More patients prefer using telemedicine to get prescriptions and treat minor illnesses, according to a recent survey from digital health funding group Rock Health. Telehealth adoption also has seen significant increases in underserved communities, including uninsured and rural patients.
However, when it comes to health data sharing, building trust remains a challenge across the healthcare ecosystem. Still, patients are more willing to share their health information with clinicians than with insurance companies or pharmacies, according to the survey.
Telehealth is not a lesser mode of care, nor is it a “secondary service,” said Dr. Joseph Kvedar, professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and immediate past board chair of the American Telemedicine Association, during a keynote address at the 2023 ATA Conference and Expo in San Antonio. However, he said, providers need to do their part to build trust and exhibit professionalism in this field.
At times, telehealth has been viewed as a revenue generator instead of a mode of care delivery, Kvedar said, and that has led to missteps. Clinicians need to fully shed the belief that a virtually accessible service is somehow less formal than an in-person visit. “We are cheapening our own field by doing this,” he said.
As providers strive to deliver patient-centered care on a continuum, telehealth is making its mark as a vital part of a seamless hybrid care model. As programs emerge and extend beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations must balance the experiences of clinicians and patients.
Provide High-Quality Remote Monitoring Services
Remote monitoring is one aspect of virtual care that has seen significant gains in the past few years through reimbursement changes and policy updates. A deep dive during day one of ATA2023 outlined the history of remote monitoring, current policies and experiences from healthcare organizations.
“The goal behind care management services in general, including remote monitoring, is really to provide a much more continuous touch for patients who really need it in between their regular physician or office visits,” said Carrie Nixon, managing partner of Nixon Gwilt Law.
