Each day on HealthcareNOW Radio you can catch This Just In with host, Justin Barnes, aka the @HITAdvisor. On this 30-minute, informative program, Justin and his guests shed light on the latest trends, strategy and innovations impacting healthcare, technology and even entrepreneurialism in America. Whether it’s healthcare, health IT, strategy, or the “next big thing”, if a topic is trending, Justin is sure to be talking about it with his broad circle of peers.
Recently on This Just In, Justin hosted return guest and friend Dr. Sylvan Waller (@SylvanWallerMD). The two discussed virtual care strategies and best practices as well as the #HIThinkTank. Dr. Waller’s career began with the clinical side of medicine but he quickly became focused on innovation and digital health and how to reshape the way patients get care. While listening to the interview you’ll get a sneak peak into some of the insights gleaned from the Health Innovation Think Tank about telemedicine practices today, how they need to change going forward and what virtual care may look like in the future.
Be sure to tune in to This Just In weekdays at 6:30 am, 2:30 pm and 10:30 pm ET or listen live to HealthcareNOW Radio to hear the latest on what’s new, what’s trending, or what’s next in healthcare and health IT.
Henry Ford Health System Selects Vidyo Integrated with Epic MyChart to Provide Telehealth Visits Directly from EHR Portal, Enhancing Patient-Provider Relationships
Leading embedded video collaboration platform provider Vidyo (@vidyo) announced that Henry Ford Health System has deployed integrated virtual visits within the Epic MyChart® workflow to provide simplified access to care. IDSolutions Healthcare, Vidyo’s premier Epic telehealth deployment partner, has established telehealth ecosystems throughout healthcare institutions across the United States. Henry Ford offers mobile-based virtual visits in several specialties and has plans to expand to others in the coming months.
Telehealth Approach to Addiction Treatment Holds Promise of Slowing Opioid Epidemic
Amid the worst drug epidemic in history, President Trump has declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. As the nation looks to stem this crisis, mental health and substance abuse professionals are fighting the battle and seeking better ways to deliver care and improved patient outcomes. One company is showing the way forward with a program of telecounseling, analytics and family engagement.
American Telemedicine Association Supports Action Expanding Telemedicine for Opioid Crisis
The American Telemedicine Association (@AmericanTelemed) supports last week’s action by the Trump Administration expanding the reach of telemedicine to treat the nation’s opioid epidemic. President Trump’s action effectively directs Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Secretary Eric Hargan, to remove the prohibition on prescribing controlled substances – including anti-addiction medicines like naloxone – currently restricted by the 2008 Ryan Haight Act. President Trump, by today’s action, is using a narrow provision of the law to set aside major restrictions for a declared “public health emergency.”
Telemedicine is Forcing Doctors to Learn ‘Webside’ Manner
Most of the time the conversation around telemedicine is about its convenience, its ability to reach remote patients or the obstacles it faces regarding legislation or payment for services. However, telemedicine is also bringing with it a whole new set of skills for doctors to learn, ‘webside’ manner.
MedX Health Corp. and Blanc Labs Complete Design of Cloud-Based Telemedicine Platform to Enable Global Deployment of MedX’s Scanning Devices across a Broad Network of Centers
MedX Health Corp. announced that it has completed the design phase of its telemedicine platform which will allow MedX’s scanning devices to be deployed in multiple points of service in North America and internationally. The scanned images will be sent securely to dermatologists for remote assessment, allowing for accelerated referral for patients to an in-person consultation with a dermatologist for the treatment of suspicious cases.
Fenix Group Launches Deployable Telemedicine Clinics for Crisis Response
Fenix Group, a private Virginia based technology firm, has partnered with an established government integrator to launch deployable triage & surgery suites anywhere in the world. The deployable system is called APOLLO, after the Greek god of healing and medicine. Each APOLLO suite can be customized to customer need case, and comes outfitted with male & female exam rooms, a light surgery suite, a dentistry clinic, telemedicine connectivity to care networks, satellite backhaul connectivity, wifi and closed-loop encrypted 4G/LTE service.
Teladoc, Inc. (TDOC) Downgraded to “Hold” at Zacks Investment Research
Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Teladoc, Inc. (@teladoc) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Wednesday, October 18th. Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a hold rating and issued a $31.00 price objective on shares of Teladoc in a research note on Tuesday, September 26th. BidaskClub upgraded shares of Teladoc from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th.
Kareo Releases Telemedicine Solution for Independent Medical Practices
Kareo (@GoKareo), a provider of cloud-based clinical and business management software for independent medical practices, announced the launch of Kareo Telemedicine, a solution that enables healthcare providers to conduct secure, HIPAA-compliant video consultations with patients. This announcement comes amid explosive growth in the telemedicine space, driven by patient demand for convenient and cost-effective access to healthcare. Video consultations in the U.S. are projected to grow from 19.7 million in 2014 to an estimated 158.4 million by 2020. Kareo Telemedicine is immediately available to the more than 40,000 healthcare providers using the company’s cloud-based platform today. Kareo customers simply follow their regular workflows to schedule appointments, document encounters, and bill for telemedicine visits.
Telehealth market is projected to reach USD +9 Billion by 2021 from USD +2 Billion in 2015, at a CAGR of +27% in the forecast period 2017-2021
Medgadget reports that the Telehealth market is projected to reach USD +9 Billion by 2021 from USD +2 Billion in 2015, at a CAGR of +27% in the forecast period. Factors such as growth in geriatric population, dearth of healthcare professionals worldwide, improvements in telecommunication infrastructure, technological advancements, increasing utilization of connected devices for the management of chronic diseases, and need for affordable treatment options due to rising healthcare costs.
WHO and ITU to use digital technology to strengthen public health services in Africa
With Africa currently undergoing a digital revolution, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa and the International Telecommunications Union signed a Cooperation Agreement in Geneva, on using digital services to save lives and improve people’s health. The partnership will focus on building platforms to scale digital health at national level, build a capable workforce to effectively use ICT as well as address the need of multi-stakeholders partnerships for sustainable adoption of digital health.
Three telehealth services on the rise
Managed Healthcare Executive reports telemental, telebehavioral and telepsychiatry services are increasingly used by practitioners and healthcare systems, according to a new survey. According to HHS, it is estimated that 61% of healthcare institutions use some form of telehealth, and between 40% and 50% of all hospitals in the U.S. currently employee some form of telehealth.
Upcoming Events:
ATA 2018 Annual Conference & Tradeshow
What: ATA 2018 Annual Conference & Tradeshow
When: April 29 – May 1, 2018
Where: Chicago, IL
Event Hashtag: #ATA2018
CMS Covered Telehealth Services
You can download the list of services payable under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule when furnished via telehealth on the CMS website.