Expanding access to telehealth information during COVID-19
Summary
Telehealth.HHS.gov is a plain-language public website that helps healthcare providers and patients understand, access, and use telehealth. We partnered with the Health Resources and Services Administration, teams across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Presidential Innovation Fellows to launch the site during the COVID-19 public health emergency — translating rapidly changing federal guidance into clear, actionable information at national scale.
The challenge
COVID-19 placed extraordinary strain on the U.S. healthcare system and made remote care essential almost overnight. New federal policies and temporary flexibilities rapidly expanded telehealth coverage, availability, and eligible use cases — but the information was scattered across agencies, written in regulatory language, and evolving faster than providers or patients could track.
More than one million healthcare providers and over 300 million patients across the country needed trustworthy, up-to-date guidance. Providers couldn’t easily find out which telehealth services were newly covered, what technology met compliance requirements, or how billing rules had changed. Patients didn’t know whether their conditions qualified for virtual visits, how to prepare for one, or where to find low-cost options.
The challenge was twofold: centralize the most relevant telehealth information from across HHS and deliver it in plain language that people could understand and act on immediately — all on an unusually compressed timeline during a public health emergency.
The solution
The timeline demanded emergency speed — less than two weeks from concept to production. Leaders and subject-matter experts from HHS, HRSA, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, FEMA, and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response came together to define the vision, and our team designed and built Telehealth.HHS.gov to meet that deadline.
Before writing a single line of content, we talked to the people on the front lines. Interviews with physicians and members of the public revealed gaps in telehealth awareness, confusion about rapidly changing policies, and uncertainty about how to get started. These conversations shaped the site’s content priorities and validated a core hypothesis: providers and patients needed a single, centralized place for plain-language telehealth guidance — not another policy portal.
Rapid research cycles validated designs and content before launch. Moderated and unmoderated usability studies with more than 75 participants tested early prototypes and refined the information architecture, content tone, and navigation. Working closely with subject-matter experts across HHS ensured that the content was both accurate and understandable.
Proven open-source foundations — the U.S. Web Design System, Jekyll, and GitHub Actions — let the team move fast without sacrificing quality. Touchpoints and Google Analytics provided immediate feedback loops so the team could measure usefulness and iterate after launch.
A content guide developed alongside the product maintained quality at speed. The guide established plain-language standards, editorial conventions, and review workflows — ensuring that content from multiple contributors stayed consistent and that future content development wouldn’t require the original team’s direct involvement.
After launch, we expanded the site with high-priority guidance. New content addressed specialized topics such as telehealth in emergency departments, direct-to-consumer telehealth, and best practices for providers. We added tips for finding free or low-cost telehealth services through health centers, along with guidance on improving telehealth access, equity, and accessibility.
The results
- Launched Telehealth.HHS.gov from inception to production in less than two weeks during the peak of the COVID-19 public health emergency
- Conducted research with more than 75 participants — including interviews and unmoderated usability studies — to validate content and design decisions before the initial launch
- Achieved a 75% “yes” rate on the site’s “Is this page useful?” feedback survey, indicating that the plain-language approach resonated with users
- Served over one million healthcare providers and 300 million+ patients as the centralized federal resource for telehealth guidance during the pandemic
- Successfully transitioned the site to a larger contractor for ongoing operation and growth, demonstrating that the product, content standards, and workflows were built to last beyond the original team