The digital health space refers to the integration of technology and health care services to improve the overall quality of health care delivery. It encompasses a wide range of innovative and emerging technologies such as wearables, telehealth, artificial intelligence, mobile health, and electronic health records (EHRs). The digital health space offers numerous benefits such as improved patient outcomes, increased access to health care, reduced costs, and improved communication and collaboration between patients and health care providers. For example, patients can now monitor their vital signs such as blood pressure and glucose levels from home using wearable devices and share the data with their doctors in real-time. Telehealth technology allows patients to consult with their health care providers remotely without having to travel to the hospital, making health care more accessible, particularly in remote or rural areas. Artificial intelligence can be used to analyze vast amounts of patient data to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and provide personalized treatment recommendations. Overall, the digital health space is rapidly evolving, and the integration of technology in health
Showing posts with label telehealth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label telehealth. Show all posts

Monday, August 8, 2016

CEO Spotlight: American Well's Roy Schoenberg on the U.S. coming out of a 10-year telehealth war zone |

During the past five years health information technology is going through a second wave of disruptive tecchnology. It has taken almost ten years to adopt electronic health records. Now telehealth and telemedicine has taken the lead in transition. This may be the greater of the two in terms of cost containment and increasing access to health care.

New technology places a greater regulatory challenge. Multiple regulatory agencies, such as licensing boards, and practice guidelines have long standing rules regarding patient care, including hands on examination for p hysical diagnosis.  In fact that requirement is in the legal medical record. There are certain medico-legal risks in regard to diagnosing and treating a patient without personal contact.  Telehealth is changing that model.

During the past two years change is occurring. Numerous state medical boards report reevaluating their rules about remote diagnosis.  The limitations were loosened in regard to rural and remote areas where health care is often unavailable.  Many of these networks are developed by a central health facilitty such as a hospital in a contiguous area and may be the only accessible source for health care.  These networks provide physicians supervision of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or other certified health professionals such as emergency medical technicians.

After a long decade of struggle, the stars have aligned for telemedicine, according to Roy Schoenberg, MD,   And the understanding and acceptance of providers, payers and patients have united to the point where the electronic delivery of healthcare is poised to become part of the norm.

“First, medical authorities, policymakers, and healthcare’s movers and shakers have acknowledged that delivering healthcare through technology can be valuable and safe; that has been the war zone for the last 10 years of telehealth,” Schoenberg said. “Medical boards and medical associations were hesitant about embracing telehealth; physicians were concerned about diminishing the relationship they have with patients. But the experiences with telehealth during the last couple of years have been reassuring, and telehealth increasingly has become one of the ways physicians interact with patients.”
Second, insurance companies that while label American Well technology including Anthem, United Health Group and several of the big Blues have finally begun to take the stance that, like in any other industry, digital mechanisms are here to stay and will be a major part of the industry’s future; as a result, payers are getting on top of telehealth and discovering how to conduct such care safely, Schoenberg said.
And third, enough time has passed that telemedicine technology vendors have gained the experience – and learned lessons from mistakes – so that the vendors are completely capable of providing safe and comprehensive care via technology, Schoenberg said.
“Vendors have made corrections to the patient experience and physician usability, for example, and have learned how to foster intimacy in these kinds of healthcare encounters,” he explained. “Between the adoption of electronic delivery as a valid way of doing medicine, the payment structure, and all of the factors that affect the physician-patient experience, the stars have aligned to cause what we see today, which is a booming market.”
What’s more, telemedicine tools and practices are becoming more embedded into the routine delivery of care among providers that also white label American Well services such as Cleveland Clinic, Community Health System,  Intermountain, Miami Children’s Hospital, Providence Health System and others -- even employers are getting into the act, such as clients Oracle and Honeywell.
What are the next steps?
“From the patient standpoint, we will see very quickly the transition of telehealth from just the myopic quick urgent care example of finding a physician to prescribe antibiotics to something that envelops all of healthcare, especially patients who need serious longitudinal care and frequent interaction with physicians, which increasingly is tied into things like accountable care organizations,” Schoenberg said. “We will see telehealth serving as a part of the overall relationship with patients.”
No longer just the mother with a child in a stormy night who needs to see a physician kind of stuff,” he added. “Telehealth for ongoing clinical relationships will become the avalanche of this technology.”







CEO Spotlight: American Well's Roy Schoenberg on the U.S. coming out of a 10-year telehealth war zone | Healthcare IT News

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Progress on the Frontiers of Health and Medicine

The frontiers of medicine are not only in the development and transformation of delivering health care, but is also a physical impediment to delivering a level of quality health care.Rural health care presents unique challenges for delivery of care. There are fewer providers, facilities, and less economic support.

As described by Leila Samy, Meghan Gabriel, and   Jennifer King on HealthITBuzz

Leila Samy
  

                                                                Meghan Gabriel
                                                                                                               Jennifer King


              
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), some with a census of fewer than 10 patients, are the smallest of the small rural hospitals. In some regions, such as frontier areas, a CAH may be the only local health care provider serving an area the width of the state of Rhode Island! CAHs are small, geographically isolated and have limited resources.

CAHs are found in every region of the country, and represent roughly 30 percent of hospitals nationwide. Often serving as the focal point for all health care services in a rural area, CAHs often own and run the local rural health clinics and skilled nursing facilities. They may also be responsible for public health and emergency medical system services. These hospitals extend services to places where they wouldn’t otherwise be available. And those are the reasons why it is important for CAHs to have access to health IT systems and capabilities.
As of 2013, 89 percent of CAHs had an EHR in place; 62 percent of CAHs with an EHR had a fully electronic health record system, and 27 percent had a health record system that was part electronic and part paper.
Most CAHs adopted (as of 2013) or planned to adopt (by the end of 2014) the health IT capabilities evaluated in this study (i.e., telehealth, teleradiology, care coordination and health information exchange with other providers and patients).
As of 2013, CAHs reported the highest rates of adoption for teleradiology (70 percent) and telehealth (59 percent) capabilities. Fewer CAHs reported other capabilities related to electronic exchange of key clinical information with other providers. Even fewer (15 percent) of CAHs reported patient engagement capabilities (i.e., offer patients ability to view, download and transmit their health information
Among the challenges to health IT adoption among CAHs, financing and workforce related challenges were most commonly reported.
CAHs that pooled resources with other hospitals were more likely to have EHR and capabilities related to health information exchange and care coordination, compared to those that did not pool resources or engage in group purchasing.
CAHs with faster Internet upload speeds were more likely to have the capability to provide patients with the option to view, download, and transmit their health information compared to those with slower upload speeds.
The Federal Government is offering funding opportunities and offers Creative Solutions to Expand  Rural Health IT Funding

Benefits of Health IT adoption among CAHs and other small, rural hospitals





Monday, January 13, 2014

HIPAA COMPLIANT GOOGLE + HANGOUTS

Google announces Helpouts: the Hangout that’s so good you’ll pay for it









This service marries the video chat features of Hangouts with the payment processing of Google Wallet, the identity management of Google+, and a slew of other Google service features. The end result is a gorgeous Frankenstein monster that lets you find expert help instantly via video.

Google + Helpouts is its own separate division within Google, but it uses all existing Google technologies.  And actually the service is free unless you charge for it.  Google's take is 20%.  The helpouts are scheduled or on demand.   




Many providers have been asking if Google + hangouts are HIPAA compliant. Up until now the answer has been 'no'.   Now for a charge it can be.  Further details are forthcoming from Google.

The challenges for telemedicine have been several. 1. Cost. 2. Non-reimbursement due to insurance limitations 3. Lack of an easily accessible platform.

Previous offerings have included expensive contracting with a telehealth provider. 

Providers and patients are now aware of new resources to provide an additional component to home health and alternative to time consuming  office visits.

Google also announced an API for Google Helpouts. For more information, Google hosts a 'help' tutorial.

Several medical offices and clinics may be available in your area.  Note that this service is so new that you should verify their participation.  It is not necessary to have a visit initially, however in many states,  for you to receive treatment advice law prohibits telemedicine treatment other than in an advisory capacity.








One Medical Group (Beverly Hills)

Meet the Doctors


There are other participating One Medical Groups in  San Francisco, New York,  Boston and Washington, D.C.