A patient wakes up with congestion, a soar throat, aches, and a fever. They are unaware of the latest strain of the flu that’s been going around, and they can’t entirely rule out COVID-19. They call your office to book an appointment, but you have a full day. If they come in, they will be sitting in the waiting room, breathing the same air as the rest of your patients, who may not have similar symptoms.
Prior to the rise of telemedicine, this scenario would yield two undesirable choices: have the patient come in and risk infecting other patients and staff, or tell them to put off coming in and hope that the fever runs its course. Today, we have another alternative, and it’s changing the way that healthcare facilities practice medicine.
The Rise of Telemedicine
Telemedicine may have been the logical and inevitable consequence of emerging telecom technologies, but the COVID-19 pandemic certainly forced it to become a mainstream alternative.
According to a paper published in the National Library of Medicine titled The State of Telehealth Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic, the author, Dr. Julia Shiver, stated, “Before March 2020, telemedicine use in the United States was on a steadily increasing trajectory, but its absolute integration remained low, and the logistics were complex.”
This chart that comes from the same paper demonstrates the sharp rise in telehealth claims as a result of the pandemic. Notice the sharp increase in March and June 2020 as fear of the novel coronavirus began to force changes to medical office practices.
“Telehealth claims (as a percentage of all claims) in the United States from 2019 to 2021, based on FAIRHealth reported claims data, which includes participating Medicare and private insurance plans.” – source: National Center for Biotechnology Information
As digital healthcare technology evolves, practices are offering safer, more effective ways to treat patients and are also able to offer greater convenience. For example, remote patient monitoring devices allow medical practices to follow the health and progress of patients without requiring them to come to the office. In many cases, these devices can be delivered by mail, set up by the patient, and sent back when they’re done.
Mobile apps allow patients to schedule appointments, request prescription refills, and view test results. EHR systems promote collaboration between primary care physicians and specialists, allowing patients to get high-level critical treatment without having to drive from one location to another. While telemedicine and other emerging technologies are reducing the need for in-person patient visits, it’s unlikely that medical practices will be able to rely entirely on remote healthcare. There currently aren’t digital solutions for every clinician function.
Benefits of Telemedicine for the Healthcare Ecosystem
The advent of telemedicine has been a tremendous boon for the healthcare industry. Here are some of the advantages of telehealth.
Automated Processes
Processing patients for in-person visits absorbs a significant amount of staff hours. With a telehealth system, the patient can book their own appointment, receive an alert when it’s time to log into the virtual examination room, and be ready to discuss their issue with the medical professional. The staff time is limited to documenting the visit, ordering prescriptions, and conversing with the patient.
Scaling Patient Populations
Treating patients through telehealth increases the number of visits that each clinician can conduct. For instance, consider a doctor who blocks off three hours for telehealth visits. This may involve a five-minute period between patients to review their medical history, a ten-minute visit, and another five minutes at the end for documentation and prescriptions.
The support staff does not necessarily have to interact with the patient at all if the processes are automated. During their three-hour block, this means the doctor can treat nine patients with no strain on staff.
Patient Convenience
As time-consuming as in-person appointments are for medical practices, they have an even greater impact on the patient. When you include drive time, check-in, wait time, examination, and checkout, a single visit to the doctor can represent a significant portion of their day. With an automated telehealth system, the patient can set up an appointment at a time that’s convenient for them, receive an alert to log into the telehealth conference, and conduct their remote examination in under twenty minutes.
That means they can take care of their healthcare matters before work or during lunch. Convenience means improved patient engagement and better overall outcomes. One AMA COVID-19 Telehealth Impact Study showed that 79% of patients reported being very satisfied with the care they received during telehealth visits, and 73% said they would continue to use it.
Insurance Acceptance
Because telehealth visits are cost-effective and encourage patient proactivity, many major insurance carriers cover telehealth visits. This means that practices can offer this option to an increased number of patients.
Reduced Costs
It may seem like an inevitable conclusion that telehealth can reduce medical costs, but there also is plenty of evidence to support this assertion. In one telehealth study conducted from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, 11,688 patients of the National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center attended 25,496 telehealth visits. The estimated mean reduced costs was an astounding $147.40 to $186.10 per visit.
Addressing Telemedicine Challenges
If you are a healthcare administrator or the head of a healthcare IT (HIT) department, it’s important to understand the unique requirements of a telehealth conferencing system.
Integration
It’s essential that software easily integrates with other systems you use. For instance, if you have a patient portal app where patients can schedule their own appointments, you’ll want to be certain that the information from that system triggers the appointment in the telehealth system, sends alerts, and establishes a secure link for the patient and clinician.
Security
Telehealth systems use secure, encrypted channels to protect patient information. The Department of Health and Human Services has a telehealth policy that compiles HIPAA, Medicare, and Medicaid rules. Improper security can lead to fines, loss of reputation, and the inability to offer healthcare services until your system complies with agency regulations.
Scalability and Cost Considerations
Telehealth system costs represent a potentially significant investment. Additionally, as a greater number of patients begin using telehealth systems, there could be a strain on the system, which means you may need to increase your cloud capacity.
Ease of Use
It’s essential that your telehealth system has an easy user interface so that less technically oriented patients can schedule and attend their appointments.
Flagler’s Contribution to Telemedicine
Flagler Technologies has been a pioneer of telemedicine since well before the COVID-19 pandemic. As a managed service provider and a managed security services company, our technicians have assisted many healthcare facilities in offering this revolutionary service to their patients. Contact us today for an initial consultation.