ATA prioritizes educating clinicians, patients, and policymakers on telehealth's benefits to drive widespread adoption. Its core values—transparency, trust-building, and outcome-driven innovation—shape its operations, partnerships, and policy initiatives.
Various guiding principles further shape the ATA's work. Quality improvement ensures telehealth aligns with evidence-based clinical standards to elevate safety and patient satisfaction. Equitable access mandates competent care delivery, addressing disparities in language, socioeconomic status, and health literacy. Accessibility and affordability initiatives focus on dismantling financial and technical obstacles through equitable reimbursement models, transparent pricing, and digital inclusion efforts.
The association also champions a patient-first care philosophy, emphasizing health outcomes over profit motives. To bridge the skills gap, it advocates for clinician training in telehealth platforms and emerging tools such as artificial intelligence (AI). ATA also aims to ensure telehealth applications strictly comply with state and federal regulations.
ATA also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration to expand research capabilities, improve problem-solving, and enhance the credibility of telehealth studies. Experts from various fields contribute diverse insights, broadening the understanding of telehealth challenges and opportunities.
ATA’s webinars address current healthcare topics, challenges, and solutions, e.g., optimizing healthcare capacity and access via digital strategies. Discussions focus on future-proofing care access by tackling clinician shortages and health disparities and exploring innovative telehealth applications beyond traditional doctor-patient consultations.
ATA's Podcast series, 'Healthy. Virtually. Uncensored.' presents candid discussions on telehealth and its impact on the healthcare industry. Episodes feature interviews with industry leaders and stakeholders, exploring issues regarding technology's role in quality care and access, generative AI's impact on care, digital diabetes management, and the challenges and benefits of expanded virtual care services.
Practice guidelines related to telehealth are another valuable resource ATA provides. The Credentialing by Proxy Guidebook streamlines the credentialing process for telemedicine practitioners. The Health Industry Cybersecurity guide offers cybersecurity best practices. ATA also offers specialized guidelines for fields such as telepathology, primary care, telerehabilitation, teleICU operations, and ocular telehealth. Toolkits for state-level telemedicine practices and communities facilitate data sharing and discussions.
Support advances ATA's mission. ATA welcomes individuals and organizations to shape future healthcare innovation. Membership provides opportunities for a collaborative effort, e.g., to participate in telehealth policy through advocacy efforts and data collection to drive telehealth progress. Members also engage in professional networks, special interest groups (SIG), state forums, and regional chapters.
In return, members enjoy various benefits such as access to networking events and educational tools, telehealth legislation and regulatory updates, and professional development opportunities. ATA also recognizes telehealth innovation and access expansion through awards such as the ATA Leadership in Care Transformation and the ATA SIG Leadership Award.
Besides awards, ATA hosts online gatherings and one in-person conference focused on various aspects of telehealth. These convene experts and professionals to examine telehealth progress and challenges in areas like mental health services delivered remotely, virtual nursing care, and pediatric telehealth. ATA Nexus, the flagship event, focuses on the future of virtual care and features research presentations, in-depth sessions, and workshops.