Tag Archives: covid19

While the shift to telemedicine was already happening in some healthcare areas in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated that shift, revolutionizing healthcare practitioners practice medicine. This change to telemedicine has quickly become routine and not likely to return to how it was during pre-pandemic times. One of those fields of healthcare embracing telemedicine in the field of eye care.

How Eyecare is Embracing Telemedicine

When you think of eye care, it’s not easy to see how that particular healthcare field can take care of its patients through telemedicine, especially with eye tests, placing your chin on a pad, and looking through lenses while the doctor tests your vision. These days, it’s possible to perform vision screenings on mobile devices, such as retinal imaging, and monitor eye health.

Another change the telemedicine provides is that patients and doctors can communicate asynchronously. These changes mean the patient doesn’t have to take time off work to speak with their eye doctor.

Remote Eye Care Enhances In-Person Care

Naturally, there will be times when remote eye care is not an option, and the patient will have to see their provider in-person, such as specific tests and the need for hands-on diagnostic testing and procedures. Ocular telemedicine isn’t a replacement for in-person care but only serves to enhance the field of eye care and make things easier for both the patient and the provider. Since it’s possible to perform vision screenings on mobile devices, the patient no longer needs to spend time at their provider’s office.

Policy Changes Make Ocular Telemedicine Simpler

The COVID-19 pandemic forced those who provide health insurance to improve their telemedicine reimbursement policies. These changes broaden access to Medicare telemedicine, as well as a broader range of services. There’s also new legislation regarding maintenance and improvements to the telehealth system, making it more accessible. There are also signs that these changes in the telehealth system will stay even after the pandemic ends.

According to a poll conducted by the University of Michigan on healthy aging, people are becoming more confident in telemedicine. In the past year, older adults revealed at least one primary concern about using telemedicine. A year later, in mid-2020, the situation is different, with many people being free to try out telehealth visits.

This is especially among those that did virtual visits between March and June this year. Ironically, even in the current coronavirus pandemic, not all older adults see telehealthcare as a sufficient substitute for in-person care. According to the poll, 17% of those aged above 50 years say they have never tried any video conference tool, including telehealthcare.

As much as the figure is 11% higher than that recorded in 2019, lack of access or experience could hinder receiving medical care without leaving homes. This happens amidst the rising number of coronavirus cases in the US. According to Lorraine Buis, a health information researcher at the University of Michigan, the poll results implicates health providers that have been drumming up support for telehealth offerings.

She further said that tracking the course of change over time could be critical in determining future efforts and underscores the need for extensive research on barriers, concerns, and the use of telemedicine by the elderly.

Telehealth Acceptance Among the Elderly

The poll results showed that by June 2020, 30% of the older people above 50 years have participated in a telemedicine visit. This has been looked at as a reflection of changes made in the insurance coverage a few months before the pandemic. The figures from March to June indicate that many individuals tried out telehealthcare due to states mandating reductions in non-emergency and elective health care.

The subsequent coronavirus related restrictions also played a role in the significant increase in telehealth visits. The stay-at-home orders, in particular, led to many people trying out telemedicine care.

The COVID-19 virus has altered the way our country provides medical care. With in-office visits strictly limited, virtual tours have taken center stage.

When looking at telemedicine, this can include both phone and video calls. The main advantage of these is that both doctor and patient are safe within their spaces, making the risk of contracting COVID-19 nonexistent.

Although there are numerous advantages to telemedicine, there is a steep learning curve with many older Americans. Top doctors at John Hopkins University offer some advice in their recent writings in Annals of Internal Medicine

One of the main concerns is, according to the U.S National Institutes of Health, nearly half of American’s over the age of 75, some type of difficulty with hearing.

One way to curb this is for patients to use headsets as this will drown out background noise and allow the patient to hear better. Those with difficulty hearing may not notice this issue until they are forced into a situation that relies on their discussion.

For patients with hearing problems, video calls would allow the patient to pick up on visual cues and will additionally enable the doctor to examine the patient better to see what’s ailing them.

The unfortunate reality is that seniors may not have access to the internet, which will be a concern mostly with lower-income seniors. Physicians need to be conscious of this and ensure they ask their patients what type of care they prefer.

Many older American’s see a phone call as being a courtesy, so there will also need to be some adjustments and expectations set by the doctor that the phone or video call will still result in the patient receiving a bill.

Although telemedicine visits have begun to slow down due to doctor’s offices reopening in the past few months, telemedicine can still be beneficial to many seniors depending on their unique situations.

The current pandemic’s role in promoting telemedicine remains evident, as millions of US citizens utilized telehealth services. At its best, virtual care has proved its importance in treating uncomplicated respiratory infections. However, the hurdle remains as to how it can enhance primary care for chronic diseases.

The future of telemedicine hangs on the balance as the debate on whether insurers will continue covering telehealth into the post-pandemic period permeates different platforms. Despite broad bipartisan backing, without proper legislation, the pilot insurance program is as good as over. Now that lawmakers remain reluctant about telemedicine’s potential cost, even private insurers may not balance between virtual and in-person reimbursements.

Renowned insurers such as UnitedHealthcare are still hesitant on whether they will continue covering telemedicine services beyond September. While others like Cigna plan to continue with the insurance plan but on a pandemic level only. The federal government that sets the pace for telemedicine is likely on the verge of reverting the decision to reimburse virtual care providers once the pandemic’s effects on emergency care end unless legislators extend reimbursement policies into the post-pandemic period.

The number of face-to-face medical examinations has started rising as the pandemic recedes in some of the states. While many patients confirm that they opted for telemedicine to avoid infections in crowded doctor facilities and emergency rooms, many say they prefer traditional visits.

Some insurers such as BlueCross BlueShield have confirmed their commitment to supporting telemedicine into the future, although the cost remains unsettled. High-risk patients and accessible legislators such as Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee want the Medicare program to continue. They cite that virtual consultations remain essential in enhancing the quality of medical care.

The bottom line

The current pandemic is a revelation to the importance of telehealth services in the USA medical sector. However, telemedicine will not stay any longer without proper mechanisms such as adequate doctor training and reimbursement regulations.

As patients increasingly look for convenient and affordable care, other methods of meeting patients are gradually replacing in-person visits. Today, innovations in telemedicine present new ways of handling public health emergencies and disasters like Covid-19.

n-demand telemedicine is a modern approach to sorting patients before they are taken to the emergency department (ED). The method allows for efficient patient screening, focuses on the patient, promotes communication, and provides health care providers with critical data such as travel and exposure histories. Telemedicine can be used in self-quarantine cases, effectively protecting patients, clinicians, and the community from exposure.

More U.S. health systems already have or are outsourcing these programs to attend to patients at home while minimizing exposure. In terms of combatting Covid-19, the telemedicine systems feature bots that allow for video visits with care providers and refer moderate-to-high risk patients to the right nurse triage lines.

In case of emergencies or high-risk patients in isolation, the technology allows clinicians to work remotely to cover multiple sites. Provided web-conferencing software and a secure open line; tablets can be used in ambulatory care settings, isolation facilities, and exam rooms. This system works for patients who aren’t sick but can expose clinicians, visitors, and other patients to the disease. Physicians can also use an electronic intensive care unit (e-ICU) programs to monitor patients in ICUs in different hospitals remotely.

Mobile integrated healthcare programs and community paramedicine make it possible for clinicians to virtually provide expert medical care to patients at home. When the patient gets sicker, the technology reduces exposure by facilitating their direct transfer to a hospital bed, which means that patients can access subspecialists who may not be available in person.
Also, when health care workers contract Covid-19 and are quarantined at home, workforce capacity suffers greatly. Telemedicine not only minimizes exposure but also allows quarantined clinicians to provide services virtually.

In a nutshell, disasters and pandemics present significant challenges to the healthcare system. Telemedicine will not solve all the problems but will go a long way in ensuring the existing infrastructure is suited for the scenario and that clinicians can see patients. In these times of Covid-19, telemedicine can be beneficial.

Unfortunately, drastic times might open doors that host unprecedented opportunities. In the wake of the novel Coronavirus pandemic, it’s safe to say more horizons have emerged, but we can all agree that telehealth Medicare provision is undoubtedly groundbreaking. Although CMS’ Fostering Innovations Initiative was a top priority plan in Trump’s administration to improve telehealth Medicare for seniors, the pandemics exigencies were crucial in making telemedicine a lifeline.

Telemedicine, including Medicare telehealth and other like services, is now essential to provide remote safe healthcare provision to seniors and other Medicare holders. Through authority and many a time via capitalization of various congressional authorizations in pandemic relief legislation, CMS has managed to topple policies that hinder telemedicine healthcare services. This, in turn, allows a variety of beneficiaries to receive safe, clinic-quality Medicare.

Amazing new features

We strive to make more telehealth features available for vulnerable individuals at home even after the pandemic passes. Now, Medicare patients can run an eye exam as well as ventilator management from their couch. We’ve added more than 135 features for a more convenient clinical tool during the entire epidemic, which you could use to complement traditional Medicare. Other features Medicare beneficiaries will have access to include:

• Telehealth-eligible psychiatric and psychological services
• Remote emergency room access
• Accessible and palatable virtual check-ups
• Expanded list of providers from occupational to physical therapists

There are more exclusive features and benefits accompanied by telemedicine. It reduces the risk seniors, and other Medicare holders are exposed to when seeking standard face to face meetups, for instance.

The future of telemedicine

Telemedicine healthcare provision is currently experiencing a rapid but unprecedented boom as the preferred clinical tool. According to preliminary data, more than 9million Americans sought the services of telemedicine in traditional healthcare provision. This displays a 5000pc rise in satisfied patients within the last three months. The data also indicates that 60% of mental health patients using telehealth-eligible psychiatric services engaged telemedicine to minimize the stigma associated with mental disorders. This is an excellent way to protect both healthcare providers and patients while conserving scarce PPE, which could be used by harder-pressed medics. Nonetheless, Congress needs to enact more favorable policies to ensure all Medicare holders, including seniors, are adequately covered.

Ever since our way of living was altered due to a global pandemic, many people have widely adopted telemedicine because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. With people locked in their homes, telemedicine has become an easy and efficient way of accessing healthcare. The pandemic has changed many medical protocols, including patients not having to contact doctors for their diagnosis. According to Dr. Diego De La Mora, the chief health informatics officer at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, health professionals are increasingly adopting telemedicine to attend to patients’ needs, which haven’t stopped because of COVID 19.

As a telehealth coordinator at Texas Tech Physicians of clinics in El Paso, De La Mora has acknowledged the role of technology during this pandemic in limiting social contact and patients who aren’t comfortable going to the clinics. The clinics are still in operation for in-person visits where patients sit in an exam room with laptops that healthcare providers use to examine, communicate, and check symptoms. This enables doctors to handle patients who could be having the coronavirus without exposing themselves.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, there were close to zero telehealth visits by patients at Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso. Dr. Diego said that currently, the clinic has around 1000 telehealth visits each week. However, with the restrictions loosed up, more patients have begun to come to clinics in person, which has decreased the number of telehealth visits. An email response from the El Paso Inc. officials revealed that they had seen significant telemedicine use over the past few months, and approximately 80% of healthcare providers are currently equipped with telehealth technology.

The cost of telemedicine depends on insurance companies and what they cover. However, the technology is relatively cheaper as patients do not have to pay for building costs. Ourdoctor telemedicine company gives patients the ability to choose from various plans that can benefit just a single patient or their entire family. The technology has also proven effective for patients who want to avoid trips for in-person appointments and patients in rural communities who do not have access to hospitals.

The pandemic has been changing many individual’s minds about telemedicine. People who never would have tried telemedicine previously are now using it for the first time.

However, the benefits of telemedicine haven’t truly changed. It’s always been a convenient and safe option. The pandemic has just made those advantages more apparent. Ourdoctor telemedicine company gives patients the ability to see a doctor for minor health concerns and illnesses such as headaches, sore throats, and fevers.

Patients who’ve scheduled medical appointments in person have always had to plan those appointments carefully. The appointment itself might only last for 20 minutes. However, in practice, patients have to set aside much more time than that.

Individuals who live in remote areas could be hours away from the nearest doctor’s office. Doctors typically tell their patients to get to the office 15 minutes before the actual appointment starts. Patients spend several minutes in the waiting room, filling out various forms. They may contribute an additional 20 minutes waiting before being called back to the room.

Patients can also spend part of the appointment waiting for the doctor or nurse. The most productive part of the appointment itself might only last for 15 minutes. After the appointment, patients still have to drive back home. The patients who use telemedicine instead can complete the entire process at home.

People can schedule their telemedicine appointments online in advance. Scheduling may only take a few minutes to complete. The actual video call appointment might only take 20 minutes. Doctors are also less likely to keep patients waiting as some telemedicine companies such as Ourdoctor allow patients to see the next available physician eliminating waiting for a specific doctor. In practice, telemedicine allows doctors to spend more time with their patients.

Telemedicine video appointments are productive and straightforward. Doctors can make the most out of every session.
The risk of contracting viruses and illnesses from other patients is eliminated. Patients are practicing social distancing by staying at home telemedicine is contributing to everyone visiting safer and bringing the spread of Covid-19 to an end. Telemedicine is much more reliable, healthier, and more convenient.

Telemedicine was nice to have in the past but quickly became a necessity in the wake of the novel COVID-19, pandemic. With all leaders and medical practitioners calling for social distancing to halt the spread of the virus, telehealth emerged as the safest practical solution for delivering healthcare in the affected areas. However, things are getting back to normal, and while post-pandemic will be a relief for many in the healthcare industry, various things are bound to change. In the past, telemedicine was more of a perk that comes alongside primary healthcare services. Today, practitioners can charge for the service, which predicts a future where telemedicine is part of healthcare delivery.

The aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic calls for readjustments that include preparing healthcare facilities for the return of normal operations. For many, telemedicine will still be invaluable, at least until a vaccine is available for the virus. Even then, telemedicine is expected to take root in future healthcare provision. It involves delivering healthcare remotely over the telephone or internet services, such as web conferencing. Disease diagnosis, patient tracking, routine physical examinations, and conversational therapy can be delivered through telehealth, which is cost-effective and time-saving.

For healthcare practitioners, telemedicine provides a necessary tool that minimizes exposure to the virus. It also reduces traffic to the facility. Lending some operations to the online model also comes with the inherent benefits of the internet, ranging from convenience to efficient patient management. The model should allow easy updating of patient information and meet specific standards to ensure safe and seamless healthcare delivery. This calls for training and development of new tools that can facilitate the remote delivery of healthcare.

Telehealth already had massive support before the pandemic and is hardly novel in the industry. However, its necessity was highlighted by the virus, setting the stage to catapult telemedicine to mainstream healthcare provision. Many facilities will be keen to adapt their practices to the online model and incorporates telehealth, which can now be targeted for new income streams for the clinics and hospitals.