Telemedicine: Taking Communication to the Next Level
Monday, April 18, 2011
Fifty years ago, technology that would allow physician-to-physician communication through live video and audio systems may have seemed impossible. Today, telemedicine systems have broken barriers to provide ways for physicians to expand capabilities for patient care.
By 2020, the United States will have a shortage of practicing physicians and require an estimated 91,500 physicians to meet the national deficit. Due to recent health care reform, this number will continue to climb as more people in the United States will have health insurance policies and will be able to seek treatment without worrying about inflated costs. With increasing inaccessibility of care, telemedicine may be one of the most pivotal medical tools of recent years.
Telemedicine harnesses technological capabilities to create open communication among physicians, patients and staff. Using e-mail, phone, live video feed or a combination of these elements, physicians can assess patients, update critical information and even direct robotic surgery tools. The capabilities of the technology include neurology, pathology, radiology, psychiatry and other specialties, and span distances of thousands of miles between parties involved.
The implementation of telemedicine establishes connections and improves access to care for patients in areas with limited medical resources. Telemedicine has numerous benefits for both patients and physicians, including:
- fewer patient transfers;
- quicker response to patient needs; and
- reduced need to travel for treatment.
The technology also saves money and time for physicians and patients who no longer have to travel long distances to provide or receive care.
In June 2010, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began promoting telemedicine through new hospital policies. These policies — which create an easier process for hospital officials to provide credentials for physicians who offer telemedicine — will encourage the implementation of the technology. In accordance with these efforts, CMS will also begin offering Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services in 2011.
Making the Connection
For hospitals and physician offices in rural settings, telemedicine can be useful in relaying patient information to facilities with more extensive modalities and resources for diagnosis and treatment. The technology is particularly useful in diagnosing stroke and its subsequent damage without transferring the patient to another location — saving precious time and brain cells in the process. Telemedicine is also useful for physicians who practice at numerous locations to keep track of patients in real time.
Telemedicine has also been beneficial in providing care for prison inmates suffering from injury or illness. According to Edward Harrison, President of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 3 million people in the United States are currently in prison, and telemedicine can provide physician interaction without transporting prisoners. This ability to provide care for incarcerated patients will benefit prisoners, physicians and public safety.
Although the capabilities of telemedicine may seem limitless, a few aspects of the technology could create obstacles. Physicians considering practicing telemedicine across state lines must have valid licenses to practice in both states. While the technology’s ability to expand medical care is extraordinary, telemedicine will never replace in-person physician-patient interaction.
MD News April 2011