Telehealth

Hospital-at-home, RPM and other related telehealth services are an increasingly large component of the care-delivery equation for many hospitals and health systems. Here's where providers are finding success with these new modalities.

The state's MOTHeRS Project has helped virtually connect high-risk pregnant women in rural areas to OB-GYN, mental health and diabetes care. Dr. Sy Saeed of the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program explains how.

Compared with patients not using virtual care, patients using telehealth for knee replacement rehabilitation recover faster, report significantly less pain, show greater improvements in range of motion – and incur $2,460 less in total care costs.

The announcement comes less than a year after Dexcom announced a strategic partnership and $75 million investment in the health-tracking ring maker.

It improves efficiency too, says Scott Wilson, AVP of HHS enterprise care solutions. Amid labor shortages, health systems can optimize staffing and manage costs through nursing telehealth and hospital at home programs.  

By adding to its suite of digital tools, coaching, therapy and psychiatry services for employers and health plans, Teladoc said it seeks to reinforce its virtual mental health leadership. 

Reimbursement will make a big difference, "because it not only pays providers for performing these services but it's yet another recognition of the value" of remote patient monitoring, says the VP of nursing and care delivery at Brook Health.

The government has recently disclosed its investment plan for physical infrastructure in healthcare.

Telehealth and other clinical digital tools can shift the burden from overburdened psychiatrists by performing some specialized tasks such as collecting symptoms or giving basic guidance to patients.

The round-the-clock service, powered by technology from Fabric and integrated with Castlight's benefits navigation app, offers chat-based visits delivered by licensed physicians and nurse practitioners.