The Future of Telehealth: Medical Industry Challenges and Solutions
The Covid-19 pandemic has hastened the arrival of the future of telehealth. Telehealth visits increased by 154 percent in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And one year later, it's not difficult to see why.
The Future of Telehealth: Medical Industry Challenges and Solutions
Many health professionals have turned to telehealth solutions as the coronavirus continues to make headlines around the world. The advantages of virtual care go beyond lowering contamination risks and reducing exposure for patients and staff.
They also reduce on-site patient demand and make healthcare solutions more accessible to the general public. This has proven to be life-saving, particularly for those who are more vulnerable at this insecure time.
The road to success is long and winding, and the cutting-edge world of telehealth isn't without its drawbacks. The medical profession has had to adapt quickly to this new reality. Often, there isn't enough time to address the issues or come up with creative solutions.
As a result, institutions, hospitals, governments, and all types of healthcare providers are debating the benefits and challenges of telehealth more than ever before.
If you want to keep your patients safe and your practise afloat, you need to know what the future holds for telehealth so you can plan for a smooth transition.
What is the difference between telehealth and telemedicine?
The use of telecommunication technologies (such as computers or mobile devices) to facilitate health-related services is known as telehealth. Medical care, patient education and monitoring, as well as telemedicine, are among the services available.
Patients' diagnosis, treatment, and consultation via digital technologies are referred to as telemedicine.
Telehealth's Advantages and Drawbacks
The pandemic boosted demand for digital and remote health-related services to previously unheard-of heights. However, it did a better job of highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of telehealth. Let's look at these challenges and benefits in more detail.
Telehealth's advantages go far beyond preventing disease and virus transmission. As more doctors and patients migrate to the digital world, the benefits become clearer. A consultation no longer requires patients and physicians to be in the same city or even state.
Those who live in rural areas or who have mobility issues will be able to get better healthcare without having to leave their homes.
Telehealth has a bright future for busy parents and professionals who don't have time for in-person visits. As a healthcare professional, this allows you to reach out to more patients, expand your practise, and increase your revenue in a sustainable way.
The first step is to make doctor-patient consultations more efficient. Telehealth is being adopted by health institutions of all sizes and types. Here are a few of the reasons:
- Through the use of technology, all types of conditions can be monitored more consistently.
- Patients can enter their symptoms into apps and share them with doctors in a secure manner.
- Through digital communication, physicians can review and interpret medical imaging scans or blood test results.
Technology-centric healthcare is here to stay, whether it's for remote patient monitoring, mobile health via smart devices, or the use of ingestible sensors. During telemedicine appointments, you can now get data from IoT devices and monitor your patients in real time. Although telehealth requires a significant upfront investment, you can expect lower costs in the medium and long term.
Risks and Challenges in Telemedicine, and How to Address Them
Every new trend brings with it new challenges. Many doctors and healthcare business owners are hesitant to invest in their own solution because they are concerned about the risks. Medical technology, on the other hand, should enable you and your healthcare practise to reach new heights and conquer new horizons if used correctly.
Receiving Payment and Reimbursement is a difficult task.
Getting payment from customers via the internet can be difficult for businesses and organisations. Coverage of telehealth consultations used to be restricted by private and public health insurance companies, such as Medicare.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the government lifted most of these restrictions for Medicare. As a result, insurance providers will have more opportunities. It is now easier for healthcare institutions to receive payments or reimbursements, thanks to the removal of this restriction.
Set up technology for integration and tracking as a solution.
Request that payment solutions be integrated into your current EMR/EHR system when looking for a tech partner to help you bring your healthcare service into the digital age.
You can keep track of all reimbursement claims and organise receipts with the right technology. When a patient schedules a consultation through your EMR/EHR system, for example, you can set it up to track their insurance coverage automatically.
This means that on the day of the consultation, your system will send a payment request to the patient or a reimbursement claim to their insurance provider.
Keeping Sensitive Patient Data Safe is a Challenge
When it comes to health information, both patients and providers are concerned about privacy. Even on the patient's side, you must ensure that all communication ends are protected and encrypted. Cyber-attacks can occur from either end, posing a threat to data privacy.
Hire a data privacy-experienced third-party provider as a solution.
Data privacy and HIPAA compliance should be familiar to any third-party software development company. “Because data in healthcare systems can be extremely sensitive, healthcare companies must take all necessary precautions to prevent data leakage."
The majority of healthcare providers collaborate closely with government agencies that set security standards and best practises. Third-party security firms can also conduct audits of your applications to assess the quality of your security implementations.
However, it is preferable to be safe and implement security measures prior to the audit and other regulatory processes.
Handling Massive Amounts of Patient Data is a Challenge
You may be dealing with massive amounts of data on a daily basis, depending on the telehealth services you provide — everything from medical imaging scans and videos to patient records and other vital information.
Managing a large amount of sensitive patient data is a huge challenge that necessitates specialised knowledge and experience. The responsibility of storing such data can be a difficult task, especially given the importance of data security.
Solution: Big Data Know-How and Serverless Environments
You should seek out a reputable third-party software development partner as a solution to this problem. Look for a company that has a lot of experience with big data and a lot of experience with patient data privacy.
Avoiding servers is another layer of data security you should think about for your app. “Construct your solution in a'serverless' manner. This means you can delegate responsibility for system updates, maintenance, and upgrades to cloud platforms (if the software is cloud-based) or other companies, according to Josip.
Patient Retention and Digital Literacy are both a challenge.
It can be difficult to make the switch from paper to digital. Patients who lack digital literacy are more likely to abandon their applications early. You must develop solutions that are accessible, flexible, and simple to use so that patients can use the app on the go, no matter where they are. Finally, if your solution is overly complicated or unusable, you risk losing patients.
Invest in User Experience and Responsiveness as a solution.
Customizing your own solution is sometimes the best way to improve patient care and communication. You can then create applications that are tailored to your specific requirements and address your pain points.
Consider your objectives and challenges before formulating a strategy. Make sure to look into the solutions your competitors are using and seek advice from a professional.
Don't forget to consider your mobile options! According to statistics, more people are using their phones to access healthcare services. When it comes to patient care and communication, mobile applications should be a part of the solution. Your telemedicine app should not only be secure and quick, but it should also work on any screen, from desktops to tablets to smartphones.
The user's experience is also crucial. For both professionals and end-users, your application must be intuitive and simple to use. It's not easy to enable real-time communication in order to save lives and improve patient satisfaction. As a result, make sure you have the knowledge and team in place to achieve your objectives.
Telehealth's Future Has Arrived. Are you up to the task?
Many predicted that telehealth would take decades to reach, but here we are in 2020. We don't know exactly how telemedicine will look in a few years, but we have some ideas.
The challenges are significant, but there are viable solutions. You should take advantage of all the advantages of digitalizing your medical solutions. Working with a reputable software development company will assist you in realising your telehealth vision. Telehealth solutionshttp://curahealth.org are the way to go forward if your practise is ready to shape the future of patient care.
