Telehealth Archives

Health systems seek out patient feedback to improve telehealth platform

October 10, 2020

The pressure is on for health systems to create digital experiences patients will enjoy or risk losing out on revenue. In the digital age, consumers have high expectations of what these platforms should be like. “Systems are no longer just competing with other health systems in their region, they are competing with the experiences people have in their daily lives from other brands—that is the bar,” Kalis said. “When those experiences are cumbersome, that can lead to choosing one provider over another … and in the most extreme case, even switching providers.”

Telehealth’s increased popularity has prompted Stanford Health Care to totally rethink how it is assessing patients’ experience with the platform. The California system now does about 62,000 telehealth visits a month, up from about a 1,000 a month before COVID-19.

Now that volumes have stabilized and are staying strong, Alpa Vyas, vice president for patient experience at Stanford,

Pinellas mental health counselors, police team up in new telehealth program

October 3, 2020

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| Health Issues

The Pinellas Community Foundation announced Thursday it would distribute $2.6 million in CARES Act funding toward expanding mental health training and resources.

One of the initiatives will address a glaring need by giving law enforcement officers 24/7 access to telehealth mental health services. That would allow officers to remotely connect with a professional who could help them when they interact with someone with mental illness or who is experiencing a mental health crisis.

Clearwater nonprofit Directions for Living is partnering with the Largo Police Department to test the program. Directions President and CEO April Lott said if successful, the program could be expanded to other law enforcement agencies that don’t have the resources to hire their own mental health counselors or social workers.

The goal, Lott said, is to help the person in need and take pressure off officers who often have limited training helping someone in crisis.

Those experiencing

Fitness and nutrition studio is making most of telehealth boom, expanding operations

October 2, 2020

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| Health And Fitness

Since the coronavirus began threatening people’s health and wellness, Jim White has seen a boom in telehealth and fielded more clients than ever before.

In this down and up year, the founder of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios is celebrating its 20th anniversary and opening a new location on First Colonial Road in Virginia Beach.

The expansion — planned pre-COVID — will take care of the growing pains the business had over the last 10 to 15 years and enable White and his team to help more people.

“This gives us the opportunity to streamline our processes and recreate our brands,” White said.

Two of the Virginia Beach studios – Hilltop and Great Neck – will relocate to the new space which White said is geographically in the middle of both. The one in downtown Norfolk will remain and White said he’s looking at other areas of Hampton Roads

Insurers are rolling back Covid-19 telehealth benefits. (But providers shouldn’t panic.)

October 1, 2020

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| Health Benefits

Beginning Oct. 1, several insurers will no longer cover virtual visits in full under certain circumstances—a rollback of benefits that’s sparked concern among providers and patients who’ve relied on telehealth amid the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.

Background

According to STAT News, many commercial insurers and government payers pivoted quickly to expand telehealth coverage when the epidemic first struck, with many for the first time offering to pay or reimburse for virtual visits at the same rate they did in-person visits. As a result, telemedicine use surged, especially among populations vulnerable to the novel coronavirus, including older adults and patients with ongoing medical conditions.

However, as the epidemic continues, some of these telehealth benefits are set to expire—even as Congress, according to FierceHealthcare, looks to keep at least some of benefits in place once Covid-19 is over.

Some insurers to start rolling back telehealth extensions

For instance, according to STAT

Telehealth Patient Satisfaction Surges During Pandemic but Barriers to Access Persist, J.D. Power Finds

October 1, 2020

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| Health News

Amwell Ranks Highest among Direct-to-Consumer Brands; Cigna Ranks Highest among Health Plans

Telehealth has emerged as one of the bright spots in the “new normal,” giving patients the ability to meet virtually with healthcare providers from the safety and comfort of home. However, the technology is still experiencing growing pains. According to the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study,^SM released today, patient satisfaction with telehealth services has been increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but several barriers to access still exist for many patients, including those most at risk.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201001005094/en/

J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study (Graphic: Business Wire)

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been a moment of truth for telehealth, and, by most accounts, the technology is rising to the challenge and delivering a high degree of satisfaction among those who use it,” said James Beem, managing director

Services include virtual programming, telehealth and social support

September 30, 2020

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| Community Health

opinion

Celebrating National Recovery Month during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a unique experience to say the least. The recovery community is one that is accustomed to celebrating with in-person meetings, rallies and walks, but this September in particular has posed both new challenges and opportunities for us. I know that I was disappointed not to be able to receive my 13-year recovery coin at my home group in person.

Announcing this milestone over Zoom wasn’t the same as feeling the energy of a room full of recovering people, just as attending a virtual recovery rally isn’t the same as standing shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of people on the steps of your state capitol.

Despite this, since the onset of the pandemic, I have been moved by the fellowship and community that has sprung up around me. I have witnessed recovery community organizations and recovery houses in my community

Student Telehealth Startup Hazel Health Raises $33.5 Million

September 28, 2020

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| Health Center

Earlier this month, student telehealth service company Hazel Health raised an additional $33.5 million dollars in funding. Investors in the quickly growing startup include Bain Capital Ventures, The UCSF (University of California San Francisco) Foundation Investment Company, and most notably, Centene Corporation, a large managed care and healthcare organization.

Hazel Health’s goal is to provide on-demand telehealth services to students. For schools, it explains its 4 step model:

“Partnership: Hazel partners with school nurses and health services to expand healthcare services at school.”
“Training: School nurses and staff are provided instruction to initiate appointments with students in need of care. This includes logging on the easy-to-use technology and taking basic vitals.”
“Tools: Hazel provides all needed equipment for care; scale, thermometer, medical cart, iPad with stand, over-the-counter medications and more.”
“Parent Information and Consent: Hazel works with schools to educate parents about the program. Parents decide whether to participate.”

The

Telehealth for Better Health Across Communities

September 27, 2020

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| Better Health

Implications for Public Health

The success of MU Health Care’s rapid adjustment and response to the COVID-19 pandemic lies in its dedicated workforce, strong collaborative learning network, expertise in rural health, and robust telehealth infrastructure. One comment made by leadership on the COVID-19 response team was the unwavering willingness of nurses and other health care workers to go where they were needed. This especially epitomized the dedication and professionalism of nurses and health care professionals. Innumerable stories in the media abound of nurses filling in gaps created by new policies, such as restriction on visitors to hospitalized patients and being that hospitalized patient’s touchstone. As the COVID-19 first wave passes, the health care workforce, including nurses, can continue using telehealth successfully, and its use has been extended to departments and specialties that had never implemented telehealth before the pandemic. One of our gynecologic oncologists began using telemedicine after COVID-19 policies

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Tag: Telehealth

Health systems seek out patient feedback to improve telehealth platform

Pinellas mental health counselors, police team up in new telehealth program

Fitness and nutrition studio is making most of telehealth boom, expanding operations

Insurers are rolling back Covid-19 telehealth benefits. (But providers shouldn’t panic.)

Background

Some insurers to start rolling back telehealth extensions

Telehealth Patient Satisfaction Surges During Pandemic but Barriers to Access Persist, J.D. Power Finds

Student Telehealth Startup Hazel Health Raises $33.5 Million

Telehealth for Better Health Across Communities

Implications for Public Health