70004

Abstract

Telehealth offers an important and growing opportunity to provide convenient and effective care to older adults, as became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. With increasing chances to embed technology in a person's home and provide care remotely, it is imperative that we ensure that diverse older adults have access to telehealth. This statement represents the official policy position of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), to inform stakeholders about key factors to consider when implementing telehealth. In this position statement, we define telehealth as any method used to provide healthcare remotely by using technology. We outline barriers to providing telehealth to older adults and recommend policies to address those barriers. The AGS positions include recommendations ensuring equitable access to technology, improving digital literacy, addressing physical and cognitive impairments, and enhancing caregiver support, and for tackling reimbursement and regulatory challenges. The AGS recommendations also include attention to the 4Ms put forward by the Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) movement (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, Mobility) with attention to how best to integrate telehealth into the care of older adults with Multicomplexity (the geriatrics fifth M).

Type

Article

PubMed ID

40650623