By Ken Congdon
The most promising aspect of telemedicine is the impact the technology can have on population health and patient care.
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The cover story for this issue, “Moving Beyond The EHR,” takes a close look at the technology initiatives that are likely to gain favor with healthcare providers in the “post- EHR era.” The EHR-savvy providers interviewed for the article share a number of projects they have earmarked as their next priority — everything from population health management to price transparency. These initiatives will definitely be key focus areas for many providers, but in my opinion, telemedicine is poised to be the “next big thing” in health IT.
There are several reasons I feel this way. First, many of the cost barriers traditionally associated with telemedicine are starting to disappear. For example, Medicare and Medicaid are beginning to cover remote consultations with physicians, and independent insurers are beginning to follow suit. Suddenly, telemedicine reimbursement is becoming more mainstream.
The most promising aspect of telemedicine is the impact the technology can have on population health and patient care.
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The cover story for this issue, “Moving Beyond The EHR,” takes a close look at the technology initiatives that are likely to gain favor with healthcare providers in the “post-EHR era.” The EHR-savvy providers interviewed for the article share a number of projects they have earmarked as their next priority — everything from population health management to price transparency. These initiatives will definitely be key focus areas for many providers, but in my opinion, telemedicine is poised to be the “next big thing” in health IT.
There are several reasons I feel this way. First, many of the cost barriers traditionally associated with telemedicine are starting to disappear. For example, Medicare and Medicaid are beginning to cover remote consultations with physicians, and independent insurers are beginning to follow suit. Suddenly, telemedicine reimbursement is becoming more mainstream.
Second, telemedicine technology has become much more mature and sophisticated in recent years. For example, faster Internet connections and better software allow for smoother and higher quality video conferencing capabilities than in years past. Furthermore, the rise of robust mobile devices is allowing video conferences to occur from just about anywhere — not just designated teleconferencing stations.
Third, from a provider perspective, telemedicine has the potential to cut costs and increase physician productivity. Currently, many physicians spend an inordinate amount of time seeing patients in the office who don’t really need to be seen there. By allowing physicians to treat these patients virtually, you can improve access to patients who actually require office visits.
However, the most promising aspect of telemedicine is the impact the technology can have on population health and patient care. Remember, telemedicine involves more than just video conferencing. It includes things like electronic messaging and remote patient monitoring devices as well. Collectively, these technologies can provide an on-demand, real-time connection between patient and provider. Physicians can keep daily tabs on patients with chronic conditions and proactively intervene if warning signs present. This level of insight can be a powerful weapon in keeping patients well and reducing ER visits and hospital admissions. For patients, telemedicine technologies can make interacting with physicians considerably more convenient. It can reduce the number of office visits and travel a patient must endure, because more care can be delivered from the comfort of their own home. As I see it, telemedicine, more than any other technology initiative, has the power to change the patient/provider paradigm. With many of the barriers to adoption removed, providers are ready to make serious strides in telemedicine in the very near future.
The cover story for this issue, “Moving Beyond The EHR,” takes a close look at the technology initiatives that are likely to gain favor with healthcare providers in the “post- EHR era.” The EHR-savvy providers interviewed for the article share a number of projects they have earmarked as their next priority — everything from population health management to price transparency. These initiatives will definitely be key focus areas for many providers, but in my opinion, telemedicine is poised to be the “next big thing” in health IT.
The cover story for this issue, “
