Telemedicine in Rural and Underserved Areas
The potential benefits of telehealth for rural and underserved areas are many.[1] The diverse U.S. population has many needs, and the urban core has some shared concerns with remote areas. In both urban and rural communities, there are not enough available medical professionals and facilities.
While the government classifies 20 percent of the population as rural, only about 10 percent of the medical doctors practice in such areas.[2] The use of telemedicine can help reach more patients in rural communities and reduce overcrowding in urban ERs and other medical facilities. Health professionals can also use telemedicine for real-time consultations and scheduled appointments, which can reduce wait times for patients.
Telemedicine and Chronic Care Management Cost Control
The use of technology can extend the ways that medical personnel reach and treat patients.[3] Remote delivery of medical services opens new possibilities for serving more patients and increasing positive outcomes. When the discussion of U.S. health costs arises, the conversation often focuses on chronic care management. This is because chronic diseases cause about 70 percent of deaths in the United States and account for the majority of the country’s health care costs.[4]
The Record Thus Far Is Positive
Telemedicine has proved to be an effective tool for treating chronic conditions such as diabetes. The specialties available through distance-based services also include dermatology, psychiatry, and substance abuse counseling.
Current practitioners can begin using electronics in their practices to reach more patients. Many students training to provide medical and psychiatric treatment now receive telemedicine training in schools of medicine and medical care management. There are also telemedicine schools focused specifically on this type of care.
Unresolved Issues and Regulation
There are many legal issues yet to be resolved. State laws control licensing and regulation of medical practice, so practicing telemedicine across state lines can be problematic. The states could resolve the different licensing rules with multistate agreements. These agreements can help safeguard patients and protect resident physicians with enforceable standards of care.
Telemedicine may be most useful in rural areas and emergency rooms in urban centers. Telehealth services can give patients in rural areas greater access to practitioners while helping alleviate the high demand for care that some urban ERs experience.[5]
Many ER visits do not involve life-threatening situations. Revisions to telehealth emergency laws can give physicians, physician assistants, and nursing staff the ability to handle many of these non-life-threatening situations using live video rather than face-to-face ER care. With telehealth services, more patients can avoid long waits and get the care they need from a medical doctor.
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References:
[1] https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/telemed/index.html
[2] https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/08/why-wont-doctors-move-to-rural-america/379291/
[3] https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/chronic-care-management-services.html
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/index.htm
[5] https://www.acep.org/Clinical—Practice-Management/Emergency-Medicine-Telemedicine/#sm.0000p9zj59qz1e2qz26183xutwopi