Telemedicine is an innovative technique of health care delivery that allows patients to get care from a distance. Health care practitioners are increasingly discovering that patients can receive the same high-quality care they would receive in person. However, a lot of factors may influence the performance of telemedicine. First, providers must ensure that their malpractice and liability insurance policies cover telemedicine. Unfortunately, only the state of Hawaii compels insurance companies to cover telemedicine. Second, health care providers must ensure that their practice fulfills the exact requirements of in-person treatment. Finally, service documentation should be substantial, and providers should be ready for utilization review by their insurance company.
Telemedicine can be helpful in various scenarios, including assisting physicians and patients in monitoring their health. For example, a telemedicine study on heart illness discovered that patients could text their doctors about their health and obtain individualized recommendations from their cardiologist. This method of communication requires only a stable phone line and a fast internet connection. It could be precious in remote locations where doctors don't easily access patients. Telemedicine services must be widely available to ensure that patients receive the care they require, mainly if they cannot attend a clinic.
Before the COVID-19 epidemic, telemedicine was underutilized, but interest in the technology has skyrocketed in recent weeks. As a result, insurers, legislators, and healthcare systems have sought new approaches to patient care while limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus. As a result, various modifications in telehealth policy and implementation have occurred.
Before the outbreak, several significant health facilities and health systems in the United States had telemedicine programs. However, only 15% of clinicians had used telemedicine to facilitate patient encounters. This was due to a lack of existing infrastructure and the fact that many providers are new to telemedicine. As a result, it's difficult to predict how telemedicine may affect patient care shortly.
State governments make the majority of telehealth policy choices. The federal government, for example, might encourage telehealth coverage among its citizens by establishing Medicaid minimum coverage standards. Similarly, state governments can amend medical board rules to expand access to telemedicine. These modifications will influence the scope of coverage and reimbursement.
According to the report, most telehealth patients seek assistance for other ailments. COVID-19-related interactions, on the other hand, climbed from 5.5% in January to 16.2% in the last three weeks of March. Furthermore, a rising proportion of visitors mentioned COVID-19 in the "reason for visit" area. Another notable finding was that while patients were frequently encouraged to see their primary care practitioner, just 1.5% were referred to an emergency department or urgent care setting.
There are numerous advantages of telehealth. It has the potential to minimize disease spread and assure the availability of medical knowledge in remote areas. While it will never be able to replace laboratory tests, it may allow health care practitioners to make quick judgments in the absence of face-to-face contact. Furthermore, telemedicine helps protect the elderly and increases interactions between doctors and patients. As a result, its popularity is constantly increasing. Telemedicine can be a vital tool for healthcare providers, whether for a medical emergency or a routine checkup.
There are, however, some limitations. Telemedicine, for example, is not ideal for patients with complex comorbidities. Those who have difficulties breathing may require in-person treatment. These difficulties are not addressed by telemedicine but can be utilized for other purposes, such as triage. Patients who require follow-up care are more likely to seek it in person.