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Telemedicine has come a long way. Research shows that the concept of telemedicine dates back to ancient societies who used hieroglyphics and even smoke as ways to communicate and warn others of outbreaks of disease or danger. The invention of the telephone and typewriter in the late 1800's led to to the civilized beginning of how doctors and patients shared health information. Eventually, modalities such as the radio, television and internet came along which helped doctors treat their patients more efficiently from a distance.

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Telemedicine Statistics Pre COVID vs. Post COVID

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Telemedicine Statistics Pre COVID vs. Post COVID

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During the peak of COVID, I viewed telemedicine as healthcare's night and shining armor. COVID was the catalyst to motivate providers as well as patients to consider using telemedicine.

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- Allows provider to diagnose the patient and identify social determinants within their home that could possibly prevent the patient from healing in
- Reduces the likelihood of a provider "burning out" quickly
- Provides patients in rural communities access to better care
- Decreased healthcare costs (transportation, copays, coinsurance...etc.)
- Convenient for patients with a busy schedule
- Faster delivery of care

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This video provides examples of how advantageous telehealth is to both patients and providers.

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- Could potentially affect physician's bedside manner due to the lack of in-person visits
- Not covered by all insurances
- Not everyone has access to advanced technologies to utilize telehealth
- PHI (private health information) can be compromised if telehealth/ telemed is not conducted on secure platforms
- Not feasible for all specialties to use in terms of diagnosing a patient's illness (According to an article from the CDC, "In addition, virtual visits might not be appropriate for some persons based on level of acuity or necessity to conduct an in-person physical examination or diagnostic testing.")
- Lack of consumer awareness

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The Biggest Disadvantages with Telehealth

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Regulatory Considerations & Changes Related to the Pandemic

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Regulatory Considerations & Changes Related to the Pandemic

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On March 6th of 2020, CMS passed the 1135 waiver which expanded the coverage of telemedicine. This waiver sanctioned; " a range of providers, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, to be able to offer telehealth to their patients.  Additionally, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is providing flexibility for healthcare providers to reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paid by federal healthcare programs." Prior to this waiver being passed, Medicare could only reimburse telehealth services on a restricted basis.

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Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January–March 2020

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Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January–March 2020

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The figure below depicts the increase of telemedicine visits during the beginning phase of the pandemic.

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Telemedicine in the prison system provides inmates with the opportunity to receive the care that they need without potentially being a risk to the public. In the book, "Telemedicine, Telehealth and Telepresence" by Rifat Lafiti, there is a chapter dedicated to telemedicine in the prison system. According to Lafiti , "There are more than 10.4 million people incarcerated in penal institutions throughout the world. The United States has the largest prison population, followed by China, the Russian Federation, Brazil, India, Thailand, Mexico, and Iran. Providing healthcare services to these inmates is complex, challenging, and expensive." ( Latifi, 2020) Telemedicine in the prison system not only lowers the risk of safety, but it also lowers the amount of tax dollars spent on transportation for the inmates.

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Here is a funny picture I found during the beginning of the pandemic last year. My job involves working closely with insurance companies and I could tell that they were trying to adjust to the rapid change in the industry, as was I.