Dr. Turner Smith of TeleHealth Solutions, LLC explains how there are often unseen pitfalls around launching a telehealth delivery model, so working with experts such as himself and his team can ensure desired patient outcomes are achieved while making financial investments in the right technology/service.
Telemedicine to reduce Medicaid travel costs
Sen. Pete Kelly’s Medicaid reform bill would remove some of the hurdles created by the state’s existing medical laws just in time to take advantage of the state’s growing telemedicine infrastructure.
Kelly said in a March 21 House Finance Committee hearing that one Medicaid reform in his Senate Bill 74 that passed unanimously on March 18 — telemedicine, or telehealth, expansion — is a way of keeping up with the times to reach the best fiscal output for the state.
Using Sleep Telemedicine to Address CPAP Noncompliance in a Middle-Aged Woman
Telemedicine, or telehealth, is an emerging, multifaceted healthcare delivery modality that includes a number of applications such as remote physiological monitoring of patients, as well as clinician-to-clinician and clinician-to-patient interactions conducted via videoconferencing platforms. This case illustrates a common scenario in clinical sleep medicine where a patient exhibited poor CPAP compliance and lost her equipment, despite voicing motivation to use the therapy. Sleep telemedicine was utilized to remedy the situation.
West Virginia’s New Telemedicine Practice Standards & Remote Prescribing Laws
West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) signed into law, on March 24, 2016, a new bill (House Bill No. 4463) implementing a variety of telemedicine practice standards and remote prescribing rules in the Mountain State. Effective June 11, 2016, the bill passed the House and Senate unanimously, reflecting strong bi-partisan support.
Telemedicine and alternative payment models: An apt fit
With 30% of Medicare payments now tied to alternative payment models (APMs), and HHS planning to raise that percentage to 50% by the end of 2018, providers are looking for ways to increase quality of care and patient access while holding down costs. One mode that stands to gain is telemedicine, which got a boost in last year’s Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
MidMichigan Health receives federal telemedicine grant to benefit rural patients
MidMichigan Health was awarded a $494,900 rural telemedicine grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The grant will be used to expand specialty medical services into rural areas of need. The grant will benefit residents across Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Ogemaw, Roscommon and Huron counties. MidMichigan’s project was one of three selected in Michigan and one of 75 awarded nationwide.
Telemedicine Still Isn’t Winning Hearts and Minds
A new survey finds those using telemedicine like the platform for its cost and convenience – but many more aren’t using it or don’t even know it exists.
More than half of the respondents in a new survey say they wouldn’t use telemedicine, either because they don’t trust the technology or they prefer an in-person visit. Yet more than 90 percent of those who have used telemedicine say it has reduced their healthcare costs.
Three Health IT Trends to Watch in 2016: Cybersecurity, Telemedicine and Partnerships
Health information technology is a significant tool that drives the manner in which hospitals, health systems and payers do business today, from both a marketplace and regulatory perspective. Federal rules and regulations mandate that providers comply with a host of billing, patient privacy/safety and Meaningful Use standards. For instance, with the recent implementation of the ICD-10 diagnostic codes, providers allocated tremendous financial and personnel resources to ensure regulatory compliance; electronic health record (EHR) interoperability facilitates the efficient flow of communication and information updates vital to a patient’s health; health IT and new digital apps have transformed the manner in which providers deliver care to patients; and health IT plays a vital role in advancing an organization’s revenue cycle management processes to reach financial and business goals.
Telemedicine Use Grows Among Health Care Professionals
A majority of health care professionals say telemedicine is now a high priority for their organizations, and is already providing a measurable return on investment (ROI), according to an Aeris survey of more than 150 health care professionals.
Iowa House approves tele-pharmacy bill
The Iowa House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday that would make it easier for rural towns to set up tele-pharmacies.