What is the impact of telehealth on the healthcare industry?
The world of health care is constantly changing, especially in the past twenty years. As an aging population, new technology is constantly pushing the boundaries of what is considered standard healthcare for patients. With an increasing acceptance of telehealth across American communities, health care systems have to change with the times to protect their patients and fulfill their mission of healing people through medicine.
Telehealth is a form of medical care where the patient and doctor do not need to be in the same physical location. The patient can either pay for a session with a doctor, or the patient can have their insurance cover it. Patients and doctors use technology such as webcams, electronic medical records, or mobile applications to communicate and progress further with each other’s treatment. Not only does this help in progressing further with medical treatment, but this also saves money in the long run because it eliminates travel expenses to the next doctor’s office.
During COVID-19, telehealth reached a new high!
Telemedicine is evolving quickly as healthcare professionals seek to collect and share patient information. Hospitals across the board have been adopting telemedicine tools in order to advance healthcare without having patients come into the hospital first-hand.
Researchers have made significant strides toward a completely telehealth-based medical industry, but there are still some roadblocks in the way of a completely telehealth-based medical industry. Many patients are unaware that they can receive care through telehealth, and some face barriers to technology or have no computer access at all.
Although poor communication from doctors and technical issues surrounding telehealth have resulted in difficulties with the technology, telehealth is not going away. As technology develops and becomes more widespread, these roadblocks should be overcome. Many telehealth billing services are available to provide hassle-free management and billing solutions to physicians and healthcare professionals.
Six Ways Telehealth Has Changed the Medical Industry
Telehealth has enabled more people to access healthcare by reducing travelling times. Due to telehealth, patients can consult with doctors from anywhere with an internet connection – which means they don’t need to travel as much and won’t have to stay overnight in case their condition deteriorates while waiting! Today over 76% of hospitals that provide TeleHealth services successfully deliver care through this technology; if you’re interested in learning about the impact that Telehealth services have made, here are some ways how it has impacted the world of medicine.
Increased access to remote and rural areas
Telehealth allows patients in rural areas of the United States, as well as developed and developing countries worldwide, to access quality healthcare remotely. Remote consultations can help treat minor conditions before they worsen, such as cataracts or other eye problems that may cause blindness. Antenatal education during pregnancies is also an important service provided through telehealth consultations.
Even considering the many benefits of a remote consultation, one major obstacle is a lack in equipment. Few computers or printers are available outside urban areas, which makes it difficult for people living further from cities with better amenities and services to have access without traveling long distances on public transportation just so they can get their dental needs met.
The key challenge is providing all necessary devices to patients, with the goal of ensuring that everyone who needs treatment has access to it regardless of their proximity to other treatment facilities.
Strokes can be treated more quickly
The earlier a patient receives treatment following a stroke, the better their chances of surviving. In many cases this hinges on whether or not they can identify key symptoms and administer medicine known as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) within three to five hours of suffering from a stroke. Unfortunately the average emergency room physician does not always have access to the expertise needed to make these decisions; small hospitals may also lack an available neurologist who can treat you if needed in time-sensitive situations such as emergencies where there isn’t ample warning before something goes wrong.
With telestroke services, the treatment and diagnosis of strokes has improved.
- Hospital emergency departments in remote regions of Alberta have reduced their emergency department transfers to the University Hospital by up to 92 percent since they joined the Telestroke network, saving time and money as well as improving care for rural patients.
- Researchers have reported that video conferencing is proving to be a more accurate medium for diagnosing and treating patients than telephone conversations.
- In a study conducted in Arizona, researchers found that neurosurgeons using their smartphone image-sharing applications were just as effective at rendering an instant diagnosis 92% of the time when compared with traditional desktop based systems.
The Rise of Healthcare Apps
In a healthcare environment where technology is converging with more solutions, there have been additional tools created to help manage access. One great example of this would be using mobile applications that allow patients and clients to connect with their caregivers in real time with telehealth capabilities to increase effectiveness.
Remote monitoring and management of patients has been a growing use case in the medical world, particularly for the elderly. For instance, if you have cardiovascular issues, it would not make sense to leave your house 24/7 or be waiting for something bad to happen outside our healthcare facility.
Technology such as mobile apps and home sensors can help you keep track of children, elderly family members, and pets when they are away from the home, making life easier for everyone involved.
Services for Low-Cost Healthcare
Telehealth is a cost-effective, accessible means of improving healthcare that can also reduce costs. The estimated savings for this form of treatment are between $19 and $120 per patient visit, due largely to redirecting patients away from emergency department visits where they would otherwise require treatment at about 1/4th the price ($1 389). If a person needs to travel outside his or her local area to visit a specialist, he or she is typically charged upwards of 3x more than locals; telehealth may provide an answer to saving money out of your pocket when visiting specialists not conveniently located near home.
Telehealth services help doctors and other healthcare providers reduce costs in the following ways:
- Patient retention has improved
- Legal risks are reduced
- Reduced Overhead costs in total
- Better and higher-quality healthcare
Improved ICU Team Performance
The intensive care unit can be one of the most stressful areas within a hospital to work in. Patients have life-threatening conditions that affect their medical histories and vital signs. They require treatment with drugs that have side effects or interactions between them. Doctors must always consider these factors when treating critically ill individuals.
Nurses provide around-the-clock support of blood transfusions and chest tubes that are crucial for the recovery of their patients. Nurses will check on them before, during, or after surgery to make sure that they are in good condition. This is because nurses never know when a patient will need their help the most.
Telemedicine is revolutionizing critical care. With Tele-ICU, teams can have an additional set of eyes to monitor patients’ statuses and ease assessment by having access through cameras connected to nursing stations.
Using Store and Forward Telemedicine to Improve Oral Health
Teledentistry is a telemedicine method used to help health care professionals obtain information, images, or other data from patients. Teledentistry usually consists of store-and-forward technology with one doctor assessing the images and sending them off for review by another physician to see if there are any additional findings in the patient’s condition before diagnosis arises.
Telednics—the communication of people separated by distance using electronic devices—was first used in the 19th century as an alternative to in-person communication. Now, however, telednics is widely accepted as a way to communicate with people with disabilities.
Specialists can help spot problem areas and suggest preventive measures which may be more effective than costly, complicated procedures in some cases because they avoid travel time costs as well as missed work or school hours caused by having an appointment outside normal business hours while still offering on-site convenience if scheduling permits.
Telehealth Billing Services Aid the Telehealth Industry Even More!
To provide patients with the convenience of easy access to health care, telehealth services must be delivered flawlessly. Thus, the billing and related services of telemedicine should be handled in a hassle-free manner.
Telehealth billing services relieve healthcare professionals and telemedicine providers from the burden of dealing with matters of billing, claims, and insurance. These services are able to focus on other important matters.
Conclusion
Telehealth is a critical tool in the shift toward more efficient and person-centered healthcare. With telemedicine people can receive quick, convenient care anywhere at any time while doctors can access patients in remote locations where they might not otherwise be able to make house calls affordably thanks to distance and logistics issues. This technology also allows doctors from parts of the country who might not otherwise meet up every day during business hours to consult with each other via live video feeds or other assistance tools.
