An article published yesterday on AL.com highlighted the growing traction of telemedicine in Alabama. A few months ago, the state’s largest insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield announced their intention to reimburse clients for telehealth services in the fields of outpatient cardiology, behavioral health, dermatology, infectious diseases and neurology. For rural communities, such specialized treatment can be difficult to access – with potenti
ally devastating results.
By leveraging telemedicine in more isolated communities, the experience and expertise of specialized doctors located in urban areas of Alabama can benefit patients well beyond their city limits. As noted in the article, hospital administrators in the state began raising money in 2011 for “telemedicine carts” that enable initiatives such as the “TeleStroke” program. The program connects care professionals in smaller Alabama hospitals with neurologists in Atlanta, who can diagnose patients and order treatment – eliminating hours of transportation and delay.
While certain government institutions (i.e. Medicare) have spent years integrating telemedicine into their programs, private insurers have lagged hesitantly behind. The move by Blue Cross Blue Shield will likely herald a turning point in widespread adoption, at least in Alabama, if not the nation.
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