What if you were told that because you have a weak immune system, you cannot be around anyone face to face anymore? You would feel lost, helpless, and frustrated. This recent pandemic did just that to patients all over the world. Luckily, Telehealth has been able to save the day for a lot of these individuals, especially home health patients.
COVID-19 took healthcare providers away from their patients in many ways. Technology played a huge role in bridging the gap between patients and providers when seeing each other in person was out of the question. Usually we think of this meaning patients staying out of providers’ offices, but it also applies to providers needing to stay out of patients’ homes.
Home health patients can breathe a sigh of relief when learning about all the Telehealth options that are available to them. They can use their smartphones to sit on the couch and have a conversation with their doctor about health concerns, as well as to monitor their vitals regularly.
The recent pandemic has forced the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to consider increasing reimbursements for Telehealth visits while using Home Health Services. This means that these services will be covered by Medicare insurance more so than ever before.
Home Health teaming up with Telehealth options open many doors for patients to receive the care that they need, no matter their situation. With more awareness of their options, patients can lessen their fears and change the course of their prognosis for the better.
Resources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/telehealth/art-20044878 https://homehealthcarenews.com/2020/01/the-top-home-health-trends-of-2020%ef%bb%bf/
L. Miller, K., Gainer, K. and Strunk, E., 2020. Incorporating Telehealth Into Home Health Care Part 2: Reimbursement Status | Medbridge Blog. [online] MedBridge Blog. Available at: <https://www.medbridgeeducation.com/blog/2020/04/incorporating-telehealth-into-home-health-care-part-2-reimbursement-status/?acid=173> [Accessed 15 June 2020
Content for this segment was created by Jill Wilson as part of a project for SC301: Foundations of Health Communication, taught by Dr. Clubbs. Jill’s goal is to complete her degree in Healthcare Management with the skills to begin a career in providing the best care possible to those who need it.
Recorded at home with Eli Hildebrand Clubbs engineering; edited at KRCU Studios by Dan Woods.
