The ongoing efforts for healthcare providers to cut costs while striving to improve their level of care to patients will not decrease in 2015. So, for a healthcare provider to attempt to control costs on their end, it’s not just about profits – it’s also about extending those savings to the patient. The health image exchange technology that has been developed recently is helping to control costs while improving the level of care patients receive.
The healthcare system in the U.S. still has many areas to improve on, as is evident in the Commonwealth Fund’s 2014 review of international healthcare. The review places the U.S. near the bottom of nations offering substantial dimensions of access, efficiency and equity of healthcare services. What can the nation do to control costs? The answer might lie in technology; according to a study by Towers Watson, if Telehealth applications replaced every emergency, physician and urgent care visit today; healthcare costs would fall by $6 billion. This is a far-reaching goal that isn’t realistic, but it points to an issue that on a smaller scale is certainly doable.
Healthcare executives have expressed positive attitudes about Telehealth, saying it could help to not only cut costs, but also improve patient outcomes. Foley & Lardern’s survey reveals that there are some problems with the system when it comes to providers being reimbursed: 41 percent of respondents to the survey said they do not get reimbursed for telemedicine services, and another 21 percent said when they are paid, it’s at a lower rate than what they believe is fair.
The tide is turning for providers – more states are enacting laws that require insurance companies to cover services provided through telemedicine. More sweeping changes are underway with the Telehealth Parity Act of 2014, which has been introduced to Congress. It proposes a rollout of changes in three stages that will expand coverage and include Medicare in the mix.
Related to the telehealth movement is the concept of the health image exchange setup where providers can easily share their medical images without worry regarding disparate systems. The rural providers are at a particular disadvantage when it comes to resources, both financially and technologically, and this solution will work and is currently working in their favor. Vendors are establishing the health image exchange to give these providers access to quality services that help them save money while improving the level of care they provide their patients.
OffSite Image Management, Inc. is actively fighting the good fight when it comes to bringing the latest technology to the healthcare industry in an effort to improve patient care while offering cost savings to providers. The health image exchange is just one of the ways we’re giving providers in many states the means to share images without the roadblocks caused by non-vendor neutral systems. For more information about how we save you money while improving your level of care, contact us today.