The vital role of telemedicine in our healthcare ecosystem continues to evolve and expand. The Florida Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine (64B8-9.0141 and FAC 64B15-14.0081) define telemedicine as “the practice of medicine by a licensed Florida physician or physician assistant where patient care, treatment or service are provided using medical information exchange from one site to another via electronic communication”. Significant drivers of telemedicine include our aging population, the increase of chronic diseases and healthcare costs. By 2020 the telemedicine market will expand by 14%, growing from $14.6 billion with 350,000 users in 2013, to $36.2 billion with 7 million users. Over half of all hospitals in America are now using some form of telemedicine services and it comprises of one fourth of the health IT market according to Becker Hospital Review. Geisinger Health Plan stated that patients who enrolled in their telemedicine program had 44% lower readmission rates at 30 plus days and 38% at the 90 day mark. Geisinger’s telemedicine program demonstrated a cost savings of approximately 11% with a positive return oninvestment showing that for every dollar spent implementing the program they saw a cost savings of $3.30.
Telemedicine offers benefits such as enhancing patient access and conveyance, attracting and retaining patients, differentiates a medical practice, reduces both wait times and no shows while improving patient outcomes and efficiencies. Ongoing struggles to telemedicine include implementation and operational expenses, and interoperability between providers. According to the Reach Health Survey 2017, mental health and primary care are the top users of telemedicine, and 83% of all health care executives responding to the survey stated that telemedicine is a top strategic priority and they plan on investing in it.
Findings from the Florida Report of Telehealth Utilization and Accessibility (2016) state patient and practitioner demand for telemedicine services are high and comfort levels with health information technology have risen significantly in the state sparked by approximately 650 federally designated Health Professions Shortage Areas (HPSA) in primary care, dental care, and mental health.
Reimbursement for telehealth services continues its struggle. Approximately 35 states including the District of Columbia have health insurance coverage parity for telehealth. Commercial payers have higher levels of telemedicine adoption and coverage than federal payers. The Chronic Care Act was significant in opening access to telemedicine for millions of patients, yet Medicare still lags behind in adoption and payment parity with commercial payers.
The field of telemedicine is demanding as it requires a comprehensive and applicable knowledge of both healthcare and technology. Focused education in health informatics provides students a foundational background to enter and perform in the field of telemedicine. The graduate master of science (M.S.) degree program in the Biomedical Informatics Program at Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-KPCOM) is a skills-based and application focused curriculum. The telecommunications and networking course covers the basis of computer networks, data communication, fundamental of data and signals, multiplexing and compression, networking including body area networks (BANs), wireless, security, Wi Fi, and voice data delivery.
Duxlink Health, located in Sunrise, Florida is a leading telemedicine technology/service company and community partner of the NSU-KPCOM Biomedical Informatics Program hosting student practicums. Duxlink provides a patented Tele-Hospital™ and Intereality Care™ Eco System with multiple platforms of wireless devices, high-risk patient care, post-acute management integration and AI/Analytics, enable hospitals and physician groups On-Site Reality Care and On-Line Virtual Care Remotely. At Duxlink Health students take on responsibility utilizing their newly learned skills and applying them appropriately under preceptor guidance on a real telemedicine project ultimately improving patient safety and quality of care.
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The vital role of telemedicine in our healthcare ecosystem continues to evolve and expand. The Florida Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine (64B8-9.0141 and FAC 64B15-14.0081) define telemedicine as “the practice of medicine by a licensed Florida physician or physician assistant where patient care, treatment or service are provided using medical information exchange from one site to another via electronic communication”. Significant drivers of telemedicine include our aging population, the increase of chronic diseases and healthcare costs. By 2020 the telemedicine market will expand by 14%, growing from $14.6 billion with 350,000 users in 2013, to $36.2 billion with 7 million users. Over half of all hospitals in America are now using some form of telemedicine services and it comprises of one fourth of the health IT market according to Becker Hospital Review. Geisinger Health Plan stated that patients who enrolled in their telemedicine program had 44% lower readmission rates at 30 plus days and 38% at the 90 day mark. Geisinger’s telemedicine program demonstrated a cost savings of approximately 11% with a positive return oninvestment showing that for every dollar spent implementing the program they saw a cost savings of $3.30.
