The current pandemic's role in promoting telemedicine remains evident, as millions of US citizens utilized telehealth services. At its best, virtual care has proved its importance in treating uncomplicated respiratory infections. However, the hurdle remains as to how it can enhance primary care for chronic diseases.

The future of telemedicine hangs on the balance as the debate on whether insurers will continue covering telehealth into the post-pandemic period permeates different platforms. Despite broad bipartisan backing, without proper legislation, the pilot insurance program is as good as over. Now that lawmakers remain reluctant about telemedicine's potential cost, even private insurers may not balance between virtual and in-person reimbursements.

Renowned insurers such as UnitedHealthcare are still hesitant on whether they will continue covering telemedicine services beyond September. While others like Cigna plan to continue with the insurance plan but on a pandemic level only. The federal government that sets the pace for telemedicine is likely on the verge of reverting the decision to reimburse virtual care providers once the pandemic's effects on emergency care end unless legislators extend reimbursement policies into the post-pandemic period.

The number of face-to-face medical examinations has started rising as the pandemic recedes in some of the states. While many patients confirm that they opted for telemedicine to avoid infections in crowded doctor facilities and emergency rooms, many say they prefer traditional visits.

Some insurers such as BlueCross BlueShield have confirmed their commitment to supporting telemedicine into the future, although the cost remains unsettled. High-risk patients and accessible legislators such as Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee want the Medicare program to continue. They cite that virtual consultations remain essential in enhancing the quality of medical care.

The bottom line

The current pandemic is a revelation to the importance of telehealth services in the USA medical sector. However, telemedicine will not stay any longer without proper mechanisms such as adequate doctor training and reimbursement regulations.

As patients increasingly look for convenient and affordable care, other methods of meeting patients are gradually replacing in-person visits. Today, innovations in telemedicine present new ways of handling public health emergencies and disasters like Covid-19.

n-demand telemedicine is a modern approach to sorting patients before they are taken to the emergency department (ED). The method allows for efficient patient screening, focuses on the patient, promotes communication, and provides health care providers with critical data such as travel and exposure histories. Telemedicine can be used in self-quarantine cases, effectively protecting patients, clinicians, and the community from exposure.

More U.S. health systems already have or are outsourcing these programs to attend to patients at home while minimizing exposure. In terms of combatting Covid-19, the telemedicine systems feature bots that allow for video visits with care providers and refer moderate-to-high risk patients to the right nurse triage lines.

In case of emergencies or high-risk patients in isolation, the technology allows clinicians to work remotely to cover multiple sites. Provided web-conferencing software and a secure open line; tablets can be used in ambulatory care settings, isolation facilities, and exam rooms. This system works for patients who aren't sick but can expose clinicians, visitors, and other patients to the disease. Physicians can also use an electronic intensive care unit (e-ICU) programs to monitor patients in ICUs in different hospitals remotely.

Mobile integrated healthcare programs and community paramedicine make it possible for clinicians to virtually provide expert medical care to patients at home. When the patient gets sicker, the technology reduces exposure by facilitating their direct transfer to a hospital bed, which means that patients can access subspecialists who may not be available in person.
Also, when health care workers contract Covid-19 and are quarantined at home, workforce capacity suffers greatly. Telemedicine not only minimizes exposure but also allows quarantined clinicians to provide services virtually.

In a nutshell, disasters and pandemics present significant challenges to the healthcare system. Telemedicine will not solve all the problems but will go a long way in ensuring the existing infrastructure is suited for the scenario and that clinicians can see patients. In these times of Covid-19, telemedicine can be beneficial.

Unfortunately, drastic times might open doors that host unprecedented opportunities. In the wake of the novel Coronavirus pandemic, it's safe to say more horizons have emerged, but we can all agree that telehealth Medicare provision is undoubtedly groundbreaking. Although CMS' Fostering Innovations Initiative was a top priority plan in Trump's administration to improve telehealth Medicare for seniors, the pandemics exigencies were crucial in making telemedicine a lifeline.

Telemedicine, including Medicare telehealth and other like services, is now essential to provide remote safe healthcare provision to seniors and other Medicare holders. Through authority and many a time via capitalization of various congressional authorizations in pandemic relief legislation, CMS has managed to topple policies that hinder telemedicine healthcare services. This, in turn, allows a variety of beneficiaries to receive safe, clinic-quality Medicare.

Amazing new features

We strive to make more telehealth features available for vulnerable individuals at home even after the pandemic passes. Now, Medicare patients can run an eye exam as well as ventilator management from their couch. We've added more than 135 features for a more convenient clinical tool during the entire epidemic, which you could use to complement traditional Medicare. Other features Medicare beneficiaries will have access to include:

• Telehealth-eligible psychiatric and psychological services
• Remote emergency room access
• Accessible and palatable virtual check-ups
• Expanded list of providers from occupational to physical therapists

There are more exclusive features and benefits accompanied by telemedicine. It reduces the risk seniors, and other Medicare holders are exposed to when seeking standard face to face meetups, for instance.

The future of telemedicine

Telemedicine healthcare provision is currently experiencing a rapid but unprecedented boom as the preferred clinical tool. According to preliminary data, more than 9million Americans sought the services of telemedicine in traditional healthcare provision. This displays a 5000pc rise in satisfied patients within the last three months. The data also indicates that 60% of mental health patients using telehealth-eligible psychiatric services engaged telemedicine to minimize the stigma associated with mental disorders. This is an excellent way to protect both healthcare providers and patients while conserving scarce PPE, which could be used by harder-pressed medics. Nonetheless, Congress needs to enact more favorable policies to ensure all Medicare holders, including seniors, are adequately covered.