Millennium Magazine_5th Ed

RISE IN DIRECT TO CONSUMER TELEMEDICINE Telemedicine provides an easy way for people to get the direct care they need from a provider at a distance. Practitioners offering the service can see, talk to and interact with a patient in a similar manner as they do in the office, but do so through the use of technology. This creates numerous opportunities for improved care. Direct to consumer telemedicine may reach patients who are unable or unwilling to come into an office for care, including for therapy appointments. They are still able to receive the one-on- one care necessary without having to leave home. Practitioners who implement this type of service can engage in virtual assessments that provide the same personal touch and valued care that in-office patients receive. This type of access provides valuable care to those who need it in an alternative manner. MORE TELEMEDICINE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR NPS AND PAS Telemedicine has created new levels of demand for care. There are more job opportunities, especially in family practice and urgent care settings, stemming from this heightened level of demand. Those who are licensed nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs) will find these job opportunities in most locations, including urban and rural settings. Some limitations still exist in providing telemedicine across state lines due to licensing for PAs and NPs. That’s likely to change over time. As telemedicine becomes more important in the industry, and more relied upon by patients, licensing laws will bend and flex to meet those needs. Some states already allow for NPs and PAs to provide telemedicine services as long as they have a collaborating physician in their state. THE LINE BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL HEALTHCARE IS BLURRING More clinics are incorporating telemedicine into their day- to-day appointments and are likely to continue to do so at an increasing rate over the next few years. The line differentiating providing just virtual or in-person care is fading. Many practitioners are moving to offer both services. Current trends indicate physical practices will offer in-person visits with visual follow up appointments. Some may offer initial appointments through virtual assessments before bringing in patients for in- person care. By providing for a combination of physical and virtual healthcare services, practitioners may minimize the number of cancellations for follow-up care. Practitioners providing this service may create more opportunities to get patients into their office who may otherwise not receive care. For example, a patient may be more willing to use a virtual appointment as an initial step into care as it is easier, faster and more comfortable for them. To meet this increasingly likely change in practice management, practitioners should consider the value of expanding their skills to provide virtual appointments and assessments. This could mean providing asynchronous telemedicine alongside their current, traditional brick and mortar medical practice. The two are no longer exclusive. For some practitioners, this may open the opportunity to grow practices. It may allow for more specialized care in desired fields instead of offering comprehensive service. For other providers, telemedicine creates an opportunity to expand to a larger number of patients providing care to those they have not reached prior. PROLIFERATION OF TELEMEDICINE SPECIALTIES Virtual healthcare like this is most commonly found in urgent care settings. This includes family and emergency medicine, where a patient needs help without an appointment. This is likely to be a continuing trend, but there will also be an increased need for specialized providers in telemedicine services. Already, there are exciting new opportunities playing out. Specialties as far-reaching as pediatrics and cardiology are tapping into the expansiveness and convenience that telemedicine offers. A dermatologist, for example, could easily link up with a patient to diagnose a skin condition or to provide follow-up care after a new medication. Obstetricians and gynecologists use these services as a way of providing appointment follow-up information or test results. Neurology appointments done through telemedicine, where a doctor can see, diagnose and often provide treatments through visual appointments, can open the door for new opportunities. Across most areas of medicine, this may increase. BETTER TELEMEDICINE LEGISLATION = LESS GRAY AREA AND RISK FOR PHYSICIANS Telemedicine laws are becoming more consistent, though some gray area remains. It will take some time for laws and standards to be set. Yet, we are already seeing a significant rise in the number of laws addressing these services. Over time, state-to-state laws may become more consistent, minimizing interruption of service and care by practitioners. With the development of federal laws, state laws will become more uniform. As these laws become more uniform, it’s likely to lead to more clarification in areas of liability, privacy, and best practices. As this process grows and changes, practitioners may see more opportunities to increase practice size to reach more people. This will make telehealth easier to practice across state lines. Practitioners who wish to continue to provide only in-state client services can do so. These laws may address concerns over privacy in those situations. It also may enable long-distance interviews and assessments to determine if medical care can be provided by a specialized provider without long-distance travel for a patient. Providers with unique care or strategies may now reach more people with their service. Practitioners aiming to provide a higher quality of care to patients should take a look at how incorporating telemedicine into their practice may work. This technology is in place and accessible to many practices today. IF YOU ARE PRACTICING TELEMEDICINE OR INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING IT INTOYOUR PRACTICE, THERE ARE A FEWTRENDSWORTH UNDERSTANDING.