Healthcare's New Norm: Telehealth
We all are watching in real time the world evolve from responding to a pandemic to living with one. In the corporate world, working from home and videoconferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams went from a rarity to something we all learned to do — so much so that new homes are being designed with the home office (or offices) firmly in mind.
Healthcare has been following suit. While telehealth services existed long before the onset of COVID, they certainly weren't standard for most practices. Before 2019, Medicare covered telehealth only under very limited circumstances, such as in rural areas where there was a shortage of health professionals. But the pandemic created both an increased need for medical care and an increased fear of in-person interactions — conditions that sparked an organic demand for remote care. Three years later, while the urgency surrounding the pandemic has subsided (arguably too soon), telehealth continues to be regarded as a new standard for the delivery of modern healthcare.
A Broad Range of Services
Telehealth or telemedicine refers to healthcare that is delivered remotely — without an in-person office visit. It can encompass a wide range of services:
Communications. Patients have many more options today when it comes to communicating with the doctor's office. Online portals (accessible via a website or apps) allow patients to send requests and medical information securely and get prompt responses without bogging down practitioners. Appointment reminders, check-ins and even form fills can now be completed automatically through instant messaging. And interactive voice response technology allows patients to access information and resolve concerns without having to speak to an office representative or wade through confusing menu prompts.
Remote patient monitoring. After a procedure or other intervention, there is initially a period where a patient might need observation, be it for treatment effectiveness or adverse reactions. When it takes place in a healthcare facility, this monitoring can take up resources and drive up costs. However, through remote patient monitoring technology, many patients are able to recover at home, reducing hospital admissions and cutting down emergency room visits while still giving practitioners immediate notification on the patient's state of health.
Virtual care. While some healthcare interactions — for now — require in-person medical attention, many routine interactions can be done virtually. The prevalence of videoconferencing capabilities on cellphones allows medical professionals to consult with patients at any time of day and diagnose — and in some cases treat — conditions. Through virtual care, patients can access care immediately and more cost-effectively.
The evolution of wearable technology such as smartwatches has also increased people's engagement with their own health. Consumers' willingness to track their activity and monitor and share health information with their medical providers has broadly improved doctor–patient relationships and allows health concerns to be addressed more quickly when they are more treatable. By knocking down barriers like scheduling appointments, driving to facilities and using up facility resources (and practitioner time and attention), telehealth is improving outcomes for patients and staff.
Challenges of Telehealth Going Forward
At a time when medical staff are overworked and suffering from burnout, telehealth — or some combination of telehealth and in-person care — are the future of healthcare. However, there are many challenges that need to be addressed as the technology evolves.
Privacy concerns. One major advantage to in-person care is its effectiveness at keeping private information private. The increase in patients reviewing and transmitting their own health information on top of the use of portals and third-party hardware and software dramatically increases the risk of data being shared, stolen, or leaked.
Insurance reimbursement. Currently 42 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., now require private insurers to cover telehealth. Yet even among the states that have adopted telehealth commercial payer statutes, there is a great deal of variability over coverage mandates. Many states have mandated that insurers provide coverage but not that insurance companies provide the same coverage for virtual care services that they do for in-person care services.
Digital pre-requirements. Taking advantage of telehealth requires technology — smartphones, wearable technology, broadband, computer access — and patients and communities that lack that technology risk being left behind. If telehealth is to play a role in the future of healthcare, it is essential that communities with fewer resources are not excluded.
Demand for change. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven much of the adoption of telehealth. As the urgency behind the public health emergency recedes, the need for facilities to continue to adopt telehealth practices could recede with it.
Previously published on Newsweek.