Thanks to Ann Higgins for sending me word on a recent white paper, National Telemedicine Initiatives: Essential to Healthcare Reform.

This report details the value of telemedicine:

In our view, innovative telemedicine systems have already demonstrated the potential to:
• Redress the inequities in access to all levels of health resources (primary, secondary, and tertiary);
• Enhance health system efficiency, clinical decision making, and prescription ordering.
• Promote patient-centered care, at lower cost, and in local environments.
• Increase the effectiveness of chronic disease management in longterm care institutions, and especially in the home environment.
• Promote individual adoption of healthy lifestyles and self-care.

Looking at that list, telemedicine seems like a no-brainer, but there are barriers. There’s the inequity of access to broadband both in terms of access for providers and patients, there’s the cost of implementing technology solutions (or any new solutions) on the provider’s end, and (I think this is the most salient point) there’s a need to change the reimbursement scheme.

Providers are not compensated adequately for remote patient visits. (Maybe that’s why the Electronic Health Records seem to garner more attention within the healthcare industry.) So there are disincentives to promote or implement it – even though as has been pointed out telemedicine can enhance efficiency and increase effectiveness. Healthcare is sacrificing long term goals for short term compensation. One thing that strikes me when reading this is how well it fits in with the FCC’s Rural Broadband Strategy and the idea that broadband is interdisciplinary, not its own discrete subject – to use a school analogy. For so long broadband has been looked at a separate issue – it’s time to integrate.

We need to develop policies that promote the efficiency and effectiveness of telemedicine by providing adequate compensation. To me it seems like that would be time well spent. Yes it would take time and budget to assess and develop a new process – but I think the FCC Rural Broadband Strategy gives credence to the value of such strategic and integrated thinking and I think this white paper on Healthcare reform demonstrates the potential payback – both in terms of money and quality of life for patients.