The Staying Power of Telemedicine Post­-Pandemic - Slade

Monday, August 24, 2020

Sam Slade, Contributor

 

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Telemedicine PHOTO: CC

With its steady growth over the last decade, telemedicine – diagnosis and treatment provided by phone or video – was already transforming the way patients were accessing healthcare before COVID­-19. But the pandemic has accelerated its widespread adoption. Now, it’s experiencing exponential growth, with virtual healthcare interactions on pace to top one billion by the end of 2020 according to Forrester Research.

With greater availability than ever before, here are five reasons you may want to offer plans with telemedicine benefits this year.

• Virtual Visits Cost Less: The actual cost of a telemedicine visit with a provider is typically less than an in­-person visit, which can help keep premiums more affordable. For example, for acute respiratory infections, a RAND study found the cost of telehealth services were about 50 percent lower than a physician office visit. And, it reduces expensive ER visits for non­emergency situations as well like the common cold. In fact, in one review of Cigna customers who used a telehealth platform found that virtual care uses had a 36 percent net reduction in emergency department use per 1,000 compared to non­users.

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• Convenience Drives Care: In bad weather, when physician offices are out of reach, or if offices don’t have hours that work for employees, telehealth is a great way to prompt workers to seek care by eliminating these obstacles. Plus, by improving access, participants are more likely to stay on top of their health and be proactive about scheduling a visit sooner, which can prevent minor illnesses and conditions from becoming more serious.

• Productivity Increases: Since employees can schedule visits at all hours and not have to waste time during the workday commuting to their physician’s office and waiting to be seen, the technology can boost productivity. And, because patients can be seen faster, their health can improve sooner as well, reducing the number of potential sick days.

• Expanded Options Enhance Opportunities: While some see telehealth initiatives as a great fit for behavioral health because of its anonymity, providers from all specialties are online, giving patients broader access to care. In fact, the AMA recently found that the specialists most commonly using telemedicine to interact with patients are: radiologists (39.5 percent), psychiatrists (27.8 percent), and cardiologists (24.1 percent).

• Telehealth Empowers Employees: With more options and choices than ever before, telemedicine makes it easy for employees to get the information they need about their health, when they need it. This, in turn, enables them to become better healthcare consumers who can advocate for themselves and be more actively involved in their treatment decisions and spending.

 

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Sam Slade is Managing Director, Employee Benefits, at The Hilb Group of New England, where he delivers consulting and brokerage services to local employers. He has extensive experience in all aspects of employee benefits, including underwriting, plan design, communications, compliance, and analytics, with a particular focus on alternative funding and self-insurance. Sam lives in South Kingstown with his wife and three sons.  

 

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