Telehealth services grew rapidly during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was mainly because of emergency rule changes and patients wanting safer ways to get healthcare that reduced exposure risks. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that telehealth visits between January and March 2020 went up by 50% compared to the same months in 2019. In the last week of March 2020, visits reached an increase of 154%. This increase was helped by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which expanded telehealth coverage and let patients have virtual visits from their homes, no matter where they lived.
Before the pandemic, Medicare telehealth benefits were limited. They were mostly for patients living in rural areas who had to travel to get care. After emergency rules during COVID-19, these limits were temporarily removed. This gave telehealth access to people in cities and suburbs too. The American Medical Association (AMA) has pushed to make these changes permanent by supporting laws like the CONNECT for Health Act. These laws want to keep and grow the telehealth access gained during the crisis.
Right now, research shows that about 74% of doctors in the U.S. work in places that offer telehealth services. This number is almost three times higher than a few years ago. This means telehealth is not just a temporary fix but a lasting part of healthcare. For medical managers and IT staff, adding telehealth services to current systems is important. It helps meet patient needs and makes operations more efficient.
Telehealth gives more options for care to patients who usually have trouble visiting medical offices in person.
In all these cases, changing telehealth tools to fit patient needs helps patients stay involved and improves health results. Medical leaders should offer flexible telehealth options that work for people with different levels of digital skills, internet access, and technology.
One important impact of telehealth is fewer patients going to hospitals and clinics in person. Early data from the COVID-19 period showed that emergency room visits dropped as more patients used telehealth. About 69% of patients using telehealth at home did not need extra in-person visits. This lowers healthcare costs, reduces illness spread risk, and saves medical supplies like masks and gloves.
For healthcare managers, telehealth also helps keep care continuous, especially combined with remote patient monitoring (RPM). RPM tracks ongoing conditions like heart disease and diabetes. It lowers emergency visits and hospital stays. This supports models where patients get some care in the clinic and some from home, using remote check-ins and data collection. This makes good use of doctors’ time and resources.
Also, practices using telehealth report better patient satisfaction. This is because appointments are easier to schedule, wait times are shorter, and patients do not have to travel far. Telehealth lets providers serve more people in rural, suburban, and underserved areas more effectively.
Using artificial intelligence (AI) and workflow automation can make telehealth better and help clinics run smoother. AI tools help with patient scheduling, note-taking, communication, and billing.
AI-Powered Scheduling and Patient Engagement
Some healthcare software, like eClinicalWorks, uses AI to let patients schedule themselves. This lowers the work for office staff. Patients can book appointments online anytime. This cuts down phone calls, shortens wait times, and makes patients happier. Office staff can focus on harder tasks and helping patients.
AI-Assisted Documentation
Writing notes is one of the most time-consuming parts of a doctor’s job. AI medical scribes, like those from Sunoh.ai, help by typing and organizing notes during visits. Places like Hendry Regional Medical Center save more than two hours a day this way. That time can be spent on patient care. It also lowers burnout for doctors and helps them work better.
Secure Messaging and Telehealth Communications
AI helps secure messaging systems that allow easy communication between patients and care teams. This secure communication is important for follow-ups, questions, and sharing test results fast, especially when patients are monitored from afar.
Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Improvements
AI tools improve money management by making billing and claims easier. eClinicalWorks reports that 98% or more claims are approved the first time due to automation. This cuts down denials, speeds up payments, and helps cash flow for both small and big clinics.
Telehealth Platform Integration and Workflow Automation
Bringing telehealth into existing health record systems helps data flow across scheduling, notes, billing, and follow-up. Automating these steps makes sure virtual visits are recorded and billed smoothly. This cuts down paperwork and keeps clinics following rules.
Medical IT managers need to make sure telehealth platforms connect well with current systems, have strong security to protect patient information, and handle growing telehealth use. Choosing scalable solutions will help clinics meet future healthcare needs.
Keeping telehealth services going in the U.S. depends on government rules and payment policies. During the COVID-19 health emergency, laws changed quickly to help telehealth grow and get paid for. The AMA continues working to make some changes permanent. These include removing location limits on Medicare telehealth coverage and paying for telehealth visits the same as in-person visits.
Paying equally makes doctors more willing to offer telehealth. It encourages investment in technology and training. Covering audio-only telehealth also helps patients without strong internet or modern devices.
Medical practice owners and managers should keep up-to-date with telehealth rules. This helps them plan operations and finances properly.
Even though telehealth increases access, some patients still face problems with technology and internet skills. The AMA has programs like STEPS Forward® Innovation Academy and the Telehealth Implementation Playbook. These help doctors add telehealth and improve access for underserved communities.
Healthcare groups should focus on teaching patients how to use telehealth and giving support. Barriers like not knowing how to use platforms, no devices, or bad internet must be addressed. This is key to fair care for all. Practice managers may work with community groups to give devices or create places where people can use telehealth.
Data from healthcare groups show several benefits connected to telehealth:
For medical practice owners and managers, these benefits lead to better patient flow, smarter use of resources, and stronger practices that can handle future healthcare challenges.
Using telehealth with AI and automation is important for healthcare clinics that want to improve care access for patients in remote and underserved areas. This fits with changes in laws, patient needs, and healthcare models. It helps clinics work more efficiently and improve patient health across the United States.
eClinicalWorks is a widely used electronic health record (EHR) system designed to cater to various healthcare specialties, enhancing practice efficiency and patient care.
AI enhances eClinicalWorks by improving patient engagement, assisting with clinical documentation, and offering tailored insights into disease patterns and risk assessments.
The AI-powered EHR features include patient self-scheduling, telehealth, secure messaging, and AI automation for better documentation.
Patient self-scheduling streamlines the appointment process, reduces administrative workload, and enhances patient satisfaction.
AI-powered medical scribes help save time on documentation, allowing healthcare providers to focus more on patient care.
eClinicalWorks supports a range of specialties including dental, vision, behavioral health, ambulatory surgery, and urgent care.
AI improves RCM by achieving a higher first-pass acceptance rate, ensuring better financial performance for healthcare providers.
AI technology enhances patient engagement by providing secure messaging, telehealth options, and efficient appointment scheduling.
Telehealth offers convenience for patients and can expand access to care, particularly for those in remote areas.
eClinicalWorks customers report improved patient experiences, reduced costs, and greater efficiency in healthcare delivery.
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