TeleMed was founded in 1986 as a medical answering service for a local physician-owned medical society. Today, TeleMed provides nationwide service to medical practices, clinics, hospitals, dental practices, and other exclusively medical services. VETS Act of 2017: The House passed this bill (H.R. 2123, Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act of 2017) to permit physicians and other providers who meet the definition of “covered health care professionals” to administer services via telehealth with a single medical license, regardless of where the physician or patient resides. Understanding drivers of differences in use of telephone and video visits would help to inform rapidly changing telemedicine payment policies and practices. Telemedicine visits were identified.
Telemedicine is considered a powerful tool for individuals living in rural areas, far from adequate services or in need of specialized care for a chronic condition, but as the technology becomes more widespread, other demographics are being considered as targets of outreach. And one group that could potentially be aided by telemedicine is long distance truck drivers ? with increased care also protecting those they share the road with. Of all the economic, cultural, or regional grouping in the United States, why truckers? Simply put, truckers are vulnerable to chronic diseases due to a sedentary lifestyle. Many are obese, have high blood pressure, are smokers, and don?t get enough sleep. Monitoring their health using telemedicine technology can help reduce long-term costs and help truckers make changes to protect their health.
Dual Vulnerabilities
One of the main reasons that advocates want to connect truckers with telemedicine has to do with the significant dangers posed by drowsy driving and illness among truckers. A single misstep by a truck driver can cause multiple fatalities; so often, these incidents can be prevented by a combination of improved policies (shorter hours, more scheduling leeway) and better healthcare for drivers. It?s cheaper to provide telemedicine services than settle with injured accident victims or bereaved families.
Treating On The Road
There are several key health concerns that telemedicine seeks to address among truckers. In particular, eye movement disorders and sleep disorders that can cause accidents. For example, strabismus, a misalignment of the eyes most commonly seen in childhood, can develop in adults, resulting in blurred or double vision, eye strain, and headaches. Strabismus is fairly easy to treat with surgery, eye patches, or glasses, but untreated it can make driving dangerous. Simply put, a quick eye exam to identify strabismus can save lives. Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders are especially common in truck drivers ? they?re something of a characteristic rather than a condition because drivers need to keep unusual and unusually long hours. Unfortunately, sleep issues feed into numerous other health issues, including metabolic problems and decision-making and response time. One of the main reasons doctors want to address sleep disorders among truck drivers is because of something known as microsleep. Microsleep is a symptom of sleep deprivation ? essentially universal among truckers ? in which people fall asleep without realizing it. It may be characterized by staring, loss of focus, or the head may fall forward and then snap back, but regardless of how it manifests itself, microsleep is a major contributor to trucking accidents and it can be prevented. Also in the class of sleep disorders, and one made worse by the trucking lifestyle and conditions like obesity and high blood pressure associated with the job, is sleep apnea. Though you may not be able to get a trucker to drop in for a sleep study on short notice, via telemedicine, doctors can screen for the condition and recommend further steps, including weight loss, use of a CPAP machine, or other interventions. Since sleep apnea can lead to the kind of chronic exhaustion that makes people prone to microsleep, it?s imperative that it be identified and treated.
Telemed Drivers Package
Supporting Access To Care
Driver Telematics
Truckers are uniquely vulnerable when it comes to receiving proper healthcare for reasons that extend beyond the mobility and unusual hours the job requires. Consider, for example, that many truckers are actually independent contractors. They have few protections and aren?t covered by any kind of corporate health insurance, so they need to decide whether to purchase their own. That being said, only 30% of truckers have primary care doctors, so why would they invest in coverage when they don?t have medical support? Coverage is typically tied to a location, so it?s not especially beneficial ? or it wasn?t until the advent of telemedicine. Telemedicine is inexpensive (less expensive than traditional care), timely, and mobile. It?s precisely what truckers need. Trucking-affiliated companies understand the potential benefits of linking drivers with medical services, so we can expect to see more companies offering telemedicine-focused insurance for those in the industry. It may not be comprehensive in the manner of traditional insurance, but because it?s mobile and affordable, truckers are more likely to use it, and that?s ultimately what matters. Long distance trucking is a unique career, but it isn?t going anywhere ? we?re a long way from self-driving tractor trailers ? so it?s important for the medical industry to bridge that gap. Telemedicine can make truck drivers healthier and make our roads safer, but it can also help truckers build relationships with the medical system that will encourage pursuing care in the long term. Open the door, or the phone line, and start the consultation. It could be the beginning of something more.
Drivers Telephone Number
Telehealth has been a growing point of emphasis in U.S. health care discourse, as health care providers look to leverage interconnectivity to treat patients from a distance and legislators seek new ways to improve care. In the past year, new state and federal regulations have cleared the way for telehealth programs —which combine telemedicine and online pharmacies to both prescribe and dispense treatment to patients remotely — to thrive in a variety of settings. With improving reimbursement, the clearing of hurdles for crossing state lines, and increased interest from both health care professionals and patients, it’s clear that telehealth will only continue to grow.
Here are five critical events and developments from the past year that have accelerated — and will continue to promote — the growth of telehealth programs:
- VETS Act of 2017: The House passed this bill (H.R. 2123, Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act of 2017) to permit physicians and other providers who meet the definition of “covered health care professionals” to administer services via telehealth with a single medical license, regardless of where the physician or patient resides. The legislation also requires the VA Secretary to deliver a report to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs outlining the overarching effectiveness of telehealth services.
- Expended Reimbursement: The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) final rule increases access to Medicare telehealth services, especially for patients in rural or underserved areas, by paying for more such consults and making it easier for providers to bill for them. The MACRA rule will also enable greater use of remote patient monitoring tools and encourage physicians to do more with patient-generated health data.
- Disaster Relief: Hurricanes Harvey and Irma shined a spotlight on the value of telehealth during a natural disaster. In the wake of both natural disasters, telehealth system LiveHealth Online stepped in to provide free help patients. It is currently available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 48 states. LiveHealth Online also offered free access to counselors and therapists via online video visits and phone sessions for the victims, families, first responders and any others impacted by the tragic mass-shooting in Las Vegas.
- Employer Engagement: Employer-based telemedicine programs overall are growing. An August 2017 survey from the National Business Group on Health, in fact, found that telehealth offerings by employers are nearly universal, and employees who take advantage of these programs require fewer visits to emergency rooms, urgent care clinics and physicians’ offices. Virtually all employers (96 percent) will make telehealth services available in states where it is allowed next year. More than half (56 percent) plan to offer telehealth for behavioral health services, more than double the percentage this year. Telehealth utilization is clearly on the rise, with nearly 20 percent of employers experiencing employee utilization rates of 8 percent or higher.
- State Buy-In: Numerous state laws have also addressed telemedicine issues. Texas passed a bill to improve patient outcomes by using telemedicine technology to bring trauma surgeons into the back of ambulances to assess and direct treatment. Twenty-two state Medicaid programs provide reimbursement for remote patient monitoring, up from three states in August 2016. An increasing number of states are also passing legislation directing health care professional boards to adopt practice standards for its providers who utilize telehealth.
Moving forward, increased demand for self-care and remote monitoring will continue to drive telehealth growth. Likewise, government initiatives will continue to play a large role in paving the way for further expansion of telehealth and telemedicine usage in U.S. health care.
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