Telehealth-RPM-Virtual Visits-Voice Health

ATA’s live event return to Boston. This week the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) conference, charmingly titled “What Now? Creating Opportunity in a Time of Uncertainty,” returned to a live format event in Boston. For those wondering, the event title relates to 'reimbursement uncertainties, workflow challenges, and investments needed.' Most of the exhibitor list of companies' focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of provider workflow and businesses. But some offered innovation for patients, whether in virtual visits and care, vital sign measurement, and improvements to patient experience. One might note that individuals 55 and older account for more than half of healthcare spending, with costs rising with age.  Here are five from the ATA event, content from vendor websites:

Covid-19 fallout pushed the care industries into the home.  A sweeping set of changes from that time that may have appeared temporary. But a number of these changes are likely permanent.  Telehealth vs. in-person:  the Covid-19 public health emergency declaration to reimburse doctors for providing telehealth services for Medicare recipients has been repeatedly renewed. Bills are in Congress will make it permanent.  Medical practices are now offering choices to patients – in person or telehealth?  Home care vs. assisted living – the demand is for home care.    Hospitals continue to close, especially in rural areas. Acute care delivery at home for Medicare recipients has been endorsed by the American Hospital Association – and bills supporting it may pass. Finally, the CMS-created codes for remote patient monitoring (RPM) can be used for reimbursement of chronic disease monitoring services.

Staffing issues continue to plague senior care organizations. The news articles pile up – assisted living and nursing home staffing shortages; stranding older adults without home health care; keeping patients in hospitals longer because of lack of care; nursing home staffing crisis; Medicaid paying family members to provide care, low wages and low unemployment worsen care situation, and on and on. And the shortage of care workers is mirrored in other industries – signs are posted everywhere seeking workers in the midst of the ‘great resignation.’

Isn’t March a l-o-n-g month? So many weeks, so many blog posts to, uh, post. Note the top trends that matter this year. Many changes underway in the enabling tech categories for older adults – including the importance of tech for home care agencies – not just the apps for the workers, but for care recipients, such as remote monitoring. And for hearing aid wearers, the smartphone can carry multiple apps that improve their quality of life. Finally, the smartwatch, aka personal emergency response device, gets another entrant – and the very first mobile PERS ('medical alert') company, Mobile Help, is acquired. Summing up the month: