What’s Next For Telemedicine, And How Do We Get There?

There’s no doubt the Covid-19 pandemic shifted the paradigm of healthcare. That’s not a news flash. What’s interesting is the change in the dialogue surrounding telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) and the potential to change the healthcare landscape. The Journal of American Health Information Management Association reported a cost benefit of using telehealth as well as an expansion in the delivery of access to care. A McKinsey study estimated that up to $250 billion could be shifted to virtual care in the U.S. The HIPAA Journal cites five different types of telehealth, also sometimes called telemedicine. While each warrants a full narrative, for the purposes of our discussion, there’s telemedicine in real time, which uses video conferencing or a phone call for basic care consultations.