Barriers to breakthroughs: closing the widest care gaps

How virtual care is redefining access in a connected world

The healthcare system is at a crossroads. Despite groundbreaking innovation, uneven access and common barriers, such as lack of transportation and food deserts, leave the most vulnerable people behind. 

Once simply a tool for digital access and convenience, virtual care has evolved, Carol Walter said. Virtual care offers the potential, but organizations must be deliberate with how they use it to meet the needs of vulnerable populations.  

Industry leaders joined Teladoc Health at Forum 2025 to share how their organizations are driving the transformation of healthcare forward with the help of virtual care. 

Closing gaps for rural and global populations 

“Virtual care opened up a whole new world,” Sharon Castillo said. The people she serves face unique barriers. Ministers in small towns may avoid local providers for privacy reasons, while distance and limited specialists compound delays. Virtual care, once resisted, has become a trusted option, Castillo said, noting that even older members now use smartphones for appointments. 

For both rural and metropolitan areas, a lack of mental health support is all too common. A 100-county tour in North Carolina revealed severe behavioral health shortages—94 counties without enough mental health professionals, and 70 without a single child psychiatrist. Latisha Hamilton-Williams said that after this tour, Blue Cross NC expanded virtual behavioral health offerings, partnered with community organizations to train 2,100 people in youth mental health first aid and integrated food access initiatives into its benefits. 

As a global organization, AFSPA faces different challenges in ensuring its 110,000 members worldwide have equitable access. Kyle Longton remarked that licensing rules mean building flexible benefits and partnering with organizations like Teladoc Health to ensure dependable access. “It’s about making sure our members worldwide have care that is as consistent as possible,” he said.

Balancing convenience, cost, and quality

In addition to meeting the needs of the patient, Dr. Zack Papalia challenged employers to also consider ease of implementation and messaging when trying to remove barriers. He said communications from the message to the strategy should be customized to meet the needs of the population. If vendors don’t handle targeted outreach or customize communications, he warned, “we’re creating more roadblocks than we’re solving.” 

Measuring success for these efforts must be tailored and go beyond just cost or convenience. Castillo defined success as “each member having a quarterback for all of their care,” whether virtual or in-person. Dr. Papalia stressed early alignment on key performance indicators and ongoing reporting. Longton pointed to utilization and member satisfaction, while highlighting the virtual primary care program at AFSPA, which doubled utilization in a year and achieved 100% satisfaction among surveyed members.

Integration and navigation as strategic imperatives 

It’s not enough for virtual care to simply make resources accessible. Hamilton-Williams emphasized care navigation as a critical component to effectively reduce barriers. At Blue Cross NC, a behavioral health navigation team helps members find appropriate resources, often connecting them to virtual options. On the provider side, value-based incentives encourage whole-person, coordinated care. 

Integration and coordination must not only exist within a solution but also must go across the benefits ecosystem, Dr. Papalia said. He said employers want to see data on referrals, follow-through, and claims impact. “We need to replicate the relationships of traditional care pathways in the virtual setting,” he said. Flexibility and collaboration between vendors—sometimes without the employer mediating—are essential, according to Longton.

Innovations on the horizon

Looking ahead at the future of virtual care, there’s more innovation on the horizon to address barriers. As public comfort with virtual care increases, access, integration and flexibility are becoming critical. “We’re starting to reach a point where the true quality solutions are rising to the top,” Dr. Papalia said. He sees promise in virtual-first digestive health solutions but urged a holistic “food is medicine” approach that considers social determinants like food deserts. Hamilton-Williams echoed this, noting partnerships with Teladoc Health and community food initiatives to address both preventive and chronic care needs.

The bottom line

Equitable virtual care has to be intentional,” Walter said. “It’s not just about access, it’s about breaking down real barriers and reaching the people who need it most.”