The health care industry has undergone considerable changes over the last decade due to advancing technologies like electronic health records and digital imaging. These products and services have paved the way for the advent of telehealth, which will allow more people to receive clinical care from remote locations.
Study shows increase in telehealth use
Research from the Alliance for Connected Care indicated that replacing in-office consultations and emergency room visits with telehealth for common acute conditions can save hospitals and other care centers more than 50 percent of associated costs, EHRIntelligence reported. Complications like sinusitis, urinary tract infections and sore throats can be handled more efficiently with remote services.
While the market for telehealth has grown due to the increasing popularity of EHR software and video consultations, the sector is still relatively new to many providers. Although consumer demand is high, only 1 to 2 percent of patients are currently engaged in the service.
The ACC study collected data from commercial telehealth vendors and compared figures to costs incurred by Medicare and private insurers. Researchers found that the use of this service could produce savings of anywhere between $136 to $176 per patient, which would have normally been spent during in-person appointments. To date, most telehealth services cost around $40 to $50 per consultation. In addition, patient issues are solved in one session in 83 percent of remote appointments.
It is clear that the development of digital technologies has had a positive impact on health care, including medical imaging. Doctors are able to send and receive comprehensive clinical data that guide treatment strategies for patients. When it comes to attesting to Meaningful Use, telehealth can help set practices apart from their competition.
However, that does not mean every health system is free from the scrutiny of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. As a recent report showed, some facilities are in big trouble with the federal agency.
CMS hands out fines to docs
During a press call last week, CMS revealed that starting Jan. 5, 2015, approximately 257,000 providers will be hit with a 1 percent penalty for Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payments, FierceEMR reported. These practices failed to meet the requirements of Meaningful Use by the Oct. 1, 2014, deadline.
Out of the total amount of doctors, roughly 28,000 will receive a 2 percent penalty for also failing to meet the e-prescribing standards established by the agency. CMS will be alerting providers affected by the fines with letters, which will contain instructions regarding applications for further consideration in the event of clerical errors.
"It is possible we could have made a mistake, and we want to give people the opportunity to point that out to us," CMS noted, quoted by FierceEMR.
Earlier this year, the agency opened up application processes for hardship exemptions to help practices that were struggling with Meaningful Use due to issues with EHR vendors. Nearly 55,000 providers were approved for these exceptions, while about 2,000 applicants were denied.
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Ronny Bachrach
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