WASHINGTON — Previously isolated from mainstream healthcare agreements, telehealth has been in a battle for accessibility for decades but is gaining ground as acceptance increases. Telehealth allows medical services remotely, while administering the same value. Left outside of mainstream healthcare agreements, the industry has had to meet healthcare terms controlled at the state level. At present, there are 21 states that have expanded their policies to be more inclusive as telehealth accessibility and use grows.
Recently, the use of Telehealth services and technology advancement have increased substantially. From 2011 to 2013, Medicare telehealth service expenditures doubled, reaching about $11 million, in just two years. Worldwide, IHS market research predicts that telehealth will increase the number of users tenfold, from 350,000 to 7 million patients around the world. A major factor in the growth the the industry is health policies in the U.S. that have not kept with technology, and restrict practice across state lines.
One of the most challenging barriers to telehealth has been the U.S. state licensure system for practitioners that allows doctors to treat patients within their state only. Executive Director of the HIMS Institute of e-health Policy, Neal Neuberger, explains the decades of the struggle. Still, the industry continues to break through barriers this year.
The rising use of telehealth services has lead to the Federation of State Medical Board updating their 12-year–old telehealth policy that, President and CEO, Dr. Humayan Chaudhry expects will be implemented this summer. This update may advance accessibility even faster to bring what, American Telemedicine Association Public Policy Director, Gary Capistrant calls, “21st century healthcare,” to you.
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