Telehealth’s Time has come –This is how to Advance the Moment
The famous adage “the numbers don’t lie” seems appropriate concerning telemedicine that appears to be having its moment. As the pandemic recedes across the U.S., providers believe there are regulatory, logistical, and educational hurdles that must be defeated before telemedicine achieves its potential.
The rapid rise of the technology that relies on the telephone and video calls to provide medical solutions has seen some health systems report an enormous 4,000% increase in appointment numbers for virtual care. It took the global COVID-19 pandemic for society to appreciate the rewards of its adoption. With statistics revealing that telehealth’s moment has indeed come, and it’s undoubtedly here to stay, providers are also noting the ways telehealth can be improved.
The Future of Reimbursement
Whether or not Medicare and private insurers will continue covering virtual doctor visits once the COVID-19 outbreak subsides is an essential factor. The U.S. administration recently issued an executive order in favor of promoting the continuation of telemedicine. This happened at a time when health professionals are worried about the uncertainty that surround the issue of telehealth reimbursement. Dr. Diane Rittenhouse, a senior fellow at Mathematica who excels in matters of primary care and innovative models, says:
“The primary hurdle is the impermanence, the insecurity of the future,”
The temporary policy changes that eased access to telemedicine during the pandemic included the relaxation of geographic and originating requirements. However, the more critical issues like payment parity are still unresolved. Insurance payments for telehealth services, especially at full cost, may only be temporary. Medicare’s coverage of a broad range of services is slated to end when the coronavirus no longer poses a public health emergency. While there is generally bipartisan support for telehealth coverage, Congress would have to pass specific legislation to make some of Medicare’s changes permanent. According to Dr. Mia Levy, the cancer center director at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago:
“The concern everyone in the industry has is that reimbursement is in jeopardy […] because of telehealth, we were able to stay actively engaged with our patients.”
Logistical Improvements
Telehealth is an essential tool that can exert a positive impact in different areas of healthcare service delivery in rural, remote, and isolated regions. The technology can deliver specialized services for isolated populations and facilitate access to education for clinicians, and save travel costs for patients and professionals. However, broadband access is a recurrent concern among elected officials and telehealth advocates, who say that patients are effectively being left behind without reliable internet. Dr. Elizabeth Nelson, a family medicine provider at OU Medicine, opines:
“The biggest limitations are connectivity issues […] I’m not a tech-savvy person, so when things don’t go well, it’s really frustrating […] it feels really silly to spend 15 to 20 minutes trying to connect with someone for a 10 to 15-minute appointment.”
As a telehealth technology becomes more integrated into the health care system, it could increasingly contribute to the reorganization of medical workforce supply and exert a profound influence on physician practice, especially in remote areas. Several tangible improvements vendor could make telehealth services better, including seamless EHR integration.
Provider and Patient Education
Telehealth goes beyond providing accessible care for patients by offering a substantial return on investment for the practitioners. The practice has the potential to bring in more appointment opportunities besides reducing the number of patient no-shows. While most people today are familiar with video chatting software, clinicians who have used it believe there is a need for an extra layer of expertise. The challenge with all advancements in health tech lies mainly with provider education. Assistant professor at the University of Delaware Susan Conaty-Buck says:
“You have to have people in the schools to teach them […] as it becomes a standard of care, then we have to teach it, and we have to adopt it. It’s part of our job to educate the patient to help us help them. ”
Patient telehealth education programs will lead to an increase in patient’s understanding of health information and even some improvement in clinical outcomes among patients. As telehealth technologies continue growing and interfacing with healthcare, telehealth-based patient education programs can assist individuals in making care decisions.