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Tag Archives: covid-19

04
Mar
Date March 4, 2022
Categories Telemedicine

Telemedicine and Regulations

Virtual care and telemedicine are still at an early evolutionary stage. They still face regulatory uncertainty, low market penetration, and privacy concerns. As technology evolves, these challenges and circumstances will change.

To understand the industry’s direction, here are some notable regulatory trends.

In the US, the need for care during the COVID-19 pandemic pushed regulators to allow telehealth to be used in non-rural areas to limit people’s exposure to the virus. Telehealth became accessible to more people, and temporary codes were created to allow telehealth reimbursements in the 2021 physician schedule.

Software Regulation in Europe and US

A significant problem for the health regulatory sector has been how to regulate software used in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of patients. The Food and Drug Administration has taken a more liberal approach in the US. It has signaled its intention only to regulate software that could harm a patient if it malfunctions.

In contrast, the approach regulates any software as long as it benefits a patient. In the EU, the relevant laws are the Medical Device Regulation and In Vitro Diagnostic Device Regulation.

Such clarity in the regulatory approach is essential to developers, medical professionals, and hospitals.

The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the federal agency responsible for setting regulations on healthcare reimbursement. During the pandemic, they eased limitations on reimbursement to increase access to care at a time of need. Beyond the pandemic, they have continued to reduce regulations on telemedicine by improving the number of services that can be reimbursed.

The EU passed The General Data Protection Regulation in 2018 to clarify how businesses should handle personal data collected from residents in the zone. In the first 12 months after the law came into force, people sent 89000 complaints to the supervisory body. Creating such bodies is crucial because it instills confidence that misuse of personal data is punishable.

Author securemedical
25
Feb
Date February 25, 2022
Categories Telemedicine

Telehealth and Weight-loss Programs

Although most individuals can lose weight, few can maintain the weight loss. Luckily, rural Americans can now keep their weight off, thanks to telehealth. Could individual videoconferencing support be the long-awaited key to keeping additional pounds at bay? Research shows that telehealth or videoconferencing technologies can effectively deliver counseling after weight loss and reinforce people in remote areas to maintain long-term weight loss.

This insightful piece highlights telehealth yielding weight-loss outcomes similar to in-person interventions, especially during a pandemic. So keep reading.

Maintaining long-term results

Most people think that health issues like obesity and overweight belong to acute care problems. And many believe that once you treat it, you have closed that chapter. But it might just be the beginning of a new weight-loss chapter. It would help if you consistently work on it, relying on other support parties for continued weight-loss success. Someone needs to be by your side to help and challenge you.

However, distance and the new COVID-19 containment measures can be natural barriers to caring for individuals living in rural areas.

Remote weight-loss management

The emergence of the ongoing pandemic has helped remove the barriers mentioned above via increased access to telehealthcare. Today, professionals deliver telehealthcare remotely through the internet or telephone.

How do telehealth counseling approaches help?

According to Michael Perri, a senior research author, the chances are high that telehealth one-on-one counseling helps through supportive accountability. Most people under such a program know their counselor will keep working with them and show them support. In addition, they are also aware that the counselor will need to know their progress from time to time.

Individual telephone counseling holds participants accountable while keeping them more engaged in obesity management behavior. That includes self-monitoring in terms of eating and physical activity.

However, telehealth group counseling tends to be not as strong as in the case of one-on-one counseling. Why? Most individuals in group sessions appear to be more reluctant to discuss their progress than their counterparts in one-on-one sessions.

Additionally, telehealth group counseling sessions often face the challenge of low attendance. Still, the good news is that the individuals who participate in the group sessions do well at maintaining their body weight.

Bottom line

Telehealth through consistent telephone-based health coaching and video conferencing with education can effectively promote and maintain weight loss. Additionally, despite the ongoing COVID-19-related challenges, these interventions can effectively lead to sustainable exercise and eating habits changes.

Author securemedical
18
Feb
Date February 18, 2022
Categories Press Releases

The Use of Telemedicine in Chronic Pain Management Care.

One of the most tangible changes the Covid-19 pandemic has brought is the steep increase in telehealth medical services or telemedicine. Many individuals living with chronic pain struggle to maintain in-person appointments due to physical inaccessibility.


Many have found themselves going without necessary care under their chronically painful lived experience, whether due to the chronic pain itself or barriers such as reliable transportation.

Other individuals with long-term health concerns face similar struggles, such as those living with disability, mental illness, and more. In all cases, barriers to care frequently involve the difficulties associated with in-person appointments.

Of course, there are clear benefits to in-person appointments; however, as the pandemic has demonstrated, telemedicine is helping to break down accessibility barriers for many across the country.

Telemedicine allows patients to connect with their physicians from the comfort of their own homes. They can see their doctors, go over their symptoms, discuss medication(s), and form treatment plans, all without the struggle and strain associated with in-person treatment.
They are seeking to capitalize on the growing trend of telehealth.

Telemedicine necessitates using a computer or laptop with a webcam. While computers have become a modern necessity, they still come with a price tag not all can afford. Telemedicine nonetheless demonstrates excellent promise in closing accessibility gaps for many across the United States with such barriers in mind.

Growing leaders within this sphere of care, particularly those treating patients with chronic pain, seek to implement and utilize the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 11 pain diagnosis protocol more widely. This diagnostic protocol helps to classify pain diseases and conditions associated with chronic pain more accurately, which better informs treatment plans moving forward.

Providers hope the rise in telemedicine appointments and the greater use of the ICD 11 pain diagnosis protocol will increase both the affordability and accessibility of chronic pain healthcare services moving forward, both within the scope of the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

Author securemedical
11
Feb
Date February 11, 2022
Categories Telemedicine

Sleep Apnea Sufferers Seek Treatment Through Telemedicine.

About 22 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. This is due to the limited number of clinics, living in remote areas, and a limited number of specialists. To make it worse, patients with sleep disorders have challenges accessing health care services.

Unlike before, the general population is now aware of the benefit of having a healthy sleep. Therefore, embracing telemedicine technology will help patients with sleep apnea disorder access better health care services.

Why use telemedicine for sleep apnea healthcare

Covid 19 restrictions and financial challenges are additional challenges facing the health care sector. Telemedicine has made it easier for sleep apnea patients to access these services.

How telemedicine works for sleep disorders

Telemedicine is a platform where you can meet your specialist without moving to the health center. The patients must have a mobile app on their phones or computers. Through the dashboard, the specialist can be able to;

  • Monitor the patient’s breathing and oxygen levels while you sleep.
  • Follow-up on the conditions on the patient and help the patient adjust CPAP therapy
  • Advise and prescribe the proper medication.

The benefits of telemedicine for sleep disorders

Easy access to health care

When using telemedicine, you don’t have to worry about transport costs, missed work, or child-care-related issues. Telemedicine makes patients become more actively involved in health care services before, during, and after hospitalization and avoids missing specialists care.

Time and cost-saving

The sleep disorder specialists can serve many patients at convenient times and in different locations. These reduce waiting time in the health care center. In addition, it saves the cost of moving patients from residents to the Hospital.

Allow use of Insurance cover.

Most insurance plans will cover telemedicine health care services after meeting the agreed payment. In addition, various sleep disorder health plans may require you to pay upfront and submit the bills for reimbursement.

Where to find a telemedicine provider

Telemedicine services can be accessed through online platforms or local sleep laboratories. In addition, you can liaise with your sleep specialist to set up virtual visits for sleep disorder care and therapies.

Final Remarks

Telemedicine has adversely bettered the well-being of patients diagnosed with sleep apnea illnesses. This technology has proved to be a convenient way for sleep specialists to treat and manage various sleep disorders.

Author securemedical
31
Jan
Date January 31, 2022
Categories Telemedicine

Benefits Of Virtual Stroke Care In Improving Stroke Care Services 

It’s the right for everyone to access better health care services. However, living in remote areas, pandemic restrictions, and low income may make accessing some health care services difficult. Accessing large urban medical centers with experts and advanced equipment may sometimes be challenging. Nevertheless, local health care centers help deal with acute and emergency health issues. As discussed below, Virtual Stroke Care is a helping tool in improving stroke prevention, recovery, and after stroke rehabilitation regardless of patients’ location.

Since stroke patients can lose over 1.9 brain cells per minute, timely treatment is crucial. To save the patient, through Telestroke, Doctors in distant sites work with doctors at the originating site or at the ambulances to recommend diagnosis and treatment. Clot-dissolving therapies delivered through Telestroke can help reduce stroke-related disability or death.

Help experts Serve patients in different locations.

After hospitalization, patients can continue receiving services from the stroke experts through Telestroke. Doctors at distant sites work with other doctors or staff in a remote locations to provide care to patients at their homes and remote hospitals. In addition, doctors at their homes can communicate with their patients with digital cameras, internet telecommunications, smartphones, or tablets.

Telestroke Ensure continuous health care services even during pandemics.

Patients experiencing some stroke symptoms are required to visit a doctor urgently. Additionally, patients who develop physical and cognitive problems need to see their doctors for rehabilitation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily distracted this. Virtual Stroke Care has enabled continuous stroke care services without breaking the COVID-19 rules.

Telestroke Makes it easy for home-based rehabilitation therapy.

Many stroke patients may develop physical and cognitive problems and need stroke rehabilitation. However, physical and mental difficulties created during stroke, patients living in remote areas, Covid-19 restrictions, and travel costs may hinder physical meetings with specialists. Video Conferencing has provided an opportunity for patients to connect with their specialists easily.

Final Word

Like other fields, video-conferencing enhances healthcare and allows better outcomes for patients regardless of their locations. It enables the Stroke experts to save the patient from stroke-related disability or death from their homes, remote hospitals, and the primary stroke Center efficiently and quickly.

Author securemedical
24
Jan
Date January 24, 2022
Categories Telemedicine

Utilizing Telemedicine Post-Natural Disasters.

With the increase in destructive unnatural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and forest fires, communities need to be more prepared for the aftermath with affordable healthcare. Telehealth is a real-time solution that facilitates the provision of healthcare using internet and intranet technologies.

Despite being an inexact science, telehealth still has components that offer robust solutions. The government plans to expand broadband, healthcare, and telehealth, making it the opportune time to develop telehealth and broadband-driven disaster recovery strategies.

Typically, natural disasters have three phases:

  • Unpredictable initial impact
  • Immediate aftershocks
  • Recovery

Telehealth can impact these natural disaster phases in the following ways:

Creating emergency health centers

Often, natural disasters can cause a power outage for a week or more. Advisably, before a disaster, various buildings need to be designated as telehealth and generator zones. The required equipment and telehealth kiosks would be ready for any recovery phase. These would be useful for people without access to power, the internet, or destroyed homes.

Expanding first responder’s reach

In the face of a disaster, first responders tend to receive a considerable share of immediate medical responses. They are equipped to reach out to clinics and hospitals to manage injuries. Paramedic vehicles need to be wirelessly enabled to facilitate patient treatment while heading to the hospital. The cars also need to be fitted with telemedicine tools to expand medical capabilities and healthcare to underserved and unreachable populations.

A broadband foundation

Natural disasters can destroy homes and buildings, making telehealth challenging to access. A community’s broadband network significantly impacts the technology’s ability to get through a disaster and quickly get back online. The broadband network needs to be designed to have less downtime even during a disaster. Telehealth stakeholders need to work with communities and cities to set up broadband that facilitates telehealth and disaster response.

In a nutshell, when properly implemented, telehealth can revolutionize how we prepare for and recover from disasters. It will help reduce mortality rates and improve access to general healthcare.

Author securemedical
07
Jan
Date January 7, 2022
Categories Telemedicine

The Use of Telemedicine Becomes More Prevalent Among the Middle Class.

In 2021, Rock Health conducted an annual consumer adoption survey to track the prevalent modalities and telehealth user satisfaction. Accordingly, the survey depicted that urban dwellers, high-income earners, and people between 18 to 40 years were more likely to use telemedicine than the rest of the population.

Although telehealth should be accessible equally across the board, its adoption has remained skewed to recent findings. While the COVID-19 reshaped telehealth preference, the following population cohort were the most prolific users:

  • The young population comprising individuals from ages 18 to 44
  • People with a minimum income of $ 150,000
  • Adults with a history of chronic conditions

The 2021 Digital Health Consumer Adoption Survey that involved at least 8,000 U.S. adults showed that the least consumers of telehealth and people with no experience in telehealth include the following:

  • Adult above the age of 55
  • People with an average annual income of $ 35,000 and below
  • People living in the U.S. rural areas
  • Uninsured people
  • U.S. citizen taking no prescriptions

Although most primary healthcare providers in rural areas have introduced telehealth in 2020 and 2021, statistics show that 40% of rural respondents did use telehealth at all. Besides, 28% of the consumer of telehealth used the service for the first time. As a result, location remains pivotal in skewing telehealth access in the U.S. For example, 9% of rural respondents in the 2021 survey indicated that broadband and cellular connectivity remained the top barrier to telemedicine access.

Rock health survey also depicted that fewer men were likely to use telehealth compared to their female counterparts, a finding that contradicts the 2020 survey results. Besides, Non-white respondents such as Latinos, American Indians, Blacks, and Pacific Islanders used telehealth more than white respondents. This finding aligns with the 2020 Pew study that found Latinos and blacks use telehealth more than white respondents mainly because of health disparities.

Skew Towards Video Visits Preference

Rock Health survey indicates that 51% of the respondents preferred video telemedicine compared to other telehealth modalities. Unfortunately, video visit satisfaction rates declined between 2020 and 2021. The authors indicate that the latter is due to the shift in expectations around the purpose of telehealth. In 2020, the respondent believed telehealth as an alternative to in-person visits rather than a replacement to patient care in 2021. Virtual care assumed a new dimension, with the video visits increasing during the pandemic.

Author securemedical
31
Dec
Date December 31, 2021
Categories Telemedicine

How Online Health Care Is the Best Option For You During The Holidays

With the increasing accessibility to online health care, it is becoming increasingly easy for people to choose a different option from traditional healthcare providers. The shift towards online healthcare is also reducing the holiday fuss.

There are many benefits to choosing a digital practitioner over a traditional one.

Availability of Health Care in Remote Areas

If you’re going to be away from your home for this holiday season, make sure you have access to the internet. 

Patients can quickly get help with any medical problem they might be facing when visiting a doctor online. Even in a remote location, you can still contact your doctor by phone, text, or video chat.

Telemedicine services such as Ourdoctor allows users to talk to a healthcare professional from anywhere in the world.

Medical Help From Doctors During Travel

Telemedicine, the use of online services to provide healthcare needs, is an efficient way for people with seasonal illnesses or injuries to receive timely care.

Using online medical help is a good idea. A doctor can provide specialty care in your home via telemedicine reducing the need for physically visiting a doctors office.

Your doctor can give you advice when you are not physically in the office. You can consult with them via phone or text while remaining at home.

Prompt and Consistent Health Treatment

Telehealth provides the opportunity to interact with doctors and view images of conditions in real-time, which leads to better treatment outcomes for all involved.

Telemedicine is an innovation in healthcare offering access to medical services without taking up much time from your day.

You can get advice from a doctor on-demand using a telemedicine website such as Ourdoctor. Doctors can treat symptoms promptly and timely.

Online health care and medical services reduce reliance on traditional medical providers during the holidays.

Author securemedical
12
Nov
Date November 12, 2021
Categories Telemedicine

The Rise of Telecardiology in the Wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic

The modern world has had a shift in how people access medical care during the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s because interpersonal consultations and doctor visits came to a complete halt. Telehealth has become a popular means through which people can access healthcare remotely. One such medical practice area is telecardiology that treats heat-related illnesses.

Telecardiology Defined

Telecardiology isn’t a new concept. Cardiologists have long utilized different forms of technology to treat patients with heart-related issues. Telecardiology refers to remotely interpreting electrocardiographic recordings via technology such as video conferencing. For instance, technology helps doctors to check pacemakers or transmit patient data remotely. That helps manage a patient’s heart condition effectively.

Advanced medical technology has contributed to the growth of telecardiology. Medical technology includes keeping records of cardiac images in digital formats. These formats allow hospital staff to send data to centralized sites where cardiovascular specialists interpret the information using artificial intelligence.

Rather than eliminate the need for in-person treatment, telecardiology is a welcome supplementary treatment for primary care. Moreover, it helps cut hospital visits and in-patient care. Besides, you have the freedom to seek treatment from the comfort of your home or office.

Are There Any Concerns?

As much as telehealth is successful, it doesn’t offer a perfect treatment scenario. Doctors are still trying to figure these things out:

  • The appropriate timeline to see a patient by teleconference rather than in-person
  • How to blend telecardiology with in-person visits or in-patient care
  • How to handle teleconference visits for new patients when there’s no previous relationship
  • The implications of patients communicating with other cardiovascular disease healthcare providers
  • Insurance reimbursements for telecardiology visit fees

Telecardiology is a step in the right direction in the cardiology world, but there’s still a long way to go. Luckily, there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel. It all starts with developing a solid plan for the best patient care. The future of telemedicine looks better with each passing day and advancements in technology.

Author securemedical
15
Oct
Date October 15, 2021
Categories Telemedicine

What Does The Next Year Hold In Telehealth ? Much Higher Than Before The Pandemic

What does the next year hold in telehealth? Well, it’s higher than before the pandemic. That’s because the impact of the spread of the pandemic has helped to increase public awareness on how essential it is to arm one’s self with knowledge about vaccines.
Also, it has helped protect you from diseases you can prevent if you take prompt measures. In this guide, we’ll tell you what the next year will look like for telehealth. Let’s jump right in!

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth is delivering information, health care, and education from far via telecommunication equipment and electronic gadgets. It encompasses many specialties of health care.
They include medicine, nursing, dentistry, and mental health. Mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices can deliver telehealth services. Telephone videos and interactive media are also helpful.

How Has Telehealth Helped Combat COVID-19 Pandemic?

Telehealth can provide improved access to healthcare and services. It can improve health outcomes, reduce wait times, and minimize the cost of health care. Also, it can help address health disparities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought telehealth to the forefront of the health care system. It has exposed weaknesses in our health care system, including a shortage of beds and health care providers and a lack of access to health care.

Telehealth can help address some of these issues. But, it must be done correctly and subject to the same scrutiny as in-person care. Here are some ways telehealth helps address the COVID-19 pandemic crisis:

Video visits

Telehealth providers can use video visits to help patients who cannot leave their homes. It can also help patients who need care but are unable to get to a clinic.

 Remote patient monitoring

Pharmacists and health practitioners can use telehealth to collect health data from patients’ homes. The data can help clinicians monitor chronic conditions, detect health issues earlier, and provide treatment remotely.

 Telehealth pharmacy

Pharmacists can use telehealth to distribute medications to their patients remotely. It can help address the shortage of medicines, especially in remote areas.
Author securemedical
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