TeleHealth

Challenges of Implementing Telehealth

Telehealth is the use of telecommunications technology to deliver healthcare services remotely. This can include doctor’s visits, mental health counseling, and even surgery. Telehealth has the potential to improve access to care, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. However, there are also challenges of implementing telehealth.

The Challenges of Implementing Telehealth

There are a number of challenges to implementing telehealth, including:

  • Lack of adequate infrastructure: Telehealth requires a reliable internet connection and access to compatible devices. This can be a challenge in rural areas or for people who do not have access to high-speed internet.
  • Need to educate patients and providers: Patients and providers need to be educated about telehealth in order to use it effectively. This includes understanding how the technology works, the benefits of telehealth, and the potential risks.
  • Privacy and security concerns: Telehealth raises concerns about patient privacy and security. These concerns need to be addressed in order to ensure that patient data is protected.
  • Reimbursement issues: Telehealth services are not always reimbursed by insurance companies. This can make it difficult for providers to offer telehealth services and for patients to afford them.
  • Legal and regulatory challenges: Telehealth is a relatively new technology, and there are still legal and regulatory challenges that need to be addressed. These challenges include ensuring that telehealth services are delivered in a safe and effective manner and that patient privacy is protected.

Lack of Adequate Infrastructure

One of the biggest challenges to implementing telehealth is the lack of adequate infrastructure. Telehealth requires a reliable internet connection and access to compatible devices. This can be a challenge in rural areas or for people who do not have access to high-speed internet.

In order to overcome this challenge, there needs to be more investment in infrastructure in rural areas. There also needs to be more affordable options for compatible devices.

Need to Educate Patients and Providers

Another challenge to implementing telehealth is the need to educate patients and providers. Patients need to understand how telehealth works and what the benefits and risks are. Providers need to be trained on how to use the technology and how to deliver care remotely.

There are a number of ways to educate patients and providers about telehealth. This includes providing information on websites and in patient education materials. There are also a number of training programs available for providers.

Privacy and Security Concerns

Telehealth raises concerns about patient privacy and security. This is because patient data is being transmitted over the internet. There needs to be measures in place to protect patient data from being hacked or stolen.

There are a number of ways to protect patient privacy and security in telehealth. This includes using encryption and other security measures to protect patient data. It is also important to have policies in place for handling patient data.

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Reimbursement Issues

Telehealth services are not always reimbursed by insurance companies. This can make it difficult for providers to offer telehealth services and for patients to afford them.

In order to overcome this challenge, there needs to be more pressure on insurance companies to reimburse telehealth services. There also needs to be more government support for telehealth.

Legal and Regulatory Challenges

Telehealth is a relatively new technology, and there are still legal and regulatory challenges that need to be addressed. These challenges include ensuring that telehealth services are delivered in a safe and effective manner and that patient privacy is protected.

There are a number of ways to address legal and regulatory challenges in telehealth. This includes developing laws and regulations that specifically address telehealth. There also needs to be more research on the safety and effectiveness of telehealth.

The Future of Telehealth

The future of telehealth is bright. There are a number of factors that are driving the growth of telehealth, including the aging population, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and the rising cost of healthcare.

In the future, telehealth is likely to become more widespread and integrated into the healthcare system. Telehealth will be used to deliver a wider range of healthcare services, including chronic care management, mental health care, and even surgery.

Tips for Overcoming the Challenges of Telehealth

There are a number of things that can be done to overcome the challenges of telehealth. These include:

  • Investing in infrastructure: There needs to be more investment in infrastructure in rural areas and for people who do not have access to high-speed internet.
  • Educating patients and providers: Patients and providers need to be educated about telehealth in order to use it effectively.
  • Addressing privacy and security concerns: There needs to be measures in place to protect patient privacy and security in telehealth.
  • Working with insurance companies: Insurance companies need to be more willing to reimburse telehealth services.
  • Developing laws and regulations: Laws and regulations need to be developed that specifically address telehealth.
  • Conducting more research: More research needs to be conducted on the safety and effectiveness of telehealth.

The Impact of Telehealth on the Healthcare System

Telehealth has the potential to have a significant impact on the healthcare system. It can help to improve access to care, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes.

Telehealth can help to improve access to care by making it easier for people to get the care they need, regardless of where they live or their ability to travel. Telehealth can also help to reduce costs by reducing the need for in-person visits.

Telehealth can also help to improve patient outcomes by providing patients with more convenient and timely care. Telehealth can also be used to provide chronic care management and mental health care, which can improve patient outcomes.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges, telehealth has the potential to improve access to care, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. There are a number of things that can be done to overcome the challenges of implementing telehealth, including investing in infrastructure, educating patients and providers, addressing privacy and security concerns, and working with insurance companies to reimburse telehealth services.

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EHR With Telehealth

Integrating EHR With Telehealth for Improved Patient Outcomes

The introduction and ensuing assumption of electronic health records (EHR) was a revolutionary step for modern healthcare. Integrating EHR data with another disruptive trend in healthcare – telehealth – will lead to significantly better patient health outcomes. Seamless integration EHR with telehealth solutions is paramount to achieving this goal. But perhaps most importantly, it will improve patient care across a variety of use cases.

Healthcare providers have reported that viewing the EHR during a telehealth visit helps facilitate a better relationship and familiarity with the patient, leading to better care. It also allows telehealth providers to quickly create a visit summary and forward it to the patient – ​​including any orders for diagnostic tests or referrals.

What is EHR With Telehealth Integration?

Integration EHR with telehealth is a step toward improving the delivery of healthcare services. This can be achieved by delivering public health, patient information, and self-care through telecommunications digital technology to the people who need it most. One of the many benefits of combining a EHR with telehealth is ensuring patient health data is available across all interfaces for a seamless transition.

With EHR with telehealth integration, data is obtainable throughout the patient/provider experience. With this type of technology, patients can easily log into their GPs’ EHR/PM systems (if they choose to do so). And access patient portals that allow them to share information with medical professionals from almost anywhere there is internet access.

Ultimately, both patients and providers can benefit from the digitization of healthcare at this level. As it provides a more efficient means of sending and receiving the records that make up the interaction between the two stakeholders.

EHR with telehealth Integration Practices:

  • Use their practice management system to schedule virtual visits.
  • Send appointment reminder emails and text messages are created automatically.
  • Get notified when a patient is ready to see them.
  • Have access to basic information such as length of visit, intake responses, and consent.

Also Read:

Why Telehealth Integration Useful

Both providers and patients benefit notably from EHR telehealth integration. Integrating the telehealth policy into the EHR and patient portal reduces physician burden and simplifies documentation. And when patients have easy access to telehealth, it can reduce patient travel and increase patient flexibility.

The integrated solution does not require multiple clicks to switch between documentation and video. This reduces the cognitive workflow and reduces the burden on the doctor.

Improved Patient Outcomes:

Physicians are rarely the only point of contact for patients, whether in emergency rooms, hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings. The different conversations they have with different staff can often result in repetitive information being provided or details being left out when talking from one doctor to another. This leads to fragmented data and misinterpretations when data is not recorded and not available to all employees.

Electronic health record software implemented in clinics, for example, allows administrative staff to collect, record, store, and monitor patient health from virtually anywhere. Providers have complete visibility into every patient encounter, including doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and more. This offers better entrance to healthcare data, better care coordination, and, as a result, improves patient outcomes.

By offering a central archive of patient data and tools to help analyse and support decision-making. EHRs can recognize patient healthcare trends. Providers are then better equipped to design, evaluate and monitor treatment plans, helping to better overall clinical care and quality.

Synchronise Patient Insurance Data:

Telehealth and EHR systems can review a patient’s health status before scheduling them for a virtual telehealth visit. This ensures providers are compensated for their experience and services, reducing confusion and costly barriers in the workplace.

Automate Data Entry:

After consulting with the remote patient, providers create a summary of the telehealth visit. If the telehealth system is not integrated with the facility’s EHR system. They will also have to take up the same information in the patient’s medical records, reducing efficiency in the workplace.

The integration of the two systems eliminates the need for duplicate data entry. This also reduces the chance of making a mistake when updating the EHR system, giving providers access to up-to-date and accurate information.

Efficient the Provider and Patient Virtual Care Experience:

Installing telehealth technology into an EHR system provides providers with easy access to a patient’s health records using the same method they are now familiar with.

Positive Patient Experience:

An integrated telehealth EHR platform enhances a better patient experience. An all-in-one solution will impress your patient because they don’t have to log in using separate platforms unrelated to your practice.

Benefits of EHR

  • Providing accurate, up-to-date, and complete patient information at the point of care.
  • Enables quick access to patient records for more coordinated and efficient care.
  • Securely share electronic information with patients and other doctors.
  • We help providers diagnose patients more efficiently, reduce medical errors, and deliver safer care.
  • Improving patient-provider interaction and communication as well as the convenience of healthcare.
  • Enabling safer and more reliable prescribing.
  • It helps support readable, complete documentation and accurate, simplified coding and accounting.
  • Enhancing patient data privacy and security.
  • It helps providers improve productivity and work-life balance.
  • Enabling providers to better efficiency and meet their business goals.
  • Cost reduction through reduced paperwork, better security, reduced duplicate testing, and improved health.

Conclusion

The integration of the two systems facilitates the flow of information, reduces the possibility of errors in updating patient records, improves patient outcomes, and analyses the billing process. In this way, they will be able to provide the best result to their customers.

When EHR abilities are integrated into telehealth platforms, patients receive better care through virtual arrangements that then parallel in-person medical care. It is reproving that healthcare institutions take the necessary steps now to integrate telehealth offerings with EHRs to ensure consistent patient care during virtual visits. And allow providers to offer efficient and effective treatment without burdening them with additional administrative work. When productively integrated, the whole of these two revolutionary trends in medicine can truly be greater than the sum of their parts.

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Improve Patient Care

How Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care

Concerning health information services, health education, and health services in a broad sense, the term telehealth is all-encompassing. And remote doctor-patient consultations (telemedicine). In addition to the ability to remotely detect fluctuations in a patient’s health at home. Telehealth technology also authorises remote diagnosis and evaluation of patients. So that medications or specific therapy can be modified accordingly. It also enables the electronic prescribing of drugs and remotely prescribed treatments.

So, we will learn in this article How Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care.

Examples of Telehealth:

  • Recipients use a mobile app to check blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the body.
  • Patients through an online self-service portal. Such as the Patient Portal, to view their lab reports, book appointments, and order prescriptions.
  • Online reminders to patients for medication refills, vaccinations, or medical examinations.

How Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care

Here are;

Follow-up Appointments:

Providers see follow-up visits as an important way to confirm that they have made the correct diagnoses. And evolved the best treatment plans for their patients. But patients don’t always keep follow-up appointments because of the cost and difficulty of getting to the doctor’s office.

Telehealth’s video conferencing makes it easier for patients to keep follow-up appointments. Making it more likely that their treatment will be successful.

Improve Clinician workflows:

The quality of care a patient receives is associated with several factors. Some of these include healthcare infrastructure and resources, physician satisfaction, and patient engagement. Ensuring the best patient outcomes requires a good balance of these elements.

This is how Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care.

  • A report by the National Academy of Medicine states administrative duties and tasks. That does not improve patient care often takes up a physician’s time and affects their ability to provide quality care.
  • The same report highlighted that a positive work environment is essential to improving population health, job satisfaction, and social support.

With a telehealth platform, once manual processes required a lot of time. Or an in-person visit is now streamlined with technology, leaving clinicians to focus on providing excellent patient care. Doctors can monitor their patient’s health in real-time and communicate with them about their symptoms, medication adherence, and concerns.

Follow-up After Hospitalisation:

Telehealth is ideally suited to improve patient outcomes after hospitalisation by enabling easier follow-up care. Providers can virtually assess a patient’s condition and response to treatment. This allows them to intervene on behalf of their patients before costly readmission to the hospital is necessary.

Easy Access to Critical Needs:

This pandemic has certainly prompted many specialists to seek alternative ways of providing critical cardiovascular care. Due to the current situation, there has been an evident increase in stress and anxiety. This is why people have suffered an increase in heart problems and mental health problems.

Improving Treatment Plans:

There are times when treatment plans include steps that naturally do not make sense in a personal office setting. For example, managing patient medications and performing diagnostic test reviews can be more easily done privately and virtually. Telehealth provides providers with a wider range of care options without additional cost or burden to their busy medical offices. Telehealth promotes better continuity of care while reducing the cost of care and improving patient compliance and overall clinical outcomes.

This is How Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care. So, read carefully.

Patient Portal:

Your central care clinic may have an online patient portal. These portals offer a more secure way of contacting your provider instead of email. The portal provides a secure online tool for the following:

  • Write to your provider or nurse.
  • Ask for prescription refills.
  • View test results and summaries of past visits.
  • Schedule visits or request a preventive care appointment reminder.

If your provider is part of a large healthcare system, the portal can also provide a single point of contact for all the specialists you may see.

Availability of Specialists:

Telehealth breaks down the reach barrier by ensuring the availability of specialists to patients. If you are a general practitioner and unsure of the diagnosis, you can easily refer your patients to a specialist, which will greatly improve patient care. In addition, as a patient, you will feel more confident in the opinion that the specialist approves.

Radiologists can Reach you from Anywhere:

Radiology may change completely for many radiologists after the pandemic. Advanced digital technologies are becoming more and more common among patients these days. People can now access their diagnostic digital reports from anywhere in the world. Most urban hospitals and practices were hesitant to let radiologists do their work remotely. This new era can be a wake-up call for most hospitals. It also opens up a new opportunity for radiologists to set up their clinics.

Also Read:

The care we can Get with Telehealth

  •   Results of laboratory tests or X-rays.
  •   Mental health treatment, containing online therapy, counselling, and medication management.
  •   Recurrent conditions such as migraines or urinary tract infections.
  •   Skin conditions.
  •   Prescription management.
  •   Urgent care problems such as colds, coughs, and stomach aches.
  •   Postoperative follow-up.
  •   Treatment and follow-up for attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  •   Physical therapy and occupational therapy.
  •   Remote monitoring services to help you track your health goals. And control chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

So, we are here to provide information about How Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care.

Benefits of Telehealth

  •   Virtual visits are becoming increasingly popular. Although in-person office visits may be necessary in certain cases, telehealth care has many advantages.
  •   Limited physical contact lessens everyone’s exposure to covid-19.
  •   Virtual visits provide you with health care wherever you are – at home, at work, or even in your car
  •   Virtual visits reduce travel, time off work, and the need for childcare.
  •   Virtual healthcare gadgets can shorten the wait for an appointment.
  •   Better access to specialists located far from your hometown.
  •   Telehealth is not ideal for everyone or for every medical condition. Be sure to discuss any disadvantages or risks with your healthcare provider.

Conclusion

Telehealth has the potential for better-coordinated care. But there are also risks of gaps in care, excessive use of medical care, inappropriate use of drugs, or unnecessary care. Providers cannot perform a physical exam in person, which can affect the diagnosis.

Hope you have find the answer of question How Telehealth Can Improve Patient Care.

The potential benefits of telehealth amenities may be limited by other factors such as cost. Some people who need better access to care may be limited because they don’t have access to the internet or mobile devices. People without internet access can access telehealth services using wireless internet offered in public places.

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Telehealth Vs Telemedicine

Telehealth vs Telemedicine(Examples, Benefits, Use, Pros & Cons)

When we think of health care, most of us think of office visits or trips to the emergency room. Whether it’s a routine exam, lab test, outpatient procedure, or major surgery. It’s the norm for patients and caregivers to leave their homes. (Often sitting in traffic jams or rushing from work) to see their doctor at a medical facility in one of them. species. But things are changing. Now lets discuss about Telehealth vs Telemedicine with examples.

What is Telehealth?

Concerning health information services, health education, and health services in a broad sense, the term telehealth is all-encompassing. Telecare and telemedicine are generally included in the broader term telehealth. Examples of telehealth include health education services, remote monitoring of vital signs, EKG, or blood pressure. And remote doctor-patient consultations (telemedicine). In addition to the ability to remotely detect fluctuations in a patient’s health at home. Telehealth technology also enables remote diagnosis and evaluation of patients. So that medications or specific therapy can be adjusted accordingly. It also enables the electronic prescribing of drugs and remotely prescribed treatments.

What is Telemedicine?

This term has a narrower scope than the term telehealth. More specifically, it refers to distance education and the provision of health services using telecommunication technologies. Telemedicine mentions the use of information technology. And electronic communications to offer remote clinical services to patients. Digital transmission of medical imagery, remote medical diagnosis, and estimation. And video consultations with specialists are examples of telemedicine.

Also Check:

What’s the Difference Between Telehealth vs Telemedicine?

Telehealth differs from telemedicine in that it refers to a broader range of remote healthcare services than telemedicine. Telemedicine specifically refers to remote clinical services. While telehealth can mention remote non-clinical services.

Few Examples of Telehealth

  •   Recipients use a mobile app to check blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the body.
  •   Patients through an online self-service portal. Such as the Patient Portal, to view their lab reports, book appointments, and order prescriptions.
  •   Online reminders to patients for medication refills, vaccinations, or medical examinations.

Few Examples of Telemedicine

  •   The X-ray scan report is sent over the Internet and the doctor receives a notification.
  •   The patient consults with the doctor via video chat about an unusual skin rash or discoloration.

When to Use

Telehealth and telemedicine can be used in many different situations. The list below is not exhaustive, but it can give you an idea of ​​the many ways. Your doctor can treat you during a telehealth visit. Now we will talk about when Telehealth vs Telemedicine use. You can use telemedicine to communicate with a healthcare professional if you have the following medical conditions or symptoms:

  •   Vomiting
  •   Colds and flu
  •   Diarrhoea
  •   Allergy
  •   Bronchitis
  •   Insect bites
  •   Infection
  •   Conjunctivitis
  •   Rashes
  •   Respiratory tract infection
  •   Sore throat
  •   Strains and eruptions
  •   Bladder infection.

Care You Can Get with Telehealth

  • Results of laboratory tests or X-rays.
  • Mental health treatment, containing online therapy, counselling, and medication management.
  • Recurrent conditions such as migraines or urinary tract infections.
  • Skin conditions.
  • Prescription management.
  • Urgent care problems such as colds, coughs, and stomach aches.
  • Postoperative follow-up.
  • Treatment and follow-up for attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • Physical therapy and occupational therapy.
  • Remote monitoring services to help you track your health goals. And control chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Now after reading this you will able to see difference between Telehealth vs Telemedicine.

Pros and Cons of Telemedicine and Telehealth

Telehealth and telemedicine have many advantages, but there are also some disadvantages.

Pros of Telehealth and Telemedicine:

  • Increase the accessibility of patients to doctors.
  • More affordable.
  • It brings health care to communities that have traditionally been underserved.
  • Enables faster diagnosis and intervention.
  • Better educational opportunities for healthcare providers.

Cons of Telemedicine and Telehealth:

  • Not everyone understands how to use the necessary technology.
  • Some people do not have access to the necessary technology.
  • Technical failure is probable.
  • There is a lack of studies on this model documenting its benefits.

Benefits of Telehealth vs Telemedicine

Now we will discuss about Telehealth and Telemedicine benefits each other.

Benefits of Telehealth

  • Virtual visits are becoming increasingly popular. Although in-person office visits may be necessary in certain cases, telehealth care has many advantages.
  • Limited physical contact reduces everyone’s exposure to covid-19.
  • Virtual visits provide you with health care wherever you are – at home, at work, or even in your car
  • Virtual visits reduce travel, time off work, and the need for childcare.
  • Virtual healthcare tools can shorten the wait for an appointment.
  • Better access to specialists located far from your hometown.
  • Telehealth is not ideal for everyone or every medical condition. Be sure to discuss any disadvantages or risks with your healthcare provider.

Benefits of Telemedicine

Other benefits of telemedicine include:

Lower costs: Some research suggests that people who use telemedicine spend less time in the hospital, resulting in cost savings. Less time commuting can also mean fewer incidental expenses like childcare and gas.

Convenience: Telemedicine allows people to access care in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. This may mean that one does not have to take time off from work or arrange childcare.

An additional source of income: Doctors may find that telemedicine supplements their income by allowing them to provide care to more patients.

Less exposure to disease and infection: When providers see patients remotely, they don’t have to worry about exposure to any pathogens the patient may be carrying.

Patient Satisfaction: When a patient does not have to travel to the doctor’s office or wait for care. They may be more satisfied with their provider.

Care in the middle of the night: Telemedicine offers immediate medical service from remote locations and is also available to patients at any time.

Online Psychiatric Support: Psychiatric patients get many benefits from doctors. Personal care and speedy recovery are some of them.

Conclusion

Telemedicine, in one form (Telehealth vs Telemedicine) or another, has been polished for over thirty years. At the simplest level, a nurse providing clinical advice over the phone is telemedicine. However, the focus of recent activity has been on telemedicine applications. Which generally use advanced video and audio capabilities. These technologies can span from high-resolution still images (e.g., X-rays) to cultivated interactive teleconferencing systems.

Telehealth is defined as the provision and mediation of health and health-related services. Containing medical care, provider and patient education, and health information services. And self-caution through telecommunications and digital communication technologies.

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Telehealth Denials

Avoid Telehealth Denials With These 4 Tips

The healthcare system has suffered a lot due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic also transformed the current working of the health system and directed towards a way in which they can improve their ability to tackle the upcoming challenges. 

Telehealth services are one of the positive outcomes of this pandemic. The mandatory social distancing during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic makes it difficult for the patient and the physician to plan an interactive session.

At that time telehealth services are the only way to have a safer interaction between the patient and the physician.

Whether it is traditional or telehealth the denial rates have always been a problem for the health care service provider as it significantly reduces the revenues which impact their ongoing operations.

Ways To Reduce Telehealth Denials 

In this article, we will explore some ways in which you can reduce the telehealth denials and get maximum revenues.

Check the Coverage

Before starting the treatment you need to check the insurance coverage of the patient. The private insurance company offers coverage for telehealth services but it also depends on their policies. 

Because it depends on the policy by the insurance companies then it is essential to verify insurance coverage by calling the payer.

Moreover, the requirement to document a visit also varies. So again the best way to check the coverage and documentation of the visit is to call the service provider and ask for the complete details.

Fulfill the Clinical Documentation

Proper clinical documentation is essential to get the reimbursement for that purpose you practice needs to fulfill all the gaps.

If there are some gaps in the clinical documentation like improper information and any error in the coding then it can lead to a claim denial so make sure that you check all the documents before submitting it.

Proper Training of Your Staff

It is essential to give your staff proper training especially on documentation which is the foundation of any billing process. The staff should be aware of the following process:

Like verbal consent before making an appointment.

And to make sure that what kind of communication medium is used for the interaction, like it can be a video call or an audio call.

They should also note the total length of the meeting when it started and when it ended and what was the purpose of the meeting.

Moreover, the location of the patient and the service provider at the time of interaction should also be noted, and which platform they used during communication. All these details will help your staff member to document the whole meeting appropriately.

Use Appropriate Coding

Coding is one of the main reasons behind the higher denial rates not only for traditional medical billing but also for telehealth claims.

The requirements for the telehealth services coding and billing varies and most of the time the billing staff was not aware of the requirements and regulations issued by the insurance companies. And this was one of the biggest reasons behind the higher denial rates.

To minimize the coding errors the health service provider should:

  • Provide proper training to the coding staff to manage the payer requirements and take a deep look at the proper coding of telehealth services and be aware of the latest regulations and trends.
  • Educate your staff members about the coding guidelines specifically related to covid-19.
  • A proper sequence of diagnosis and treatment should also manage as it is part of appropriate coding. 

Clean Claim Submission

Before submitting the claim make sure that all the essential documentation is correct and there is no error in coding. Make sure to submit the claim on time as the insurance companies only process those claims that are submitted timely.

Track Denial Rates

Make sure that your practice is consistently tracking the denial rates. For most health care systems denial rates are normal but frequent denial rates are the indication that something is wrong in the system and a proper investigation is required.

After the proper assessment of the issue, the follow-up team can provide the proper documentation and make the case to get reimbursement. 

Covid-19 is completely changing the operating system of health care industries. While the adoption of telehealth services is not easy at first instance, challenges are part of the advent of any new system. Who knows that in the coming day’s people prefer to get regular check-ups at the comfort of their homes.

Throughout the article, we discussed how higher denial rates can cause serious damages to your revenues and how you can avoid it to get maximum reimbursement.

Apart from these tips, you can also outsource your billing activity to a professional billing solution company as they have a highly skilled team that manages many other health services providers’ RCM.

Med-Miles is one of the top billing solution companies. We have been serving the healthcare industry for almost eight years. We are focused on learning and implementing the latest ideas to achieve the best results for our clients. Call us at (888) 598-9181 for more information. 

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Telehealth

All You Need To Know About Telehealth

Due to the rise in technology, hospitals are now implementing telemedicine to reach more patients specifically in remote areas. 

In case if you never heard of telehealth before the coronavirus pandemic, you probably know about it now. Healthcare providers are trying to move as many of their appointments to virtual means as possible. While telehealth options have been around for years, it is the first time they have been introduced on such a large scale.

Telehealth has changed into a complex integrated service that is used in hospitals, homes, private physician offices, and other healthcare facilities. 

Are you wondering about how providers diagnose systems through video calls? We’ve got you covered!

In this blog, we answer some of your frequently asked questions about Telehealth, what this actually means to your practice. Let’s have a look.

What Is Telehealth?

In simple terms, telehealth is known as virtual care. With the use of technology, it is the delivery of health-related services and information. Technology has changed the way patients receive medical care. 

With telehealth, patients can get access to the healthcare providers outside the physical walls of the consulting room.

Moreover, it is the opportunity to use the latest technologies to provide medical services to the patients in their comfort zone such as homes. As defined, it is the use of audio and visual technology to provide services remotely.

What Is The Purpose Of Telehealth? 

Telehealth has a lot of purposes. Here we highlight some of them;

  • One of the main purposes of telehealth is to give healthcare access to those who are living in rural areas, who have limited time, mobility, and transportation options. 
  • Also, it improves coordination of care communication between the healthcare team and patient members.
  • Allow getting access to medical specialists.
  • Provides support for self-management of healthcare. 

Why Do We Need Telehealth? 

Telehealth today is changing the way providers provide care to their patients. Take a look at these amazing facts:

Do you know that around one in 10 physicians practice in rural areas in the U.S? As one in five Americans live in rural areas, which is why only 10% of physicians practice in these areas.

However, it becomes more challenging to access care in rural parts of the country. Also, it requires patients to travel long distances in order to see the nearest care provider. They have to wait in long lines or delay treatment if they don’t have access to care.

Now, with telehealth, rural health care providers can ease the burden on rural health care providers by helping them see more patients in less time. In rural areas, Americans also don’t have to travel to their provider, who is often a few miles away, to get care, helping them stay on top of their healthcare needs.

In most cases, telehealth visits can be resolved with a simple prescription. According to the statistics, many patients don’t need to be examined by a healthcare provider in person in order to get a prescription. 

With the help of telehealth, patients can describe their symptoms over the phone or video. Whereas the doctor sends a prescription to its pharmacy. As prescriptions sometimes may not be necessary at all. 

It is now easy for patients to esteemed medical experts by telehealth, with the ability to connect patients in rural areas.

This is why we need to switch on telehealth, as it increases access to esteemed medical experts with the ability to connect patients in rural areas.

What Types Of Telehealth Are Available?  

Telehealth is not about providing virtual care with one singular method. But, there are several types of telehealth that can be given by a medical professional. It is important to note that not all medical providers offer telehealth. 

Besides these, options like medical technology and advanced healthcare continue to grow.

  • Live Consultations

Live consultations are sometimes held over video conferencing. It is a two–way interaction between a patient and a provider by using audiovisual telecommunications technology. Moreover, video devices can include peripheral cameras, video conferencing units, or web cameras. That means those computers which have video and microphone functions can be used. 

Wondering where it can be used more often?

It is used for consults, check-ins, and health education or training.

  • Mobile Health

It is a relatively new side of technology-enabled healthcare. It is also a delivery of healthcare services and personal health data with the use of mobile devices like cell phones and tablets.

  • Remote Patient Monitoring

For the collection of medical and other forms of health data from individuals of one location and for transmitting this data to other locations, remote patient monitoring can be used for the health assessment and recommendations. 

With the help of this service, healthcare providers can track healthcare data when it is released to home or care facilities while reducing readmission rates.

  • Store-and-Forward

Store-and-forward means the use of digital images, documents, and pre-recorded videos for the electronic transmission of medical information. As compared to a real-time visit the provider can access the data after collecting also he can include various communication tools such as secure email. 

Is Telehealth Secure?

Due to privacy concerns, many people are now worried about the security of their virtual visits. For security, it totally depends on the services that your provider is using. For example, if your doctor is a part of a larger hospital network, they might then use some appropriate system or may contract with a major telehealth provider that is more secure. 

But, as compared to smaller practices, they use simple virtual meeting software such as skype that has fewer privacy restrictions. However, It is necessary to ask before about the privacy policies of the services that your providers ask you to use. Also, patients should ask the healthcare provider to implement high-security features such as encrypted data transmission. 

Does Insurance Pay for Telehealth? 

That will depend on your insurance, your provider, and the telehealth system they use. Usually, your telehealth services provided directly by your doctor or hospital are more likely to be covered, though not always.

As long as it is not covered, the patient may choose to pay for the entire visit out of pocket.

What Are Some Advantages Of Telehealth?

There are many benefits of telehealth One of them is to protect both patients and providers from the transmission of germs especially in the duration of COVID. 

It also helps patients in saving their transportation costs. Plus it also reduces the time spent in waiting rooms and lines.

Another advantage of telehealth is providing more flexibility to providers to set their own schedules and schedule appointments when they feel more convenient. 

What Are Some Disadvantages Of Telehealth?

With a lot of benefits telehealth also has drawbacks because some visits need to be completed in person only they cannot be treated by virtual care. 

There are some situations where seeing a doctor is necessary. For example;

  • Suspected Fractures, where an x-ray is important.
  • Problems that may need MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, or other imaging.
  • Complicated health issues
  • And prescriptions for a controlled substance like Xanax, Adderall, or Oxycodone. 

Apart from these reasons, there can also be issues of access as not everyone has smartphones and devices or a stable internet connection that is necessary for video consultations. The inconsistency of insurance coverage for the patients and reimbursements for the providers can cause headaches.  

Before getting a telehealth service you need to make sure of your insurance coverage.

Last but not the least, protecting medical information is also very challenging for healthcare providers. 

If you need to talk to your doctor right away, chances are you’ll make your visit virtually through telehealth services. Keep these FAQs in mind to make sure your visit is covered by insurance and your privacy is safe. If you still find any confusion then call our experts. Our experts will resolve all your queries in the right way.

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