A new report highlights the gap between desired use of new technology — such as video conferences — to connect patients with doctors and the ability of providers to offer such services.
A survey of 280 health care leaders by Modern Healthcare found that roughly half of health care organizations cite major financial barriers to adopting telehealth solutions.
Half of those that cited such concerns specifically said they lacked the necessary investment in new technology, while another half expressed concerns about being reimbursed by insurers, Medicare or Medicaid for telehealth services performed for patients.
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"Hospitals and doctors know where they need to go, and they ultimately know what is best for their patients, but costs and reimbursement challenges have inhibited their ability to move forward," said Dr. Alan Pitt, Chief Medical Officer at Avizia, a telehealth solutions company.
The push by insurers and the federal government to move away from a fee-for-service reimbursement system might facilitate wider adoption of telehealth in the future. Even in the absence of major reforms to reimbursement models, providers that see the advantage in new technology will inevitably demand that they be paid for the new types of services that technology will allow them to provide patients.
To rapidly advance adoption, explained Pitt, providers, insurers and technology firms that are coming up with the new devices need to collaborate more closely.
"We talk a lot about collaboration in health care between the payers and providers, but in order to truly deliver on the promise of value-based-care, it's clear that technologists need to be a part of the business conversation," he said.
The same survey found that 72 percent of hospitals have adopted some types of telehealth services. But only half of clinics of physician groups report adoption. The disparity is likely driven by resources, with clinics reporting having a tougher time addressing maintenance than hospitals, which likely have in-house technical support.
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