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$17,545; that is the average cost of employer health coverage for the year 2015. This is according to a new survey conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation in collaboration with Health Research and Educational Trust. The new figure represents a 4% increase from last year’s $16,834 which, of course, is a blow to American families. The family plan premium contributed by employees is 29% of the total which is the same as last year. When you look at the individual worker, you also notice a 4% increase in the average annual cost of employer’s coverage.

The slow pace of premium growth has been a catalyst for heated debate in the recent past with analyst indicating that Americans should brace themselves for higher health cost in the coming years. Economists have suggested that the slowed rate of increase is most certainly linked to recession and credit changes in the health care system such as higher deductibles. The last five years have seen an increase in the average number of deductibles. The average deductibles today are $1217 as compared to $917 five years ago.

The Affordable care Act is also a causative agent to the surging deductibles figure. This is because it is based on a relatively higher cost of coverage. Marsh and McLennan Cos’ recently released the results of a poll they had conducted on the Affordable care act. The results show that 41% of employers had already added a high deductible plan or acted in a manner to endorse such a plan. Another whopping 25% is considering a high deductible plan all attributed to the dubbed “Cadillac tax.”

According to the Kaiser survey, there is a smaller effect of the upcoming tax. Findings showed that 13% of large employers (those with 200 or more employees) and 7% revealed that they had adjusted their plans’ coverage to avoid triggering the tax.

The Kaiser poll showed little impact from aspects of the federal health law concerning employer coverage. 21% of firms with more than 100 employees said they had extended health-cover eligibility to new groups of workers with 5% indicating they had offered more comprehensive benefits to workers.Also, 3% of large employers changed job specifications from permanent to part time to reduce those eligible for the cover.

It is with no doubt that Affordable Care Act “Obama care” is responsible for skyrocketing costs increase in employer health coverage family plans. This has reduced the number of employees that have access to telemedicine in the country.

In the healthcare industry the physician-patient relationship relies heavily on communication. This is why many hospitals and clinics strive to improve their patient-physician interaction and communication by implementing secure messaging tools. This allows patients to get in touch with their doctors quickly and efficiently, without the risk of any privacy breaches. Although patient portals are the most common form of communication, mobile health tools can also allow patients to effectively meet their healthcare needs. It can also help physicians better manage their patients’ health and well-being.

Many healthcare providers rely heavily on patient portals to increase patient engagement and allow for easier access to their healthcare records. Hospitals and clinics are also concerned whether the implementation of Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will restrict the patient’s ability to access their health care information. EHRIntelligence reports that patient portals are not the only path to ensuring that patients are able to access their health data.

It would be beneficial for physicians and healthcare providers to better understand the needs of their consumer base and meet their needs accordingly. Specifically, understanding their patients’ preferences when it comes to how they wish to access their health care information and their use of technology, will improve patient care and engagement.

“If they are using the portal, they are doing so on a mobile device. So why not develop software that is much more user-friendly, more integrated into the end-user? And rather than giving the end-user just access to a portal, why not make it so that it is procedure- or process-based? I want to schedule an appointment, press that. I want to get my lab results, press that. That is more intuitive for a patient than having to go into a portal and siphon through mounds of information or navigation whereas on a handheld I can just press what I want and immediately get that information.”, said Ed Martinez, Senior Vice President and CIO of Miami Children’s Hospital.

This new system is more interactive for the user and provides them with better control of their information. It can also help close the gap between urban and rural healthcare providers in terms of telemedicine and heath care data management. There is a wide array of mobile health care apps designed with telemedicine as the main concept, including EHR systems, mobile apps, wearable devices, and remote monitoring. This allows for the patient to be extremely satisfied with the care they are provided and more involved in their healthcare services. One of the goals of telemedicine is to effectively aid in the care of patients with chronic conditions and provide daily support in managing their illnesses.

A few weeks ago, NBA star Lamar Odom shocked the world when he was rushed to the hospital over apparent overdose. He suffered multiple strokes and was unresponsive when medical personnel arrived at the Las Vegas brothel Odom was staying. Doctors reported that they found “every drug imaginable” in his system, including cocaine, opiates, and herbal erectile dysfunction drugs.

The drugs reportedly in Odom’s system have been under intense scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the pharmaceutical industry at large. These herbal performance enhancers are unregulated and have been found to include hidden drugs such as Viagra and Cialis. These powerful drugs, which require a prescription, react violently with other substances and can cause severe strokes and liver and kidney failure, such as that suffered by Odom.

A couple of weeks ago, the FDA issued a warning on these drugs, stating they had found 300 different herbal performance enhancers that contained dangerously high levels of Viagra and Cialis. One drug contained 31 times the prescription dosage of Cialis. These drugs, which increase blood flow to sexual organs, can be deadly to those on certain medications or with underlying conditions.

Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that produces Viagra, has also issued warnings about the dangers of performance enhancers. They claim that many counterfeit medicines look very similar to Viagra, but can contain many unknown substances – including poison, talcum powder or high dosages of the drug in Viagra. Many people believe they are getting a deal on the medication or are avoiding the embarrassment of telling the doctor of their need for the drug. However, they are actually ingesting substances that are potentially lethal, as is apparently the case with Odom.

Odom’s reaction to the drugs proves that taking herbal performance enhancers is a dangerous endeavor. It’s impossible to know what one’s reaction to such drugs will be, so it’ wisest to steer clear altogether. If erectile dysfunction drugs are needed, see a doctor to ensure your safety and health.

Medical professionals and experts have come up with various ways to improve the healthcare services to the community. Telemarketing is one of the major aspects through which healthcare provision to the community has improved and made convenient enough without physically going to the hospital. However, legislatures in some seven states are considering joining hands in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). The primary course of this compact is to increase the number of physicians and improve technological advancement and usage in telemedicine industry.

There are different views and perspective that telemedicine industry professionals and analysts have if the IMLC is enacted. Renowned economists such as Michael L Marlow, Ph.D. put a light on the matter and advice that the compact will keep the medical fees at higher levels and create an obstacle for other medical physicians. Additionally, the competition will be kept at bay, and the telemedicine healthcare services provision will be at the hand of few licensed practitioners.

Marlow feels that the Federation of State Medical Board (FSMB) which is the main strategists behind this legislative and their agenda has little to do with quality healthcare provision. He explains that FSMB is primarily focused on controlling the telemedicine industry.

In a normal supply and demand aspect in healthcare service provision, the community in these states should not expect the fees to be cheaper because the number of physicians will be limited. However, the quality will be of higher standard because of the measures that will be applied for physicians to acquire the licenses. Additionally, the compact will maximize on patient protection practices that will ensure the patient will be on the hands of the most qualified and candid physicians.

There will be minimal cases of improper healthcare such as prescription of poor medication or incorrect diagnosis.

Licensing physicians is purely a good idea as long as all the necessary issues such as the quality and convenient healthcare provision to the community are addressed. Failure to address these issues and to focus on different agenda such as control and creation of a monopolistic system in offering telemedicine healthcare services will hurt the industry. However, telemedicine healthcare system can be very beneficial to the community when timely and efficiently provided with affordable fees despite the enactment of Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

There are some critical aspects of health care that are changing in the digital age. The costs of doctor and hospital visits have increased exponentially over the last decade and people, may avoid going to the office for this and a host of other reasons. Doctors and health care staff are also looking for ways to assure that patients are getting the services that they need for their illnesses or concerns. Primary care physicians are joining telemedicine provider services to work towards a community of health care professionals who can maintain people’s health in the appropriate forum and level of care.

There are many reasons why I have really enjoyed using telemedicine services for some of my own health conditions. First, I am disabled and the public transportation services that are available in my community are not reliable or easily accessible for me. If I have unscheduled, non-emergency appointments to request medications for a known and chronic problem it can become a crisis quickly if I am unable to connect with my PCP.

As everyone knows, it is close to impossible to see your primary care physicians for semi-emergency issues. Many of my providers have inept staff that answer the phone and I am often cut off at least once in the interaction. I have migraine headaches, get UTIs and have dermatological issues that can all worsen if unable to treat properly. I have been working with my PCP on these issues and have them pretty well maintained.

Well, I went on vacation. During my vacation I had a terrible skin rash from too much sun exposure and my skin was becoming pus-filled and bubbly. I had seen this before, but I did not have that medication anymore. I really did not have good access to hospital care as I was in a very rural area of Alabama.

With this new telemedicine option, I was able to contact my PCP and get the medication for the issue without having to go to the hospital.

How you make love to your partner and how they respond is usually a sensitive area in any relationship. It can build or destroy the relationship. Lack of sexual arousal has in most cases been a male issue. Recent studies have however revealed that women too can go through this phase. Therefore, a new drug was released a few weeks ago to help ladies who have been experiencing low sexual desire.

This medication is however relatively new, and we do not know so much about it. So, before looking out for telemedicine or getting to the nearest drug store to buy it, try some of the following alternatives:-

• Sleep more. Many are the times that one tends to assume the effects of their sleeping pattern and duration on their sexual drive. The quality of the sleep determines the mood of the person on the following day. It also determines the state of the body. This refers to whether or not one is fatigued or not. Studies state that females who slept longer have a higher chance of engaging in sexual activities with their partners compared to those who sleep less or have a lesser quality sleep.

 

• Try yoga. More people are doing yoga nowadays. This is due to the proved health benefits that come with doing yoga. Doing yoga helps relax the entire body, and it also aids in the blood floor throughout the body. Yoga has been discovered to help in the sexual arousal for the ladies. It increases lubrication in females, therefore, improving the sexual concerns.

 

• Maintain focus. Many women tend to be worried about how they look in front of their partners. This consumes much of their time during sex, such that they do not concentrate on enjoying sex with their partners. Being actively engaged in sex with your partner increases communication and concentration, resulting in better sex. You can tell them what you like or do not like.

 

• Exercise more. Physical exercise boosts sexual arousal in females. Exercising gets the heart racing, and it has been reported to have a relaxing effect, a concept that increases the genital arousal.

Give the above alternatives a try and be amazed by the outcomes, after all, you have nothing to lose.

Telemedicine is the use of technological innovations to provide health care services when the patient and the physician are in different locations. Telemedicine enables individuals to receive virtual health care in a location where there may be a shortage of physicians. An increasing number of physicians are practicing across the states through telemedicine.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact that is currently being backed by eight states seeks to improve the use of technologies in the telemedicine market while reducing the problems that emanate from the shortage of physicians. The compact requires that a practicing physician must procure a license for every single state in which they practice medicine.

Although licensing in the telemedicine industry is meant to improve the overall quality of healthcare and guarantee patient safety, some feel like the move to finalize the compact by the FSMB doesn’t do enough to boost telemedicine in a meaningful way. For some, the compact imposes increased costs for physicians as they seek to comply with multiple states licensure requirements thus discouraging them. Further, some physicians are deterred from practicing in those locations where they would contribute significantly.

This will affect patients living in rural areas who will have to travel long distances and persevere through lengthy waits to be seen by a specialist. Therefore, the cost in money, time and resources when a physician is applying for licenses in each state is seen as crippling the industry and failing to boost telemedicine access. To improve quality and access to health care, some feel that a free market with fewer bureaucracies encourages more physicians to get on board.

Despite the claims, however, FSMB argues that the compact aims at reducing the barriers for those physicians seeking a multiple state licensing and will help ensure licensure portability and improve telemedicine. It is said that the compact will help reduce redundant licensing requirements by providing a central place where physicians submit basic information like their education background.

San Francisco-based telemedicine provider Doctor on Demand signed a deal with Computerized Screening Inc (CSI), a medical kiosk marker. The deal, signed recently, provides Doctor on Demand the opportunity to use CSI’s Virtual eClinic for patient care.

Thanks to the latest developments in technology that has increasingly seen the rise of virtual reality physicians. Patients are now able to chat online with professionally trained certified doctors via video conferencing services. However, this method isn’t as new as most of you may assume. It had only been overlooked by patients and doctors alike.

Doctor on Demand, according to CIS president Charles Booth, is the best company capable of understanding the needs of consumers. The telemedicine service provider offers the most sought-after key elements in patient care; video conferencing capabilities, highly experienced physicians in Telehealth, and the true doctor on demand protocol.

Moreover, Doctor on Demand, offer pocket-friendly charges per consultation ($40) to corporate sponsors with no monthly fee per employee. According to the medical Kiosk-maker, CSI’s CEO, this is the best offer ever made.

The telemedicine provider, Doctor on Demand, aims to provide easily available high-quality healthcare to patients. The main mission being to solve the problem of accessibility to healthcare while at the same time, aiming to provide affordable health services. How do they solve these problems? Well, Doctors on Demand connect patients to a team of experienced doctors certified to render medical services to patients through video.

Adam Jackson, Doctor on Demand’s CEO, explains on the healthy partnership with CSI viewing it as the best most beneficial deal that’ll render the best healthcare to patients at a larger percentage.

The deal, signed by the telemedicine service provider and medical kiosk-maker, CSI, will allow Doctor on Demand to not only serve a large number of patients but also deliver better and more accurate medical diagnostic information in real time.

No doubt, Doctor on Demand, will grow drastically and meet consumer needs in a short span of time.

Virtual reality physicians are on the rise, due in part to new technology but also the fact that Obamacare has required many patients to switch from existing doctors. Online chatting using video conferencing services with doctors isn’t new. However, many doctor’s offices and patients held off from using the service because insurance companies just don’t cover it. Now, that’s changing thanks to Teladoc.

What Is Teladoc?

Teladoc is a telemedicine company changing the way patients and doctors interact because it’s worked with employers and major health insurance companies to pay for these remote consultations the same as they would a traditional in-office visit. The company saw revenue double in 2013 and again in 2015 as a result of more companies coming on board for the service. And, Teladoc managed to secure a $50 million Series F fundraising round, providing the company with a total of $100 million in funding to date.

The growth of the company comes directly from the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. The law encourages doctor’s offices and employers to take advantage of telemedicine because it’s less expensive overall, especially compared to a trip to the ER. The law has encouraged companies like Blue Shield of California and health insurer Oscar to get on board.

Now, more than half of all large employer plans provide for health coverage in telemedicine form, which is up 28% from 2014, according to Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health. Teladoc is the largest provider with eight million patients and 4,000 clients, and, to meet those needs 550 doctors who are on-call for the service.

Doctors can “sign in” to provide services when they can do so, such as when they are not meeting with patients in-office or pulling in hospital shifts. It’s the Uber for doctors. These doctors can help with many ailments including flu symptoms and infections. They can prescribe medication, too. Only about 1 percent of patients end up at the ER and about 6 percent end up having to visit their doctor in person, making the venture incredibly successful and effective.

According to Global Telemedicine Market – Growth, Trends & Forecasts (2015-2020), the global market for telemedicine is expected to surpass $34 by 2020. Certain factors have led to the exponential growth in this market. These factors are the hasty rise in software markets, and an increase in the number of chronic disease incidents. Also, the increased aged population has also contributed to the consistent growth of telemedicine.

North America accounts for 40 percent of the global market size. A majority of healthcare systems are trying to reduce the number of hospital visits. Also, with telemedicine patients are monitored efficiently from a home environment, and they can access services of a medic promptly anytime. These conveniences and benefits have resulted in the growth of the market. The increase in healthcare costs has increased the efficiency of telemedicine.

This kind of medical services delivery is popular and advantageous for patients aged over 60 years. Since many patients in the developing countries are located in remote areas, their monitoring requires telemedicine for efficiency. Therefore, remote monitoring of the patients is another factor that is expected to propel growth to surpass the $34 billion mark by 2020.

Nonetheless, high technology costs, poor implementation, reimbursement concerns and physician support are hampering the growth of this market. This global market can be segmented on the basis of type, technology, applications and geography. The types of telemedicine include clinics, tell hospitals and home. Their applications include teledermatology, teleconsultation, telesurgery, telepathology, teleradiology and many others.

The major participants of the market include Medical International Research, Aerotel Medical Systems, Healthcare Solutions Inc., 3M Health. Telemedicine uses health information technologies to achieve its goals thus it is complementary with health IT. Telemedicine provides remote clinical services, and it is a subset of telehealth. These kinds of services are provided using the Internet, video conferencing, and store-and-forward imaging.

Some of the technologies involved are a bit expensive. However, with the increase in demand for the telemedicine services in developing nations, the global market is consistently expanding. This expansion rate has resulted in analysts predicting that telemedicine market growth will exceed $34 billion in five years.