Telemedicine
Summary
Several recent articles have highlighted the various uses for telemedicine, including providing care to people living in rural areas or to prison inmates. Nearly three-quarters of respondents believe that telemedicine will improve access to care, particularly to those individuals in rural or underserved areas. However, two-thirds believe that telemedicine will not be widely adopted for at least four years. Respondents were most likely to report that the lack of reimbursement for offering technology services was the biggest barrier to the adoption of telemedicine.
Time Towards Widespread Telemedicine Adoption
When asked to identify how long it will be until telemedicine reaches widespread adoption, nearly two-thirds of respondents indicated that this would take four years or more. Only two percent of respondents indicated that they believe that telemedicine has already achieved widespread adoption.
Barriers to Telemedicine Adoption
By and large, respondents were most likely to report that the lack of reimbursement for offering technology services was the biggest barrier to the adoption of telemedicine. This was selected by nearly half of the respondents. Another 19 percent of respondents identified the cost of the technology as a key barrier. Only two percent didn’t consider any of the items listed as a barrier.
Telemedicine Benefits
Nearly all of the respondents believe that telemedicine will improve healthcare in the United States. Three-quarters believe that the biggest benefit that telemedicine will provide is improved access to care. An equal number of respondents believe that telemedicine will either improve the quality of care or improve cost efficiency.
Cost Impacts of Telemedicine
Respondents were asked to identify the specific ways that telemedicine would reduce healthcare costs. Nearly half of respondents (41 percent) indicated that telemedicine would be beneficial as it will allow for home management of chronic diseases. Slightly more than one quarter of respondents (28 percent) stated that cost benefits will be associated with general costs of healthcare, such as transportation costs. Fewer than ten percent of respondents believe that costs will be impacted through reduced overhead costs, reduced outpatient consultation costs or decreased length of stay.
Population That Most Benefits from Telemedicine
Over half of the respondents believe that patient in rural/underserved areas will benefit the most from continued adoption of telemedicine. Another third believe that patients with chronic diseases will benefit the most.
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