Last Updated on February 29, 2024
If you tell someone 50 years ago, that one day, they’d be able to get healthcare services without having to step inside a clinic, they’d probably laugh. Today, the telehealth industry is worth $61.40 billion – and is expected to grow in coming years.
But what is telehealth exactly? And how is it impacting the healthcare sector?
Growth of Telehealth Industry
Perhaps you’ve heard the terms ‘telehealth’ and ‘telemedicine’. They’re often used interchangeably.
However, if we’re being technical, ‘telehealth’ is the umbrella term that refers to using technology for supporting long-distance healthcare. This can include everything from patient education via apps, public health alerts, to video conferencing with a physician.
‘Telemedicine’ on the other hand, is a subset of telehealth and refers to very specific services and methods that medical professionals provide patients in remote settings. This can consist of mental health counseling, remote monitoring, and online consultations.
Telemedicine was initially conceptualized so that patients in rural locations can receive needed medical services. A strange invention in 1925 by Dr. Hugo Gernsback envisioned a tool with spindly robot fingers and radio technology that would examine a patient from a distance. In the 1950s, universities began experiments with transmitting radiologic images.
Several years later, NASA, together with the U.S. Government, the Public Health Department, Department of Defense, and the Health and Human Sciences Department, did trials on sending electro-cardiac rhythm signals via voice radio channels.
Nowadays, anyone with an internet connection and compatible device can avail of telehealth services. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, many people received medical help online. It allowed government agencies to quickly disseminate information. Healthcare practitioners can continue to monitor patient health and symptoms through phone calls and video chats.
HIPAA and Telehealth
As technology gets better and more affordable, one of the challenges in telehealth is to ensure personal information is kept private, despite going through various channels.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or HIPAA, is a federal law that requires covered entities, such as but not limited to healthcare providers, hospitals, insurance companies, and billing services, to protect sensitive patient health information (also known as ‘protected health information’ or PHI) so that it’s not disclosed without the patient’s knowledge or consent. PHI is everything that would help identify a patient, including names, test results, medical history, addresses, and contact details.
All telehealth services, providers, as well as hybrid entities (e.g. a university with a medical center) and business associates (e.g. quality assurance officers, data analysts, lawyers) must comply with the rules under HIPAA. HIPAA compliant telehealth software and apps, on the other hand, must offer multiple safeguards to protect sensitive data.
Violations will result in penalties; for example: purposeful neglect of HIPAA regulations (with correction within 30 days of discovery) could result in $10 to $50,000 per violation. The ultimate goal of HIPAA is to ensure patients know their rights regarding their information and how it is shared or used.
Do you want to start a telehealth business?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more medical professionals were offering telehealth services to their patients. It’s quick, convenient, and a great way for people with mobility or special issues to still get the services they need.
Once you’ve made up your mind to go into a telehealth business, do your homework.
- The first thing you should do is consider the type of solution you want to offer (real-time vs. recorded).
- Second, read up on your state’s telemedicine laws. Make sure you know what Medicare will and will not cover.
- Third, choose HIPAA compliant partners. These are platforms that you will use along with your existing EHR.
- Fourth, don’t forget to count in startup costs. As with every other business, your new venture may cost you in terms of equipment, software, additional staff, etc.
Lastly, weigh the pros and cons. A telehealth business may seem sweet at the moment, but remember that there are barriers to the industry – and these disadvantages may outweigh the advantages in the long term.
What To Look for in Telehealth Partners
To give the best care for patients, healthcare providers must form effective collaborations with different sectors, such as retailers, software companies, and insurance providers. Finding the right telehealth partners will not only give you an edge, but also open doors for innovation and successful patient management.
Make sure your telehealth partner has the following qualifications:
- Offers security and on-going support. When it comes to patient privacy, nothing should be left to chance. One of the first things you should consider is how secure their platforms are and how they store data. For HIPAA-compliant projects, talk to the Empeek team about how they can help you design a safe and secure software solution for your business.
- Flexible and compatible with existing systems. Whether it’s on the Web or on the cloud, your telehealth partner should have flexible services that can run smoothly on any device (desktop, smartphone, tablet, etc… It should be compatible with your current EHR system as well.
- Comprehensive yet easy to use. For platforms and software programs, make sure it includes user-friendly features for you, your staff, and your patients. In essence, it should aid in a) lightening the administrative load, while b) helping you meet different patient needs.
Looking for a trusted software development company as your next telehealth partner? Empeek has been working with healthcare businesses since 2015. Their goal is simple – to support the healthcare sector by offering tailor-made solutions that are innovative, efficient, and most of all, secure.
Contact Empeek today and see how their expertise can help you shape the future of healthcare.