Virtual care news, trends and reimbursement updates
Telehealth news covering program growth, utilization and payment. Becker's tracks telehealth reimbursement policy at the federal and state level and how virtual care fits into health system strategy.
Telehealth
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released an updated telehealth app for iPhones March 23 called VA Video Connect.
Dallas-based Parkland Health & Hospital System implemented an e-consult program that significantly reduced unnecessary clinic appointments at its gastroenterology specialty clinic.
Interest in telemedicine is growing, with the majority of hospitals leaders citing remote care as a priority, according to a May 2017 survey. However, in regions of the U.S. with limited internet access, providers may struggle to connect patients to…
Almost three-quarters of healthcare professionals are pursuing an enterprise approach, rather than a departmental approach, for their telemedicine programs, according to a Reach Health survey.
A study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders shows physicians can use telemedicine to assess and diagnose autism spectrum disorders in young children.
Healthcare professionals most frequently cited inadequate telemedicine parity laws as a significant barrier to building a telemedicine program, according to a Reach Health survey.
Annapolis, Md.-based ClearHealth Quality Institute, an independent healthcare accrediting firm, rolled out a telemedicine accreditation program and is now accepting applicants.
Telemedicine is growing at a rapid pace fueled by faster Internet connections, the ubiquity of smartphones and personal devices, and new software platforms that connect patients with providers more easily and efficiently.
Waqaas Al-Siddiq
Though researchers claim nearly 70 percent of all patient visits do not require face-to-face interactions, nearly 41 percent of hospitals and health systems do not plan to offer telehealth services in 2018, according to a recent MGMA report.
Patients with Type 2 diabetes who participated in a telephone-based remote care program had comparable improvements in blood glucose control to those who received traditional in-person care, according to a study presented March 17 at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting…