The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the increased use of telehealth tools. During the past year, many patients and providers that had never heard of telehealth or telemedicine before started using it. With all the talk about remote patient care, you may often hear the terms telehealth and telemedicine being used interchangeably, and you may wonder what is the difference between the two?
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With the need to free up the hospital spaces for the rising number of COVID-19 and other emergent patients, many providers shifted the follow-up and chronic care to virtual. In addition, many specialist appointments are now conducted virtually. This rapid change of treatment delivery in just a matter of months has made a significant impact on the different aspects of telehealth.
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The global COVID-19 pandemic has strongly influenced the shift in healthcare from mostly in-person care to predominantly virtual care. With the need to free up the hospital spaces for the rising number of COVID-19 and other emergent patients, many providers shifted the follow-up and chronic care to virtual. In addition, many specialist appointments are now conducted virtually. Consequentially, the role of telemedicine shifted from an additional tool that was only used occasionally, to an essential tool that is used to treat a number of patients every day.
With the current climate in the medical world, there is a lot of discussions as to what the future of telemedicine is. Is it here to claim its rightful place in medical care or is it just a temporary tool to help providers fight through pandemic? At Vivadox, we believe that telemedicine is still at its infant stage, and not only is it here to stay but to revolutionize healthcare as we know it.
Here are some of the reasons why telemedicine is here to stay:
High Patient Demand and Convenience
During the global pandemic, it has become clear to both patients and providers that not all follow-ups, prescription refills, consultations, and chronic care appointments require an in-person office visit. Telemedicine allows great convenience and reduced travel time, and most of the patients may be willing to pay standard co-pays or more for this convenience [1]. With a smaller time commitment required from the patients, they no longer need to dedicate a whole day to go receive the treatment they need. With providers constantly looking for ways to enhance the patient experience, telemedicine comes in as an excellent way to attract the patient and use it regularly in the treatment where appropriate.
Untapped Capabilities
Technology is still advancing and the possibilities for the future of telemedicine are endless. The constant advances in technology are constantly influencing the transformation of the healthcare system. Many tech companies are working on improving their healthcare solutions by utilizing everything from well-established communication tools like video and audio calls to revolutionary technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. While incorporating features to obtain providers’ feedback and using it to make adjustments and improvements that would improve both providers’ experience and satisfaction, telemedicine tools are becoming more accepted and viable for everyday use.
Regulations and Reimbursement Policies
As the COVID-19 emerged, many of the regulations and policies governing telemedicine have been loosened and continuously updated to accommodate the current state of emergency. These changes brought an unexpected outcome of establishing the benefits of telemedicine by helping patients continue their treatment with doctors remotely without the risk and fear of virus illness contraction. Many patients that would normally not be able to access telemedicine were able to receive care from the comfort of their homes. There are efforts to change permanent telemedicine and regulations (you can read more about this on the ATA website[2]) to allow greater patient access to telemedicine and for the providers to get adequate reimbursements for the care provided. With the rapid growth of telemedicine, it is expected that the regulations governing telemedicine will be constantly updated and expanded to include new technologies and use cases.
Make Healthcare Accessible
Many rural areas in the United States do not have easy access to healthcare. While there are areas with limited access to the Internet and smartphones, in recent years, there have been great efforts to improve this. Patients must travel for hours at times to receive the adequate care they need. For the older patients with chronic conditions, this can mean that they will not see their providers as often as they should. Allowing telemedicine to continue beyond the pandemic can significantly impact the frequency and quality of care patients in rural are receive. Additionally, they can connect with specialists that they would normally not be able to see due to location constraints and get advice.
Ultimately, virtual care has proven to be beneficial and can have a critical role as a supplemental tool in the future of medical care. With innovative features and improved functionality and coverage, telemedicine tools will become one of the top choices for patient treatment long after the pandemic is over.
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The surge in telemedicine use due to the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the increase in recognition of the numerous benefits telemedicine provides. During the past year, many patients and providers that had never even heard of telemedicine before started using telemedicine to provide and receive the best care possible at these unusual times.
While recognizing the benefits and convenience that telemedicine provides to both providers and patients, there are still some considerable doubts when it comes to security and privacy. For telemedicine to reach its full potential both sides have to trust that their interaction, as well as the personal data transmitted, are kept private and secure. While using at-home networks and personal smart devices may pose certain security risks, we have listed some recommendations that can help you and your patients minimize potential security risks.
Encryption: Using HIPAA Compliant Telemedicine Solution
Many existing platforms that are being used to conduct telemedicine appointments do not meet HIPAA requirements and lack essential safeguards. Some of the key HIPAA requirements include guidelines on encryption. Encryption must be implemented at every step of the process. All of the communication and data exchange during the telemedicine visit should be encrypted as well. When seeking telemedicine solutions, look for information on how they assure HIPAA compliance and what security features they provide.
While using a secure HIPAA compliant telehealth platform is important, it is only one of the steps toward secure communication. Every system is as strong as its weakest link. You can have the top-notch security setup, however, if a user writes down a password on a sticky note by the computer for everyone to see, those security investments are wasted.
Working with telemedicine provider: Data breach and emergency response
Even the best security systems have their flaws. When working with ePHI, it is important to have an established emergency response in case a breach occurs. The breach can happen locally, on healthcare providers’ side, or externally, on the telemedicine providers’ side. This is why you must work together with your telemedicine provider to protect ePHI and learn about their emergency response procedures.
Device security: Keeping antivirus up to date
All of the devices that are accessing ePHI and participating in telemedicine interaction must have up-to-date protection against viruses and other malware. Assuring that providers have appropriate and up to date software installed is an easier step – how can one assure that the patients are using the best security practices to minimize the risks of contracting malware? Providers should take time prior to their virtual appointments to educate patients on easy steps that can make a big difference when it comes to their security on the internet.
The weakest link: Educate your patients on the importance of cybersecurity
Providers should help inform the patients, especially the ones that are less tech-savvy, on best practices and precautions they can take to improve their safety online. Some of the important points to cover are:
Accessing patient data remotely
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many providers started treating their patients from their homes, using their personal devices. Due to the presence of highly sensitive information, it is pertinent to have essential safeguards in place in the form of encrypted networks, firewalls, or VPN. These security measures provide users with an added layer of security from any outside malicious users. When you need to log onto your providers’ portal, make sure that you log out as soon as you are done. Also, do not download or store locally any of the patient records.
While we recognize that the concerns about privacy and security are valid, they should not prevent providers and patients from using telemedicine. Security and privacy standards are constantly evolving to minimize risks. Together with providers, telemedicine solutions must work to assure the highest security standards and minimize existing risks. Providers must embrace the role of educating patients about security. Only in this manner will both patients and providers be able to fully embrace telemedicine safely and the many benefits that it offers.
Sources:
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/privacy-and-security-concerns-telehealth/2014-12
https://healthitsecurity.com/news/must-have-telehealth-remote-work-privacy-and-security-for-covid-19
https://healthitsecurity.com/news/must-have-telehealth-remote-work-privacy-and-security-for-covid-19
https://healthitsecurity.com/news/must-have-telehealth-remote-work-privacy-and-security-for-covid-19
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0997
Being a medical provider requires more than just medical knowledge. Emotional care in the providers’ approach is equally important. Providers around the world take pride in patient care. Gaining patient’s trust and establishing a positive relationship with them are the key components of providing the best care to the patient. Over time, as the patients and providers get the opportunity to build up a positive relationship with one another, providers can deliver more personalized care and increase the likelihood of achieving a better outcome. Having an established relationship will allow a patient to confide in provider, while also trusting that the treatment and guidance provided will help them achieve the best outcome possible.
With the rise of the COVID-19 global pandemic, providers, many of which have never used telemedicine before, have turned to technology to provide the best patient care possible at these unprecedented times. At the same time, many patients that have previously never used telemedicine are booking virtual appointments. When it comes to in-office visits communication, both patients and providers have certain expectations. However, with telemedicine, not only that the patient has a harder time establishing a relationship with the providers, but also the experienced providers with many years of patient care under their belt struggle. How to gain patient’s trust while remotely communicating via mobile devices? Providing a better patient experience in a virtual setting is a skill and requires time and practice to perfect. Furthermore, there are several things to keep in mind when starting to offer remote patient care.
First, spend time educating your patients on telemedicine. The concept of telemedicine is still foreign to an average patient, especially the elderly. Make sure that you discuss the virtual visit with your patients beforehand. Ask them how comfortable they are with the telemedicine setting, if they have a device compatible with the telemedicine tool you are using, and if they have good connectivity to join-in for their appointment. Answer their questions and provide them with a guide on how to prepare for their appointment.
Secondly, anticipate the chance of experiencing technical difficulties. Prepare a course of action in case your patient is experiencing an issue. Will you connect on a phone call or will you reschedule? Will a staff member help troubleshoot the patient’s issue or is there a troubleshooting guide provided by the telemedicine provider you are using? Minimizing the unknowns will make your patients feel more confident and open to trying out this new form of communication.
Thirdly, do not forget eye contact. Maintaining eye contact can be hard when you are trying to look at different screens and notes. Make sure to tell your patient what you are doing so that they do not feel uncomfortable when you are looking at EMR or take notes.
Ultimately, telemedicine is a tool to help better patient care. As telemedicine becomes more incorporated in the healthcare system, the comfortability and confidence of both patients and providers will grow.
Sources:
1. Toh, Nathan, et al. “Telehealth and Patient-Doctor Relationships in Rural and Remote Communities.” Canadian Family Physician Medecin De Famille Canadien, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Dec. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5154642/.
2. M;, Dorr Goold S;Lipkin. “The Doctor-Patient Relationship: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies.” Journal of General Internal Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9933492/.
3. Kelley JM;Kraft-Todd G;Schapira L;Kossowsky J;Riess H; “The Influence of the Patient-Clinician Relationship on Healthcare Outcomes: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” PloS One, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24718585/.
4. Olsen, Russell, et al. “How to Create a Patient-Focused Telehealth Experience.” MedCity News, 4 June 2020, medcitynews.com/2020/06/how-to-create-a-patient-focused-telehealth-experience/?rf=1.
Consumers today are driven by the idea of utilizing technology to maximize efficiency and convenience in every aspect of their lives. Getting adequate medical care is no different. More and more consumers are seeking medical care outside of the traditional in-person office visits. Telemedicine is appealing to consumers, as they can get the treatment for routine needs without unnecessary travel and waiting time with just a few clicks on their devices from the comfort of their homes.
Become more accessible to your existing patients while attracting new ones by offering the convenience of telemedicine platform. Start offering telemedicine today at https://vivadox.life.
This year has challenged many sectors to seek ways to continue their operations while complying with stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines.
When it comes to non-urgent medical care, providers turned to the practice of telemedicine. Before COVID-19, there were many strict regulations in place governing how and where telemedicine can be used. Telemedicine regulations govern many things including which providers can bill for telemedicine services, what acceptable originating site (patient location) for telemedicine appointments are, etc. Consequentially, many patients did not have access to telemedicine because they did not fall under the categories listed in the policies.
As the COVID-19 emerged, many of the regulations and policies governing telemedicine have been loosened and continuously updated to accommodate the current state of emergency. These changes brought an unexpected outcome of establishing the benefits of telemedicine by helping patients continue their treatment with doctors remotely without the risk and fear of virus illness contraction. Many patients that would normally not be able to access telemedicine were able to receive care from the comfort of their homes and get timely follow-ups and refills.
However, most of the current regulations allowing access to telemedicine are only temporary and will not be valid once the COVID-19 public health emergency is over. There is a strong need for congress to make access to telehealth permanent and update the pre-COVID-19 telemedicine regulations.
Virtual care has proven to be beneficial and can have a critical role as a supplemental tool in the future of medical care.
ATA has provided a document listing variety of issues regarding telemedicine practice, the policies and regulations governing them before and during COVID-19, as well as their recommendations for new policies for the post-COVID-19 world.
If you want to learn more about how regulations have changed, please visit ATA permanent policy recommendations on telehealth services.
The unexpected global outbreak of COVID-19 has undeniably influenced the increased usage and awareness of telemedicine in providers and patients that may have never used or heard of telemedicine before.
When introduced to telemedicine, many believe that it is a modern invention. This assumption is understandable considering all of the technology that modern telemedicine incorporates — video calls, mobile and smart devices, remote robotic surgeries, internet connectivity, etc.
However, the concepts of telemedicine and remote patient care, as well as the need for it was recognized hundreds of years ago. The home-based remote patient care was mentioned as early as 1879. An article published in Lancet, one of the world’s oldest and best-known peer-reviewed general medical journals, mentions the use of the telephone in patient treatment to cut down unnecessary in-person visits.
In the 1920s, the world was introduced to groundbreaking technological innovations including radio and broadcasting. Innovators quickly started utilizing new technologies to create designs and prototypes. One of them was a man called Hugo Gernsback, an inventor and a publisher passionate about technology, who made significant contributions to the growth of early broadcasting. In 1925, Gernsback wrote an article on a device he named “teledactyl”. In his article, he described how teledactyl would allow the doctor to use radio signals to receive a video feed of the patient and remotely control robotic arms to examine the patient. Gernsback’s designs were precursors to the modern telemedicine tools we know today.
The invention of the radio also facilitated the ability to conduct remote consultations between clinics on ships and experts on the mainland, resulting in improved patient treatment. Similarly, the remote consultations via radio allowed providers in remote areas to seek advice from their peers.
Today, we have the capability of utilizing universally available phone service and internet connectivity to conduct phone and video visits envisioned by Gernsback. The continuous improvements in network speed and latency made robot-assisted remote surgeries possible.
Technology is still advancing and the possibilities for the future of telemedicine are endless. The constant advances in telecommunications and technology will keep influencing the transformation of the healthcare system that we know today. Telemedicine can help us overcome the barriers of location dependencies in healthcare.
It is important to note that the growth of telemedicine is constrained by the existing regulations and policies in place. However, with the rapid growth of telemedicine, it is expected that the regulations governing telemedicine will be constantly updated and expanded to include new technologies and use cases.
References:
The US Federal government took a number of significant steps to increase the availability and use of Telemedicine during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although these measures are temporary and subject to revision in future, the widespread use of Telemedicine as a useful tool to fight the constraints of the pandemic is expected to help establish its viability as a mainstream healthcare service.
The US department of Health and Human services (HHS) introduced flexibility in allowing consumer communications applications such as FaceTime, Zoom, Skype etc. without any risk of penalties imposed for HIPAA violations. However. it also encourages providers that seek additional privacy protections to use technology vendors that provide HIPAA compliant platforms. Vivadox.life has been built incorporating advanced encryption technologies to ensure privacy protections.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) made it easy for enrolled patients to use Telemedicine from their homes. To encourage providers to offer the Telemedicine option, CMS will be reimbursing telemedicine virtual appointments at par with many in-person appointments and has significantly expanded the list of services eligible for Telemedicine. Providers are also allowed to offer their Telemedicine services across state lines subject to any specific requirements set by states for the duration of the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency. Providers are allowed to see new patients via Telemedicine and not just established patients.
More details can be accessed here
More details can be accessed here as well as directly with the private payers.
Assessing the benefits of telemedicine and telehealth overall and using them to enhance existing courses of treatments can make a huge difference. Telemedicine allows you to continue monitoring your patients even when they are out of your reach.
A great example of how telehealth can make a huge difference in the patient outcome is Harris County Public Health that has implemented telehealth tools to help tuberculosis patients stay on track with their treatment. Tuberculosis can be spread though air via coughs or sneezes. In 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas badly, they were able to provide continuous treatment and support to the patients. Patients would record themselves taking their therapy for the staff to review at a later time. In addition, patients had a way of reaching their case manager quickly in case they faced any issues. As a result, not only that the 97% of the patients took their treatment as instructed, but the disease was also not spread in the community.
These are examples of how telemedicine helped when traditional medicine was out of reach. We are still to see how powerful impact of telemedicine can truly be.
