{"id":26075,"date":"2019-10-30T12:28:38","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T12:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.mtelehealth.com\/?p=26075"},"modified":"2019-10-30T12:28:38","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T12:28:38","slug":"telehealth-poised-to-change-the-face-of-health-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drmiltie.com\/at-home-testing\/telehealth-poised-to-change-the-face-of-health-care\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Telehealth’ Poised to Change the Face of Health Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fifteen or 20 years ago, the idea that we all would one day carry around mini-computers through which we could access virtually all of recorded information \u2014 and use that same device to watch movies, listen to music or make a phone call \u2014 was incomprehensible. Look at us now: Our mobile devices changed everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telehealth \u2014 a means for enhancing health care, public health, health education and support using telecommunications technologies \u2014 is positioned to have that same kind of impact on the health care and health-delivery industries worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the U.S., a convergence of factors including escalating health care costs, an aging and therefore less healthy population and rapidly-evolving technology has produced nearly unprecedented development in this field, with some forecasting<\/a> an annual compound growth rate of 16.5 percent through 2023. The American Medical Association reported the results of an insurance industry study<\/a> that found a 53 percent increase in telehealth services from 2016 to 2017 \u2014 and, importantly, a 2 percent decrease in emergency room services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study doesn\u2019t draw a direct link between the two, but physicians and other industry experts believe Telehealth reduces emergency room use because it gives patients direct access to a physician or health care professional for non-emergent conditions like fever, eye and ear infections, sprains or mild burns. This is particularly important in rural areas, at odd hours, or for patients with transportation issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One cost benefit analysis<\/a> reported a projected $928,000 annual cost savings in a group of 5,570 patients when Telehealth was introduced to the typical 911 call for an EMS transport request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other studies<\/a> have already demonstrated that Telehealth, specifically remote patient monitoring, reduces admissions and readmissions for patients with congestive heart failure. It\u2019s not just the insurance companies and government saving money. A study<\/a> of patients in rural areas found that with Telemedicine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n