Page 23 - Telemedicine - Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery Part Two

SVMIC Telemedicine: Essentials of Virtual Care Delivery

The summary report noted that many patients and providers

experienced the capabilities of telehealth for the first time
during the pandemic and are interested in continuing to use

it. Also, many public and private payors, including CMS, have
substantially relaxed telehealth restrictions during the pandemic

to support access to care for their patients. Following are the
patient safety findings from the report. The goal for patient

safety in a telehealth or in-person care encounter is the same.
Care provided must not result in preventable patient harm or

mortality. Telehealth patient safety includes ensuring access for
patient with technology or digital literacy gaps in order to:

• Mitigate risks

• Maximize benefits

• Ensure quality, accessibility, and efficacy

• Fully integrate telehealth into healthcare ecosystem

Early evidence suggests that the expansion of telehealth has
helped drive a reduction in the rates at which patients missed

appointments (no-shows), which has been demonstrated
to increase care plan adherence, improve chronic disease

management, and yield downstream cost savings. It has also
increased the use of transitional care management services

that improve outcomes and reduce readmissions, mortality
rates, and costs. Finally, some skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)

have deployed telehealth to resolve residents’ health issues that
would otherwise have prompted much more costly ambulance

trips to hospitals and emergency departments (EDs). Increased
utilization of behavioral health services has the potential to

decrease net costs and improve outcomes, as untreated
behavioral conditions can contribute to greater physical health

needs and overall spending.

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