Telehealth: A Lifeline to Treatment and Support for People with HIV in Kentucky | Kentucky | Action Stories | Ending the HIV Epidemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in March 2020, HIV clinics and people seeking HIV-related services across the country were forced to quickly adapt to a new reality. Some clinics were able to stay open while providing limited services, while others suspended in-person visits completely. At stake was the health of hundreds of thousands of people with HIV who relied on these clinics for everything from ongoing HIV medical care and mental health counseling to food pantries and housing assistance.

Amid the uncertainty of those early days of the pandemic, telehealth—the distribution of health-related services and information via phone, tablet, or computer—emerged as a crucial and ultimately transformative way for some HIV clinics to provide a lifeline to patients.