Telemedicine isn't necessarily a new offering, but the industry's focus on this service has been renewed, suggested Skip Fleshman, a partner at Asset Management Ventures focused on digital health investments, in a contributed Forbes article.
Mr. Fleshman wrote that leading healthcare providers and payers are largely interested in telemedicine, and their focus on it is growing.
He outlines the following four reasons why telemedicine could be the digital health trend of 2015.
1. The technology has matured. Previous telemedicine offerings were spotty, but given the development of new technologies, physicians can now offer their patients a "good experience" because of faster Internet connections, better software and the ability to access telehealth offerings and consultations anywhere from mobile devices, Mr. Fleshman wrote.
2. Messaging capabilities are time efficient. Patients and physicians can communicate at times most convenient to them through such offerings, which Mr. Fleshman suggested makes better use of everyone's time. "A single doctor can now advise many patients on routine issues, freeing up more time to focus in-person on trickier cases," he wrote.
3. Demand is growing. In addition to the technical capabilities of telemedicine, perhaps even more importantly is patients want these offerings, Mr. Fleshman wrote. Patients are already looking for ease of access, demonstrated by the growing popularity of retail clinics and pharmacies, so "the logical next step is that they won't have to leave their homes at all," he wrote.
4. Telemedicine offers significant cost saving benefits. Telemedicine can change the way providers and patients interact, specifically by reallocating and increasing the amount of time physicians can spend in-person with the patients that really need it as opposed to the patients who don't necessarily need to make an office visit, saving both money and boosting the value of the physician's time, Mr. Fleshman wrote.
"It's true that the promise of telemedicine has been heard before, but this time I think it will take hold," Mr. Fleshman concluded. "Consumers are excited about the service and providers finally have both the financial incentive and technological capability to make it a reality."
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