Telehealth has always been around but we least expected that it would take a pandemic to make more and more people convinced of its utility.

Is telehealth here to stay?

According to the recently conducted survey by The Harris Poll, roughly 65% of respondents said they would continue to use telehealth after the pandemic ends. Along with encouraging the use of telehealth the pandemic has managed to convince people to use it post-pandemic.

Being realistic a combination of in-person and telehealth consultations is ideal for healthcare. Their benefits are unique so they complement each other.

Why telehealth is here to stay?

• Adoption of telehealth by embracing technology:

Telehealth services help in not only screening COVID-19 patients but to treat other health conditions, provide critical care and follow-ups. While treating serious medical conditions being in touch with patients on regular basis is important. Something that is possible and even easier through telemedicine.

There is a surge of patients consulting through telehealth for behavioral health issues where regular updates need to be shared with the healthcare professional. Coronavirus has impacted mental health and patients who suffer from mental health issues (the new and old ones) are now preferring to consult virtually.

• Video telehealth could improve further:

We are set to improve the telehealth experience and have better connected devices in future. Obviously, there are limits to video only telehealth consulting but we can explore possibilities by combining medicine with technology. Some of them are telehealth-connected stethoscope, infrared thermometer and otoscope.

• Untapped potential of virtual care and its future:

It might sound too futuristic for most of us but, just like robotic assisted surgeries, its time we acknowledge that telemedicine is here to carve its path into future. It is bound to become a regular phenomenon as a treatment tool for healthcare professionals.

If we ignore the contribution of telehealth now, we shut doors for its further improvement and progress. We also stop all the contribution it can make to better healthcare and its innumerable benefits to patients. It is bound to evolve to become an inseparable part of our lives.

• Regulatory barriers have reduced:

Initially there were many regulatory barriers to telehealth but they were resolved owing to the public health emergency. At present they have reduced or in some cases even eliminated barriers to encourage its usage. This helped to mitigate risk of spreading COVID-19. Also, to save personal protective equipment (PPE) for the medical staff working on the front line and provide care to patients from the safety of their homes.

Medicare rules restricted the availability of telemedicine to rural patients and these services could be offered by physicians working in an institutional set up. Now, telehealth services are provided to patients in any location and doctors can extend care and consultation from their home.

HIPPA privacy standards allowed only the use of standard video conferencing apps. But they were relaxed a bit by allowing the use of applications like Skype, Zoom and FaceTime. This led to flexibility and ease to reach patients.

• Financial reimbursements:

Financial incentives were absent for telehealth visits but regulations have been relaxed. Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services was restricted to particular patient population and circumstances. Now Medicare has waived most of these restrictions.

Before the pandemic physicians weren’t paid for telehealth visits at the same level as in-office visits. Now virtual consultations are reimbursed at the same rates as in-person consultation. Now healthcare providers and patients are comfortable using virtual care.

Thus, undoubtedly telehealth is here to stay.

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