Broadband Health: Connecting Patients, Reducing Costs
As our nation’s policy makers debate the best approach for reforming America’s health care system, broadband is bringing revolutionary new services to patients. Not only does broadband’s reach expand medical access, it is also offering lower-cost alternatives that can help ease the burden on our nation’s healthcare system.
Want personalized health care in the comfort of your own home? American Well has partnered with a variety of insurance providers to connect patients visually with their doctors via webcam. Through this service, doctors can prescribe treatment or medication, or request the patient follow up in person. Or, at RelayHealth.com, patients submit detailed information describing their symptoms, which is shared with a doctor who responds digitally with questions, or a prognosis and recommended treatment.
For some primary care practices, digital health savings are already alleviating costs. For example, physicians’ offices using hellohealth.com claim the service cuts overhead costs in half. Hello Health links patients and doctors via instant messaging tools, enabling the doctor to bill the patient on the spot, thereby reducing paperwork and manpower. VisionTree increases efficiency by facilitating digital record-keeping in which patients fill out medical histories online and can make appointments and refill prescriptions via the Internet.
How does this technology play in rural areas? One example is Maryland eCare – a service enabling doctors to remotely oversee patients in rural areas via the Internet, so they can get quality care no matter where they live. The Keas system also aims to improve Americans’ health – regardless of their geography – by sending customized health tips and reminders based on an individual’s age, gender, weight and health conditions.
Can broadband-driven medical advances reduce costs on a large scale? According to the Congressional Budget Office, if all doctors and hospitals participating in Medicare used health IT, including electronic medical records, the federal government could save $34 billion over 10 years, by reducing medical errors and avoiding unnecessary tests and procedures. That’s good news for everyone…so stay healthy and meanwhile enjoy the benefits of broadband.
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