There is a shortage of all physicians across the United States, but it is felt most acutely with specialists.
It is very difficult to reach – especially in a timely manner – to the necessary health professionals in large urban areas, but it is nearly impossible in rural communities.
Virtual care has proven that it can be of great help in connecting patients with the right specialists in a timely manner.
Julian Flannery is the founder and CEO of telehealth technology and services company Summus Global, with a focus on intensive care. We interviewed him to discuss the state of intensive care in the US, how virtual intensive care can help overcome the challenges of intensive care, and how intensive care can be delivered. for employers through virtual care is a solution.
Flannery also describes a real-life example of the intensive care his company has provided through employers and the results.
Q. What is the state of intensive care in the United States today? What challenges does it pose?
ONE. Intensive care is where cost and complexity exist in healthcare. For patients, having unanswered questions, receiving a new diagnosis, or managing an existing chronic condition are real challenges that pose real stress, embarrassment, and health risks. and financial welfare.
Often they don’t know where to go, who to see, what is covered by insurance, and what tests or medical records to get. Most importantly, they face a serious accessibility problem, where it can take weeks or months to see someone – and there’s no guarantee that specialist is the right doctor or has expertise needed for their condition and medical history.
Today, too many patients are lost in the maze of the US healthcare system – affect their physical and mental health, create redundancies and drive exorbitant costs.
Long wait times and lack of access are challenges exacerbated by the fact that there are fewer specialists in any given community, while physician shortages persist. ongoing and greater administrative responsibilities cost patients more time.
With most of the top professionals concentrated in academic medical centers or in large health systems, geographical barriers limit their ability to access expertise to a significant portion of the population. USA.
From a therapist’s perspective, they want their expertise to help more people, answer more questions, develop more treatments, and get back to connecting with patients on a personal level. They want to use their expertise to do what they envisioned in medical school – helping people.
The good news is that the new virtual world in medicine can create efficiency and the ability to scale expertise and transcend geographic boundaries. For patients, accelerated access to top medical expertise leads to better health outcomes, more cost savings and, if done right, also improves the healthcare experience. for both patients and specialists.
Q. How can virtual specialty care help overcome these challenges?
ONE. Advances in technology have dramatically changed the landscape of healthcare delivery, from the delivery of drugs and clinical services through telemedicine to virtual care that includes multiple types of health care services, such as patient instruction and education, remote monitoring, vertical care management, and access to health information and resources.
Previously, virtual care technology was used for primary and urgent care. More recently, it has been deployed to support narrow-point, condition-specific, or point-in-time solutions like second opinions.
In the future, virtual specialty care can be used to address patient questions and continuum care for conditions across the vertical – from allergies to migraines and complex conditions. more complex, like ALS and cancer – across all health journeys.
Simple and elegant virtual specialty care technology designed for specialists can deliver real value to patients, health systems and specialists. In today’s landscape, video media is a commodity, so innovative business models are also required to continue to support virtual intensive care.
Using a model that provides real value to professionals and allows them to scale their expertise will win the day. For patients, models that can attract high-quality specialists and extensive and diverse provider networks will also be extremely valuable. Some of the benefits of virtual intensive care include:
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Supports access across geographical boundaries. A virtual vehicle combined with a network of top-notch, high-quality professionals shortens the time it takes to connect with an expert and breaks geo-restrictions through virtual connections with experts. This not only creates a better experience for doctors and members, but also reduces the need for costly travel and time off work with quick answers and the way forward.
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Accelerated access to leading doctors. Specialists and primary care providers face competitive pressures when trying to help and reach their patients, and care about those who don’t show up to their appointments as much as they do. they focus on the people who come to the appointment. Innovative models that enable physicians to answer questions from patients, families, and other members of the health care system have proven most successful in building the right kind of experiences and outcomes. sustainable for the patient.
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Create quality healthcare experiences with experts. In a virtual specialist care environment, specialists spend close to an hour with patients and focus on the value they can bring in a rush-free, in-depth conversation. The doctors we work with regularly let us know of their ability to see patients at home and have the time they need with each patient reminding them why they went to medical school in the first place. . More time with professionals empowers patients with information and builds trust that helps them make better decisions. And professionals find the experience satisfying.
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Deliver tangible results and impact medical costs. The ability to quickly access expertise leads to changes in everything from medications to treatment regimens. In addition, quick and convenient access to specialists reduces unnecessary emergency rooms and other face-to-face visits saving medical costs.
Virtual specialty care technology continues to evolve and expand its use for providers in health systems, health plans and primary care practices to get answers to questions help them navigate patient care.
With a distinct escalation pattern tied to the complexity of a patient’s case, primary care physicians and other clinicians can engage in consultations from dynamic, based electronic consultations. on text for streamlined questions to side advice or expert advice for more relevant patient care questions.
H. Your company specializes in providing intensive care to employers through virtual care. What is the angle here with the employer? And how is it different from a patient seeking virtual care through a provider organization rather than through an employer?
ONE. In a recent survey conducted by Summus, major employers are managing an average of 46 different benefit providers and over 50 condition-specific solutions. This redundancy of point solutions presents a challenge for HR teams to manage and measure, and confuses employees about which benefits to use and when.
As a result, more than 75% of HR and benefits leaders are looking to consolidate their benefits offering over the next 12 months.
In contrast to point solutions, virtual specialty care serves as the clinical gateway to healthcare, accelerating access to high-quality medical expertise for all patients. health problems and conditions, contributing to a healthier, more productive workforce.
Q. Please describe a real life example of intensive care your company provided through an employer and the results.
ONE. The University of Notre Dame offers Summus’ virtual intensive care platform as part of its employee wellness package, and HR receives proactive emails from employees weekly thanking them for reaching out. high quality care services.
According to a university report, Summus saved Notre Dame staff 3,231 hours that they would otherwise have spent searching and commuting to see specialists.
Notre Dame staff members shared their thoughts on their experiences using Summus, including:
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“This is the first doctor in three years that we feel has put us on the right track.”
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“Everyone is helpful and responsive.”
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“Summus has been a lifesaver since I was diagnosed. No one in the area has the expertise to treat what I have.”
Virtual specialty care and access to high-quality, relevant specialists can and have dramatically improved patients’ lives, while addressing key issues in healthcare today.
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