Below are a few notable events that made 2015 the year that telemedicine really began to thrive:
Defining Telemedicine
First, 2015 took great strides in defining exactly what telemedicine is. This is important not only to practitioners, but it’s also important under the law. Because medical services are so heavily regulated, telemedicine should be no different. In fact, telemedicine is likely to be regulated under even more stringent standards since a physician is not actually in the room to meet with a patient.
These conditions open up the door to all kinds of legal concerns, including malpractice issues. As such, the definition of telemedicine matters more now than ever. Some define it as simply a video chat between a patient and his or her physician, while others define telemedicine as an email exchange or the answering of a post on social media.
Wherever the final definition ends up, it’s safe to say that 2015 helped round out the edges. With all of the advancements in Internet technology over the past year, 2015 has been instrumental in bringing about change, especially within the realm of mobile. More and more patients are turning to mobile technology to gain access to their physicians, allowing telemedicine to take hold in a major way.
Going forward, it’s expected that patients will not only be able to have a video chat with their physicians, but that they will also have medical equipment in their homes or businesses that physicians can monitor remotely during sessions. This is in part due to the rise of smart automation technology. Today, people can remotely lock the doors of their homes or turn on lights on-the-go, and soon, you may see smart thermometers, x-ray machines, and more.
Over 200 Bills in 2015 Alone
According to an article from mobihealthnews.com, 2015 saw over 200 bills authored by lawmakers in 42 states that invoked telemedicine. While this can be seen as a good thing as it assists doctors and patients to engage in safer interactions, it can also be dangerous. Government regulations have the power to stifle innovation and patient safety when they are too restrictive.
For example, if a law is placed on the books that states a physician is not allowed to provide telemedicine visits for certain conditions and a patient suffers and dies because he or she is not able to gain access to healthcare in-person, this is obviously a problem. With the spread of telemedicine in 2015, it’s likely that 2016 will create more legislation aimed at regulating the industry.
Telemedicine Service Providers Have Nearly Double in Four Years
According to Bloomberg, telemedicine service providers have nearly doubled since 2011. Part of this has been due to advances in medical technology, while another part has been due to advances in Internet technology. In 2011 and before, it was difficult to imagine how greatly mobile communication would grow. Yes, cell phones existed, and yes, smartphones were available, but the degree to which live communication is available today simply didn’t exist at that point.
Today, wi-fi is prevalent in many homes and businesses, and increased data speeds provided by mobile carriers offer people greater access to interactive communication, apps, and the Internet as a whole.
This has led to physicians being able to provide more telemedicine solutions to patients, especially in rural areas. Previously, a patient who lived outside of an urban or even suburban area had to go to great lengths to be seen by a doctor. Today, these same patients can communicate with health professionals using the Internet with a lessened cost.
For these reasons, telemedicine has grown in popularity across various markets. While geographic location and the availability of technology used to be blockades for some patients, the changing tide is providing greater access and improved quality of life, all thanks to telemedicine.
Live Streaming May Be a Viable Option
2015 saw the addition of live streaming apps, such as Periscope, in the digital realm. Live streaming is certainly not appropriate for patient visits, but it can be useful in other ways, including events, practice tours, and more. Imagine being able to stream a charity event with which you practice participates in. Or, you could use mock specimens to show potential patients how you handle different procedures. The possibilities are endless, and in 2015, the Internet made it happen.
Telemedicine as a Prescription Drug Resource
Writing a prescription for a patient takes only moments, but for that patient, the process of filling the prescription may take much, much longer. Many patients today need to drop off prescriptions at their local drug stores, and if those stores are not currently carrying the prescribed drug, the wait to obtain it could take days or even weeks.
When you utilize telemedicine, prescriptions may be able to be transmitted over the web to a dedicated medication provider. This saves time and money, and it allows patients discreet ordering as opposed to having to whisper at the pharmacy counter and the local drug store or department store.
2015 has made it easy to order prescription drugs over the web, with an actual prescription, and it seems that 2016 will only continue to make the process of transferring physician prescriptions from the real world to a digital space. This, in turn, frees up time for physicians and pharmacists as they will have to deal with less and less calling and verification. Once a system is in place to verify actual prescriptions, regardless of the drug prescribed, patients will be able to show up and pay for their medications without as much hassle.
Although 2015 has proven to be a banner year for telemedicine, there are too few physicians prepared for the coming year. Even if you feel that your current telemedicine plan or provider is working well for your practice and its patients, you need to go ahead and start thinking ahead. As fast as the Internet and digital technology change, you can’t leave well enough alone. There will always be ways that you practice can improve when it comes to technology and telemedicine, so take advantage of the findings from 2015 and get started on a plan to bring in new patients, offer new treatment options to patients, and be the best you can be in 2016.
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Andrew Rusnak is an author who writes on topics that include medical technology and digital marketing.
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