Using telemedicine for primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic did not hurt quality of care for patients, according to a new study. Researchers examined 16 measures of primary care quality and found patients using telemedicine had outcomes as good or better than those making in-office visits, according to the study published in JAMA Network Open. […]
Three common myths about the effectiveness of telehealth are exactly that – myths, according to two new studies that examined its use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns about telehealth have stymied its use nationwide, but those fears are unwarranted, said researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). They examined data for the first […]
Hospitals are increasingly utilizing locum tenens physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs), and telehealth services to address staffing shortages. The Innovation & Flexibility: Journey to Sustainable Healthcare Report reflects data from 129 healthcare administrators representing a range of facility types and sizes. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated hospital staffing shortages as many clinicians faced burnout and […]
Healthcare consumerism is on the rise , as patients report the desire to use telehealth and contactless payment options post-COVID-19. However there are disconnects between payer, provider, and consumer expectations, according to the eleventh annual Trends in Healthcare Payments Report from InstaMed. The report explores how COVID-19 has accelerated many trends that have improved the consumer experience […]
Inefficiency is an issue that continues to plague many areas of healthcare, particularly when it comes to manual administrative functions. While the industry is increasingly harnessing technology – evidenced by the use of telehealth and the push for electronic health record interoperability – administrative complexity continues to be burdensome, and largely paper- and fax-driven. This […]
Telehealth, remote monitoring will boost patient outcomes and value-based care results Limited by the slow pace of change in traditional reimbursement models, shifts in the paradigm for patient care have also lagged far behind the possibilities created by transformative technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed that, catalyzing improvements in reimbursement by both commercial and government […]
By April of last year, seemingly every news station in American was featuring the heroic efforts of physicians, nurses, and other clinicians fighting COVID-19. These providers transformed healthcare, implementing telehealth and virtual care, standing up new wards in hotels, sports arenas, and schools, and finding new ways to stretch precious supplies. But behind those transformations […]
As 2020 winds down, typically everyone from newscasters to sports reporters to anyone with a Twitter handle will write a “Year in Review” article, adding their predictions for the upcoming year. So we thought we would do the same – take a look back and also a look ahead. 2020 has been a fascinating year. […]
The future potential of telehealth hinges on how it’s reimbursed. Virtual care may be popular among patients, but if providers can’t get paid for their services, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to continue to provide them. The government has signaled its support for reimbursing some telehealth services, at least in the short term. The Centers […]
Usability and interoperability are top physician complaints, but will 2021 bring any relief? Physicians often see the EHR as the bane of their professional existence, complaining about awful user interfaces and a lack of interoperability with other systems that forces them to access multiple platforms to get the information they need on one patient. But […]