Telemedicine 2020

We are combining our Telemedicine and Virtual Care reports into Telemedicine 2020. We are seeking out the latest developments around Telemedicine. How is telemedicine used to benefit patients and care givers? What are the newest innovations in telemedicine technology? How telehealth and virtual care fit into the realm of Telemedicine.

Listen:

The Incrementalist – Sajad Zalzala MD
On this episode host Dr. Nick van Terheyden, aka Dr. Nick, takes a deep dive with Sajad Zalzala MD into longevity and why this physician is offering a telemedicine service to allow people to access Metformin in the pursuit of aging.

Industry News:

Cigna, MDLIVE Make Behavioral Health Virtual Visits Simpler and More Convenient
With mental health issues on the rise in America, Cigna is making it simpler and more convenient for its customers to seek care for conditions like anxiety, stress, and depression. Beginning in January 2020, Cigna’s (@Cigna) 14 million customers enrolled in employer-sponsored plans can schedule appointments online to see behavioral health counselors or psychiatrists when they want and where they want, securely, by video or phone through its collaboration with MDLIVE (@MDLIVEInc). This new service is in addition to Cigna’s Behavioral Health network of more than 18,000 virtual behavioral health providers.

PointNurse Reaches Milestone on Path to Digital Health Provider Leadership
PointNurse (@Pointnurse), a digital health care provider community, has announced reaching a critical mass of providers in the United States to address a variety of health care problems with digital solutions at scale. The Nurse Practitioner led network community includes registered nurses, physicians, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers, and allied health professionals.

Express Scripts Improves Patient Access to Digital Health Solutions
As more people turn to digital programs to improve their health, Express Scripts (@ExpressScripts) is making it easier to connect consumers with the apps and devices that work best for them. Express Scripts announced the first formulary for digital and mobile health apps and devices – a fast-growing segment of health care that aims to help people with serious illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure to take better control of their health, improve their quality of life and lower their total costs.

Competitive Health and SimpleTherapy Partner to Pave the Path to Pain Relief
Competitive Health, Inc. (CHI) (@CompHealthInc), a virtual health services marketplace, announces the company’s partnership with SimpleTherapy, Inc. SimpleTherapy provides a path to pain relief through accessible musculoskeletal (MSK) care for the whole family.

XRHealth Announces Telehealth VR/AR Medical Platform that Connects Doctors and Patients Remotely
XRHealth (@XR_Health), a provider of extended reality and therapeutic AR and VR applications for the medical industry, announced at the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Tech Summit, the telehealth VR/AR medical platform that connects doctors and patients from remote locations. The telehealth platform allows doctors to continuously monitor vital data to both measure and determine a plan to achieve optimal health.

Product News:

Teladoc Health Expands Services with Personalized Nutrition Counseling
Teladoc Health, Inc. (@teladochealth) announced the continued expansion of its clinical services with the addition of Teladoc Nutrition, personalized nutrition counseling combined with specialized care from a registered dietitian. Providing virtual access to nutrition services as part of the Teladoc Health comprehensive continuum of care will further optimize long-term health outcomes and ultimately reduce overall medical costs, particularly for those individuals with existing chronic and complicated health conditions.

To Read:

WHYY PBS
Laundry, WiFi, and a doctor on call? Philly landlord experiments with telehealth – In-unit laundry. Central air. Off-street parking. Fitness centers. When it comes to housing amenities, it’s a familiar list. In the urban rental sector, however, where landlords around the country are trying to accommodate their residents’ needs with bike repair facilities and produce banks, one Philadelphia property developer is testing out telehealth.

GlobalMed
Waiting for Healthcare to Happen – What’s the longest you’ve waited for a doctor appointment? Every patient has a collection of grievances with the healthcare system. Cost is a big one; so are doctors who don’t listen; having to travel to a hospital far from family is another. But there’s one complaint that seems to be getting worse and worse – waiting weeks or even months to see a doctor.

Synzi
Aging in Place: The Intersection of Home Health and Virtual Care – According to the CDC, many older adults want to “age in place” – meaning, stay in their own homes as they get older. Although older adults hope to successfully age in place, they face the realities of living with one or more chronic conditions while living on their own. The National Council of Aging reports that approximately 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease, and 77% of Medicare beneficiaries have at least two.

Events:

ATA2020 Conference & Expo
May 3-5, 2020 Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix AZ
Hashtag: #ATA2020
Register for this event.

ATA2020 is the world’s largest telehealth innovation and networking event. It’s where providers, technology developers, business professionals and leaders from across the healthcare sector come together to have an in-depth, thoughtful, critical discussion about the future of health.

The American Telemedicine Association Events
ATA is a non-profit association based in Washington DC with a membership network of more than 10,000 industry leaders and healthcare professionals. We are a leading telehealth association helping to transform healthcare by improving the quality, equity and affordability of healthcare throughout the world. Find their next event.

Defining the industry according to the AAFP

Telemedicine is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance. It occurs using a telecommunications infrastructure between a patient (at an originating or spoke site) and a physician or other practitioner licensed to practice medicine (at a distant or hub site).

Virtual Care is a patient service model for healthcare providers.

Telehealth refers to a broad collection of electronic and telecommunications technologies that support health care delivery and services from distant locations. Telehealth technologies support virtual medical, health, and education services.

Hashtags to follow for updates on Telemedicine: