Emergency public health and Medicare extensions from Congress prove beneficial to vulnerable communities, and leaders have an opportunity to create lasting impact.
Some 57 million rural Americans depend on hospitals for medical care, according to the American Hospital Association. But the pandemic-induced shift to telehealth has increasingly helped those normally left out of the health care reform landscape get better, faster care.
In the latest federal reform, President Joe Biden signed a $1.5 Trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 — called the Omnibus Bill — in mid-March, extending Medicare coverage for telemedicine appointments and virtual care for 151 days beyond the end of the designated public health emergency (PHE). Add in the extension of the PHE itself, and this is a win for those vulnerable populations and those who live in areas without sufficient access to high-quality health care.
For health care providers and executives, this means more opportunities to make a direct and lasting impact in those communities. And the solution is telemedicine.
Pandemic relief programs Increased access to health care
Many health care providers have seen firsthand the benefits of initiatives like the CARES Act and its programs; reimbursement for COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and treatment for the uninsured and ineligible for Medicaid are just a few. In fact, starting in January, providers have seen $17.1 billion in reimbursed funds and vaccine insurance coverage required for private health insurance providers.
Coupled with Medicaid expansions, nearly 5 million Medicaid and CHIP enrollees were able to receive affordable COVID-19 treatment within the first 18 months of the pandemic, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
But health care goes beyond COVID-19. Although the use of telehealth has increased during the pandemic, it is a means of providing all types of medical care to patients. Because it ensures access to care regardless of distance, underserved populations can take control of their health care and schedule more frequent medical visits and checkups.
Embrace telehealth technology for greater impact
The impact of telemedicine in health care is here to stay. These things will not disappear or be “re-boxed” even after the PHE ends. We are already seeing the hybrid approach, where some visits are done virtually and others are not, creating a balance in the care delivery model.
That said, even as policies adjust post-PHE, rural communities remain one of the groups with the greatest need for telehealth, hence the concern about the temporary nature of these programs. The spread of PHE and its impact on rural communities that have come to rely on affordable access to care through telemedicine technology has leaders rethinking their long-term strategies.
Telehealth is at the heart of innovation in rural health and telemedicine solutions must be sustainable. A more adaptable telehealth program is one that is designed to be leveraged throughout the care process and across multiple points of contact, not just one-time appointments. The telehealth strategy needs to become more entrenched as part of care delivery and not as an exception. The technology must be simple, easy to use and reliable, and the healthcare organizations that use it will need to remain engaged and agile.
Here are some ways to ensure a smooth onboarding process for telemedicine:
1. Have humility
As cliche as it is, we are experiencing the PHE together. Strong leadership is essential, especially in times of crisis. Be sure to remain empathetic and humble. Employees and patients will appreciate it. Work together with doctors to learn the new normal of telemedicine. We all know the prevalence of burnout in the industry, so work hand-in-hand with employees to show that telehealth relieve burdens by allowing doctors to see more patients in less time.
2. Customize your telemedicine settings
Regardless of the platform your organization uses, it should support different customizations based on the different needs of patients and providers. When technology is personalized for users, the better the provider and consumer experience, so aim for modular software that can accommodate the clinical specialties you need—today and tomorrow—within your system.
3. Use medical devices
As technology becomes more advanced, organizations and providers must offer a variety of medical devices for use in the clinic and at home. This way, patients have more access to the care they need, from ultrasounds and stethoscopes to monitoring devices to capture vital signs. Providing the same diagnostic experience of an in-person visit will help these patients feel confident in the quality of their care.
4. Integrate with EHR and IT systems
Tasks should not interrupt workflows. Creating a seamless integration with an EHR can help as they record data for virtual appointments, speeding up the process and accuracy. Be sure to check the requirements for telehealth equipment and learn how to best complement and support it from your existing IT infrastructure.
5. Support community investments
Health care leaders can help keep patients and their communities healthier by supporting other community initiatives and investments. After all, those environmental, social, and location determinants influence how healthy people live.
As we continue to move through PHE together, it is key that we use the time we have to ensure we harness the innovations and momentum of telehealth to serve communities most in need, all in the most sustainable way possible. When we do this, we change lives.
eric bacon is president in AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc.. It has 20 years of experience designing new medical devices and telemedicine solutions that are deployed in more than 100 countries and used in millions of consultations.