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The global telehealth market is expected to reach $539.73 billion by 2029, driven by factors such as increasing chronic conditions, a growing elderly population, supportive government policies, a shortage of healthcare professionals, and rising awareness of telehealth benefits.
The broad range of telehealth technologies
Telehealth combines a broad range of technologies used to provide care and services at a distance. Similarly, telemedicine specifically refers to the use of telecommunication technologies to provide remote clinical services.
There are four primary telehealth modalities that have a significant impact:
Live video conferencing (synchronous)
Requires video-enabled devices for real-time consultations, often connecting emergency providers with specialists. It’s a critical tool for immediate, interactive healthcare provision.
Mobile health (mHealth)
Leverages mobile devices for healthcare delivery and health education. From virtual primary care to medication reminders and stress management, mobile devices have expanded the potential of services that provide telehealth services.
Store-and-forward (asynchronous)
Entails electronically transmitting pre-recorded health data to another healthcare provider. Frequently employed by physicians in rural areas, telehealth facilitates the sharing of patient data with specialists, enabling comprehensive analysis and service provision.
Remote patient monitoring (RPM)
Enables the gathering and transmission of personal health data from patients in remote locations to healthcare providers. Leveraging wearable devices such as blood pressure monitors and glucometers, telehealth proves vital in managing chronic illnesses and infectious diseases, like COVID-19, through vigilant monitoring of vital signs and tracking physical activity.
What should your telehealth software offer?
Virtual visits
Telehealth platforms allow real-time communication between patients and healthcare providers and access to high-quality care, often supporting video calls, phone calls, text messages, and appointment reminders. Advanced features like multi-participant calls enable consultations with multiple clinicians or involve caregivers, further enhancing collaboration and comprehensive care.
These platforms also provide best practices guides to ensure effective and engaging patient interactions, which promote patient-centered care and improve patient outcomes. These recommendations range from maintaining eye contact and audibility to providing ample time for questions and preparing for the call.
To complement these functionalities, telehealth platforms should ideally be cloud-based and may also feature encrypted messaging tools and secure payment processing, enabling healthcare providers to interact safely with patients through a cloud dashboard. This comprehensive approach enhances patient-provider communication and ultimately improves access to care.
Symptom surveys
Daily symptom surveys in telehealth provide real-time insights into a patient's condition, including mental health and comorbidities, aiding in monitoring progress. Along with other telehealth features, these surveys contribute to a comprehensive understanding of a patient's health.
This facilitates consistent, patient-centric care as clinicians gain a better grasp of patients' daily health changes, not just their state during virtual appointments.
Medication reminders
Telehealth platforms can set up alerts and voice calls to remind patients of their medication schedules, promoting adherence, which is vital for effective treatment and recovery. Telehealth aids in improving medication adherence by enabling primary care providers to play a proactive role while providing patients with tools to track their medication schedule.
Patient education
Telehealth software can deliver health-related education throughout patient care via customized quizzes and educational videos, accessible anytime for review. This condition-specific education enhances patients' understanding of their conditions and their management, improving health literacy and engagement.
Integrating professional health education into telehealth programs can empower patients with disease prevention strategies and optimal use of health resources, through virtual teaching and providing relevant materials like exercise guidelines, dietary instructions, and personalized care plans. Additionally, features like wound imaging allow other patients to share recovery progress with specialists for timely responses to complications.
Remote patient monitoring
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) on telehealth platforms offers numerous benefits, such as enabling real-time monitoring of patients in rural areas, facilitating early detection of potential health issues, reducing readmissions and the need for hospital visits, and preventing public health issues.
Telehealth also enhances individuals' ability to manage their diseases more effectively, boosting overall patient satisfaction and improving health outcomes.
Integrating remote patient monitoring (RPM) into a telehealth platform involves selecting suitable technology, such as a robust cloud-based platform. It also requires choosing appropriate devices based on the medical conditions to be monitored. Finally, successful integration requires training for healthcare providers on data interpretation and device usage, as well as patient education to encourage patient engagement.
EMR integrations
A telehealth software that synchronizes with an electronic medical record (EMR) system facilitates a bidirectional workflow. This means that both platforms have the capacity to exchange data. This connectivity is of vital importance as it enhances efficiency and augments care quality, thereby enabling healthcare professionals to make knowledgeable decisions.
The synchronization of EMR and telehealth effectively connects patients’ clinical information with remote healthcare, reducing redundant records and procedures. Consequently, there exists a unified, up-to-date repository for all personal health information.
Limitation of telehealth to look for
It’s crucial to address potential challenges arising from the constraints within the existing telehealth landscape:
Technology access and literacy. Not all patients have access to the technology required for telehealth services, including a reliable Internet connection and a device with video capabilities. Additionally, some patients, particularly older adults, may struggle with using telehealth technology due to a lack of digital literacy.
Privacy and security. Telehealth services must adhere to health privacy laws like HIPAA in the US. Maintaining electronic patient information privacy and security is challenging in the digital realm. According to the HIPAA Journal, in 2022, 11 instances of healthcare data breaches impacted over a million records each, and an additional 14 breaches affected more than half a million records each.
Regulatory and licensing issues. Telehealth crosses state and sometimes national borders, which can complicate matters of licensure and regulatory compliance. Medical organizations need to be licensed in the state where the patient is located, which can prevent them from providing access to cross-border care.
Reimbursement policies. In the US, insurance coverage for telehealth services varies widely. While certain medical organizations may receive equal reimbursement for video and in-person visits, other providers might not, potentially serving as a deterrent.
Healthcare systems, patient needs, and technology are complex, requiring careful handling by software vendors and providers. Collaboration with reputable vendors who understand healthcare and strive for continuous improvement is crucial for organizations to address evolving challenges effectively.
Identifying the perfect telehealth solution for your medical practice
There are three key areas to consider when leveraging telehealth solutions:
telehealth platform
telehealth equipment
telehealth vendor
Successful telehealth implementation depends on clear objectives, appropriate technology, and regulatory compliance. Healthcare services can be offered through commercial platforms, custom software, integrations with existing systems, partnerships, or even general communication platforms. The choice depends on your unique needs and circumstances - thus, a comprehensive plan and a reliable IT partner are essential.
When selecting a software company, ensure it possesses relevant healthcare experience, regulatory understanding, data security measures, and integration capabilities. Your IT partner should offer customization, scalability, reliability, customer support, and transparency in pricing, with the potential for a good return on investment. Check their track record for additional assurance.
For a reliable healthcare IT partner, look to BGO Software. Our expert, client-focused approach helped a number of medical organizations reach better patient outcomes. To explore your unique needs and learn how BGO Software can enhance your operations, contact us today.
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