While there may be considerable variation in telemedicine policies and reimbursement models from state to state, standards in some specialized types of telemedicine should be consistent, according to new practice guidelines from the American Telemedicine Association.
Category Archives: TeleHealth
Telehealth is the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration
Remote access to doctors may drive up health costs, Harvard study says
Companies in the rapidly growing field of telehealth say their services can cut health care spending by allowing patients to connect with doctors without leaving home. But new research argues these phone- and video-based services instead may be driving up costs.
A study from Harvard Medical School and the nonprofit RAND Corp. argues that telehealth increases access to care but can also inflate spending by encouraging more people to seek treatment for minor ailments.
D.C. bill would make it easier for doctors to practice across state lines
It could be easier for doctors from outside the District to practice medicine in D.C. — largely using telemedicine — in the future if a bill to be introduced Tuesday by D.C. Councilman Vincent Gray ultimately passes.
The measure would authorize the District to join a compact of 17 states created by the Federation of State Medical Boards that have agreed to standardize and expedite the process for licensing physicians from other jurisdictions that are also members of the group.
Advisory panel report offers guidance on telemedicine
Telemedicine is a tool of veterinary practice, not a separate discipline within the profession, and must be conducted within the veterinarian-client-patient relationship as defined by the laws and regulations of the relevant state authority. Without a VCPR, telemedicine should not be practiced, and any advice provided should be general and not specific.
Bipartisan bills could expand telemedicine’s reach in Washington
Washington patients could receive telemedicine services from their own home and pay the same rate for telemedicine services as they would for in-person services under two bipartisan bills heard in committee Thursday morning.
Scripps Wired for Health study results show no clinical or economic benefit from digital health monitoring
The results are in for the Scripps Translational Science Institute’s Wired For Health study, and there’s no sugar-coating it: they’re disappointing for those working in digital health. The six-month randomized control trial found no short-term benefit in health costs or outcomes for patients monitoring their health with connected devices.
Apple to add support for HL7 Continuity of Care Documents to iOS 10
Apple HealthKit champion Ricky Bloomfield, MD, said that Apple is adding support for the Health Level 7 Continuity of Care Document to iOS 10.
Bloomfield, who made the remarks here at the MobiHealthNews 2016 event, also attended Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference earlier in the day, where Apple revealed that iOS 10 will be available this fall and showcased a range of new features from improved messaging to a new Home app and HomeKit and updates to maps, photos and Siri.
South Carolina sued over telemedicine eye exam ban
A company that wants to provide online eye examinations is suing South Carolina after the legislature overwhelmingly voted to ban the practice in the state.
The suit, filed in the South Carolina Court of Common Pleas, accuses lawmakers of siding with traditional storefront businesses to stifle telemedicine that benefits consumers.
Chicago-based Opternative, backed by the Virginia-based Institute for Justice (IJ), litigates on behalf of others to limit the scope of government. It wants the courts to overturn the ban.
Telemedicine Market Size to Reach USD 113.1 Billion by 2025
The global telemedicine market is expected to reach USD 113.1 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Key drivers of the market include increasing incidences of chronic conditions and rising demand for self-care. Furthermore, enhancing application of internet and rising demand for centralization of healthcare are expected to save on cost incurred, which is one of the critical success factors attributing for the growth of telemedicine market.
Michigan’s New Telehealth Law Requires Patient Consent
S.B. 753, introduced in February by State Sen. Peter MacGregor, passed unanimously in the House on December 1 and in the Senate on December 6. It will become law in 90 days, making Michigan the latest state to set guidelines for telehealth.