Telehealth
The health system's use of telemedicine ranges from outpatient to inpatient and remote patient monitoring via iPhones.
The New York City medical group health system physical therapy program saw 70% of patients adhere to care plans in comparison with the standard 5% in-facility during the height of the pandemic.
Dr. Chris Gallagher, a cardiologist and CEO of SOC Telemed, sees "the power of telemedicine to change patients' lives and make a real difference to hospitals' bottom lines."
With a House bill that would extend Medicare telehealth flexibilities through 2024 set to be debated this week, the American Telemedicine Association is asking policymakers to safeguard two other key provisions.
"There is now a robust, extensive and dynamic virtual care option for patients that did not exist prior to the pandemic," its IT director of telehealth reports.
"The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting people who abuse our healthcare system and exploit telemedicine technologies in fraud and bribery schemes," says assistant AG.
HIMSS22
IT and informatics are helping spur innovation – delivering better virtual care on the patient's own terms, says Dr. Nirav Shah, medical director of quality innovation at NorthShore University HealthSystem.
Also, the Australian government is subsidising the cost of teleconsultation for the prescription of COVID-19 antiviral medications.
The merger agreement with the IT-driven primary care company aims to make healthcare more "accessible, affordable and even enjoyable" with in-person and virtual care services.
This will help free up ambulances and hospitals that are currently overwhelmed with rising COVID-19 cases.