Research has shown many patients use EDs to access urgent care, rather than real emergency services, Jason Hockenberry, PhD, a health policy professor at Atlanta-based Emory University, told WABE.
BCBS of Georgia’s new policy aims to redirect patients to either urgent care clinics or its LiveHealth Online telehealth app as a means of de-cluttering EDs and reducing cost of care, WABE reports.
“We’re not trying to steer people away from the emergency room if they have a serious condition,” Debbie Diamond, director of publications for BCBS of Georgia, told Becker’s Hospital Review last month. “If a member is having chest pain that they think is a heart attack, they should still go to the emergency department.”
More articles on telehealth:
Pennsylvania healthcare network taps Teladoc to reduce readmissions
Patients may prefer hearing ‘serious’ healthcare results via video, study finds
Vermont governor signs telemedicine bill into law
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
