For patients in rural areas, telemedicine can make a big difference by increasing access to health care and specialists—but only when the region’s high-speed Internet access works. Unlike swyMed, most telemedicine platforms need minimum connection speeds of 25 megabits per second for download and 3 megabits per second for upload. Read more
Amidst the uncertainty that typically follows a transition in presidents and their administrations, the telemedicine industry received rousing support this week. During his confirmation hearing, Congressman Tom Price, President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, revealed his high regard for telemedicine and his belief that telemedicine is a critical aspect of health care. In addition, his priorities of universal access to care and cost-effective care suggest that strategies that meet both criteria—such as telemedicine—will be favored. Thus, it seems certain that the future of telemedicine looks bright. Read more
Previously, patients admitted in the middle of the night have had a higher mortality rate, according to the American Medical Association. Soon, however, this statistic may be a thing of the past; telenocturnists have begun volunteering for the less-desired weekend and nighttime shifts, and they’re hoping to lessen the disparity in outcomes while reducing the financial burden on hospitals. Read more
Some new research shows that when it comes to intensive care units (ICUs), investing in telemedicine pays significant dividends: Combining a tele-ICU program with centralized bed management can increase case volume by roughly 40 percent and raise contribution margins by over $52 million. The differences were attributed to shorter lengths of stay, a higher ratio of case revenue to direct costs, and higher case volume. Read more
A telemedicine initiative from New Mexico may soon become a nationwide program. Earlier this week, the Senate unanimously approved the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Act, which champions the system developed five years ago at the University of New Mexico (UNM) to increase access to specialists in rural, underserved regions. Read more
A new analysis from Zion Research reports that in 2014, the global telemedicine market was worth about $14 billion; that value is expected to grow to $35 billion by 2020. That’s a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of just over 14% between 2015 and 2020. Read more
At New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex, inmates typically endure hours of onerous travel and waiting just to spend five minutes with a doctor. With the recent introduction of prison telemedicine, the entire experience has transformed; shackles, holding pens, and hurried in-person visits have been replaced by local virtual visits that are long enough for patients to voice their concerns. The result is a win-win situation: Patients are assured of confidentiality while they receive the care they want and need, all from the relative comfort of the prison, while the prison saves untold dollars from eliminating the need for secure transport. Read more
As part of an ongoing effort to reduce the incidence of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of new-onset blindness, healthcare providers urge diabetics to have yearly eye exams. Despite their efforts, however, less than two-thirds of adult diabetics in the U.S. visit the eye doctor for screening. Researchers at the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center took a different approach: What if eye doctors could go to the patient instead—via telemedicine screening? Would patients participate in such a program? Read more
In one of the first published studies to measure exactly how often telemedicine is utilized, Harvard Medical School researchers discovered that telemedicine use among Medicare patients grew roughly 28 percent each year between 2004 and 2013. This rise is even more impressive in light of Medicare’s restrictive reimbursement policy: Medicare only pays for telemedicine visits if the patient lives in a rural area and travels to a clinic for the telemedicine visit. Read more
Patients with Parkinson’s disease are used to devoting an entire day and driving long miles to be seen by a specialist. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Thanks to telemedicine, though, this could soon change. Last fall, Rush University Medical Center launched a telemedicine pilot program that allows patients to visit their physicians virtually, from the comfort of their own homes. Read more
