As the physician shortage and access to care threaten the availability of healthcare services across the country, telemedicine continues to emerge as a potential tool to address these issues.
In a Health Affairs report, Bill Frist, MD, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and former member of the Health and Finance committees, wrote telemedicine is an "essential tool" for healthcare. While public support for telemedicine is increasing, the infrastructure to support this service has not kept up.
Here are four key thoughts from Dr. Frist on creating an environment conducive to telemedicine.
1. Change starts at the federal and state levels. Dr. Frist stated that licensure and practice rules for healthcare professionals are outdated and need to be modified to maintain pace with the changing times. "As telehealth can safely cross borders, requiring duplicate licensure and maintaining separate practice rules in each state will only deny underserved populations' access to care, leading to worse long-term health outcomes and decreased worker productivity," he wrote.
2. The country needs telemedicine parity laws. Currently, 22 states and Washington, D.C., require telemedicine services to be reimbursed at the same rate as in-person visits, something Dr. Frist believes needs to change.
3. Medicare's telehealth reimbursement model needs to be more accommodating. Already, Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare ACOs utilize telehealth services to improve the quality of care, yet restrictions on reimbursement are severe and don't meet the needs of today's "patient-consumer," as Dr. Frist wrote.
4. The healthcare industry has a responsibility to individuals to deliver on telemedicine. "With a growing physician shortage, rising health care costs, and a need for increased, measurable quality, we have a responsibility to make changes in how we conceptualize and deliver care," Dr. Frist wrote. "The patient-consumer wants to access primary care on their terms, not those of the health care industry. Telemedicine offers this opportunity with maximal convenience to the consumer, with equal quality, and a much reduced cost. Telemedicine is a tool that will transform health delivery for the better."
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