American Well Case Analysis

Employers are beginning to incorporate telemedicine into the benefits package for their employees. Recognizing e-visits are beneficial to the employer, because the employee will not need as much time away from work to have non-emergent health conditions treated. In addition, the service is a cost savings to both the employer and employee. There are some employer groups covering these services at 100 percent for their employees’. E-visits are cheaper than clinic, and office visits.

Some health insurance providers and employers have health advocates, usually registered nurses, these experts provide medical advice and save the individual time in emergency departments and the doctor’s office unnecessarily. According to Sewell (2016), “Telenursing offers nurses a chance create more collaborative and autonomous roles and at the same time reduce the overall cost of healthcare” (p.322). My experience with telehealth is limited to home health care, our company would have us follow up high risk new admissions with a daily phone call for the first

Grand Hospital incorporated currently uses a proprietary healthcare information system that includes a patient portal, electronic medical records, computerized physician order entry, imaging, laboratory and pharmacy. Grand Hospital’s leadership is investigating creative resolutions to improve current physician service coverage, including ICU, radiology, and behavioral health via the implementation of telemedicine into the current system. (Wagner, Lee, & Glaser, 2013)

Changes in current health care practices, the aging baby-boomer population, and the higher acuity of patients has created a need for change and adaptability with the health care industry. Kaiser is an organization who has shown the ability to continuously change in order to reduce costs while improving efficient quality patient care. The investment on information technology (IT) advancements such as the implantation of electronic health records (EHRs) and use of a patient portal system is one way the organization has shown readiness to meet the health care needs of patients. KP in collaboration with five other healthcare organizations created a Care Connectivity Consortium, enabling secure electronic retrieval of current

Advances in modern technology surrounds us in our day to day lives, allowing conveniences and efficiency at our fingertips. Great strides have been made over the years with technology, and the healthcare industry along with many other industries have adopted this new way of functioning; electronically. The effects of technology have come to the forefront in where our government has acknowledged the benefits and opportunities. “The promise of Health Information Technology for improving quality and safety of health care while reducing costs has caught the eye of policy makers and other leaders in health care” (Hersh, 2006). It deeply affects how we connect, interact, and communicate internally and externally, but also gives us a sense of control on how we engage ourselves to the innovative software and systems.

The main reason institutions are switching to the new technology of exchanging health information is specifically to reduce costs and help improve health care quality. In this case study that is what San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center wanted exactly, to effortlessly exchange patient’s medical information. San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center which is a rural hospital in Alamosa Colorado is one of the many hospitals and providers that can benefit from this change. In 2004 AHRQ signed a contract to the University of Colorado Health and sciences Center, which later on developed a point-of-care inquiry system for four healthcare organizations in the Denver region. The system allowed emergency room clinicians within the four locations to exchange medical data. They were able to sufficiently and rapidly retrieve and send patient medical histories, x-rays, medication lists, and all problem lists. The AHRQ contract also help started the development of the

Tomika, a co-worker is excited about her new job working for an agency that installs tele-monitoring equipment into the homes of people with chronic illnesses. She will monitor the patients using the equipment with the goal of detecting problems before these patients are readmitted to the hospital. A job in telenursing enables the nurse to work from home assessing and interacting with her patients through videoconferencing. According to a scholarly journal of the American Nurses of Association, there has been an escalation in deployment of remote technology to enhance health care, and an increasing acceptance of these technologies. There are also legal and regulatory questions pertaining to the provision of healthcare using these technologies

The current healthcare is quite complex as healthcare is provided to a number of patient in a number different facilities and providers who do not share the same EMR. So, in other words healthcare is fragmented, however HIE is perceived to solve this problem. As part of the affordable health care reform, HIE have been views as the medium to securely share electronic patient health information across different faculties or providers (Bhansal & Gupta, 2014). Analyzing the statistical use, “in U.S. more than 100 organizations facilitate HIEs among provider organizations, and 30% of hospitals and 10% ambulatory clinics participate” (Rudin, Motala, Goldzweig, & Shekelle, 2014). There are countless benefits of implementing HIEs such as provide coordinated care, which might eventually reduce medical errors and improve patient safety (Bhansal & Gupta, 2014). Additionally, it can also reduce medical costs by avoiding duplicated services. Furthermore, the availability of patient health information especially at the emergency department is perceived to have a positive effect on both patient safety and quality care. However, these HIEs face a number of challenges including “lack of funding, concerns about privacy and security, technical issues, organizational concerns” (Bhansal & Gupta, 2014).

Telehealth: Opportunities and Challenges Student’s Name Institution/University Telehealth: Opportunities and Challenges Telehealth is defined as the use of information technology to support healthcare activities such as health administration, patient education, professional training and public health (Yasnoff et al., 2000). The recent concept of telehealth is continuously changing to enhance patient care in more efficient ways. The use of telehealth cuts across different settings such as the doctors’ offices, hospitals and even in home-based care. The telehealth encompasses the use of telephones, video calls, computers and other teleconferencing equipment.

The health care industry is one of the most dynamic and delicate industries in the U.S. having experienced healthy and substantial changes for the last thirty years most of which have aimed to improve health care management and services delivery to the patients. The changes have enabled the integration of technology into the industry such as in the area of informatics, science and research and payment services and clinical treatments. The health care sector has introduced various changes to address disease and health care management such as the Modernization Act of 2003, the Patient Protection Act and Affordable Act, which aim at improving health provision and most

Patient/member web portals are becoming more mainstream in today's healthcare industry because of the advance in internet web-based services as well as the rise in health information technology. According to Miller (2009), the growth in internet access in today's healthcare practices has driven an increase in the use of patients web portal by many healthcare organizations (both nationally and worldwide) due to its much-secured interface and broader features compared to e-mail.

This paper focuses on the use of modern technology in the health care service. M-health service has been recommended for the CVS/ Caremark pharmacy company to improve their customer service. This would help them to cut costs and access people in remote areas. This would help CVS / Caremark Company to go global and increase their network.

Virtual care technologies that encompass digital, as well as broadband, tools are quickly becoming recognized as a necessary component in providing more efficient, more convenient, quality healthcare at a time of increasing healthcare resource constraints. These technologies are effectively used by healthcare professionals to treat and manage a wide array of acute and chronic conditions. Inconsistencies, however, in virtual care modalities and artificial government limitations, such as geographical restrictions, create unnecessary barriers to the full utilization and potential of virtual care.

There is an increasing need within the U.S. for quality health care to be provided to individuals who have limited access whether it is due to a rural environment, disabilities, or in the field of battle. Telemedicine is literally medicine provided at a distance. Telehealth is able to alleviate some of the effects of a growing shortage of professionals such as primary care physicians. In this type of health care delivery, the dynamics between the patient and the entire health care system changes. Telemedicine meets the increasing demands of patients to have greater access, or responsiveness, from a health care provider. It also meets the needs of the provider who is very interested in time-saving, safety-enhancing assistance in their daily practice. Employers and health plans are also very interested in telemedicine as a means of improving compliance with treatment plans and care management initiatives (Hodgkins, 2008). The use of email also allows the patient to have increased access to their health care providers. Instead of calling their health care provider’s office, patients are now able to email their non-emergent health care questions to their provider. Conversely, health care providers are able to email patients reminders for appointments or wellness tips.

ONLINE CARE AND ITS POTENTIAL  Communication : The Interaction between the Doctor and Patient can be immensely improved , where the patient can provide their feedback , acknowledgment and condition via email instead of scheduling new appointment  Choice of Doctors: The Patients can choose which doctors want to be seen there by giving them an option to pick doctors of their choice based on their experience and reviews  Second Opinion: The patient can take an immediate second opinion if in case of doubt. There by eliminating ones cynicism about their illness  Social Stigma: The concept of Social stigma is completely removed as customer can have privacy as he can book the appointment meet the doctor from