Prior to the widespread adoption of telemedicine technology, there were a number of issues that hindered the delivery of healthcare services to most healthcare organizations.
PROBLEM
One of the main issues is access to health care, especially for working families and those with chronic illnesses. Many people do not have convenient access to medical care and providers, making it difficult for them to get the care they need.
Another problem is the cost of health care, which can be too expensive for many people. This is especially true for those who are uninsured or have limited coverage. In addition, long wait times for appointments and limited availability of specialists exacerbate the problem.
“Another problem is the lack of continuity of care,” said William Manzie, administrative director of telehealth at Memorial Healthcare System, based in Hollywood, Florida. “Patients often have to see multiple providers because of different health problems, and it’s difficult for providers to keep track of a patient’s medical history and treatment plan. This can lead to duplicate tests. experience and processes, and lead to misunderstandings and errors.
“Ultimately, there’s also the issue of patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans,” he continued. “Many patients do not fully understand their condition or the importance of following a treatment plan, which can lead to poor outcomes and high costs.”
“Telehealth has improved healthcare by evolving into a care delivery model that has the potential to add value to many, if not all, healthcare sectors. “
William Manzie, Memorial Health Care System
Telehealth technology has helped solve many of these problems by providing remote access to healthcare services, thereby reducing costs, improving continuity of care, and increasing engagement. patient involvement and adherence to treatment plans.
At Memorial Healthcare System, telehealth has been of great help in addressing healthcare access issues during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Through telehealth, patients can access medical care in their own home, avoiding potential exposure to the virus,” Manzie notes. “In addition, telehealth has enabled healthcare providers to maintain continuity of care for their patients and enable them to continue providing medical care despite travel and other restrictions.
“Telehealth is a tool that helps reduce the burden on our health system and allows patients to get the care they need without putting themselves at risk,” he added.
Telehealth technology can help solve many healthcare-related problems, Manzie points out, including:
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Improve access to care for individuals in remote or disadvantaged areas.
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Reduce the spread of infectious diseases by allowing patients to consult with virtual healthcare providers.
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Improve continuity of care for patients with chronic conditions by allowing them to communicate with their healthcare providers more easily and passively.
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Reduce healthcare costs by reducing the need for in-person visits.
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Increase patient satisfaction by allowing them to receive care in the comfort of their own home.
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Enhance care coordination by enabling healthcare providers to share information and collaborate more easily.
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Improve patient outcomes by providing patients with more timely and relevant care.
“Overall, telehealth enables better access to healthcare, improved communication between patients and healthcare providers, and more efficient use of resources,” he added. .
PROPOSE
The Memorial Health Care System works with a number of providers to help achieve its virtual care goals. Some of these providers include Telemetrix for remote patient monitoring, Apple for technology used during COVID-19, Epic’s EHR for a fully integrated virtual care system, and Tyto for the “Doc” program -in-a-box” of the health system.
At the start of the pandemic, Memorial Healthcare System received $974,968 from the FCC’s telehealth grant program to be used to expand its ability to treat COVID-19 patients, as well as people with chronic diseases, with the help of connectivity, devices and telehealth services. service.
Together with iPads, RPM devices enable high-risk patients to use for home monitoring and facilitate telehealth for those with conditions requiring regular monitoring, disease management, and management. medicine management.
“The availability of these tablets is important to include people who need frequent telemedicine visits, who lack smart technology devices,” said Manzie. “Tablet devices also allow primary care physicians to monitor patients in their homes. Doctors will be able to see the patient visually and determine how the patient is progressing.
He continued: “Due to the weak social determinants of health among communities in the Memorial’s service area, a large portion of those served are susceptible to chronic health conditions including comorbidities. “Telehealth has also played an important role in keeping patients like these ‘frequent flyers’ out of the hospital, so as not to burden ED and inpatient admissions with more patients.”
Telehealth allows patients to book appointments with medical providers via a secure video link through the MyChart App or desktop portal. Video appointments can be scheduled to review test results, to talk to support services, for non-emergency or minor medical issues, and to remotely monitor patients with medical conditions. underlying chronic diseases, including hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, and other infectious diseases, such as HIV.
MARKET
There are many telemedicine technology and service providers in the medical IT market today. Healthcare IT News published a special report highlighting many of these vendors with detailed descriptions of their products. Click here to read the special report.
MEET CHALLENGES ONLY
For the Memorial Healthcare System, integrating the telehealth platform into the Epic EHR has resulted in a smoother and more efficient virtual care experience for consumers. When connected to the EHR, the telehealth platform allows consumers to access their health records, track and manage health information, schedule appointments, and connect with providers their healthcare, all in one location.
“This integrated platform gives consumers more control over their healthcare experience,” says Manzie. “By streamlining access to telehealth, consumers tend to focus more on their health and wellbeing. Ultimately, our integrated telehealth platform. me in Epic allows for increased convenience and a much easier consumer experience when they seek a virtual health consultation.
He continued: “To create a smooth system for our vendors, we introduced and implemented a one-click video solution. “Of course, there are and always will be challenges for users of technology. Therefore, finding an easy-to-use sub-video consultation solution on both ends of telehealth is a challenge. very important.”
For this effort, Memorial Health Care System selected the provider Amwell. The platform has served the organization well, and providers and patients alike are pleased with the results.
“As I mentioned, creating an integrated telemedicine platform creates a smoother and more efficient consumer experience,” he said. “We have since turned to partnering with Epic for a one-click solution for this reason, which has proven to be more satisfying, based on a satisfaction score of 95%.
He added: “In 2022, Memorial began rolling out our first comprehensive remote patient monitoring program. “This program is like other RPM programs, where we focus on patients with chronic, high-risk conditions. The devices used allow us to offer specific patient populations to patients. monitor at home and facilitate telemedicine visits if needed.”
The program offers regular monitoring, disease management, and medication management to subscribers. There are currently 129 active patients in the pilot program, and the organization is working on plans to expand to a wider audience.
The Memorial Healthcare System Doc-in-a-box program began before the pandemic emergency.
“It has been paused for safety reasons during the pandemic; however, the FCC grant has allowed us to purchase newer equipment to restart this program,” Manzie reported. “The use of Tyto’s telehealth technology to conduct home health visits is an invaluable resource for our Memorial Primary Care team.
He continued: “By allowing providers to connect with patients remotely, telehealth technology reduces the difficulty of seeing a provider in person that some patients may experience. . “Doc-in-a-box telemedicine technology could be particularly beneficial for elderly patients, those with limited mobility, and those who have difficulty getting to appointments .”
By providing these services, home telehealth technology can help improve access to care while reducing costs associated with face-to-face visits on multiple levels, he added.
RESULT
Since 2020, Memorial Health System has achieved the following results:
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363 Epic telehealth providers trained.
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61 telehealth programs.
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419,967 scheduled telehealth visits.
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26,467 Epic direct links total.
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97% of patients are satisfied.
“Telehealth has revolutionized current healthcare by providing improved access to care through the use of technology,” said Manzie. “Telehealth allows patients to receive care from the comfort of their own homes and reduces the need for unnecessary face-to-face visits, which can be costly and time consuming.
“It also allows providers to quickly connect with specialists, reducing wait times and increasing care delivery,” he continued. “This improved access to care has led to better outcomes for patients and improved overall quality of care.”
In addition, telehealth has enabled remote patient monitoring, providing real-time data for providers to better assess and manage patient condition.
Overall, telehealth has improved healthcare by evolving into a model of care delivery that has the potential to add value to many, if not all, industries, he concludes. health care industry”.
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