Virtual Care to Take Off in 2019 Despite Hurdles

Healthcare technology went through an overhaul in 2018. From telehealth to wearables and 3D printing, several new technologies emerged and many existing ones got a revamp. Virtual care offerings, telehealth and remote patient monitoring offer major benefits to patients and there is absolutely no doubt in that. However, adoption hurdles remain for these technologies, including issues with reimbursement, a patchwork of regulation and questions of clinical workflow.

Healthtech advisors predict that healthcare providers will begin looking past these issues in the next year. In a recent survey by CDW, just 7 percent of healthcare providers identified telehealth reimbursement as a key issue. This might be because many expect reimbursement constraints to relax in the near future.

Healthcare technology is at an inflection point now. Health systems are starting to understand that this is a mode of care delivery they need to have regardless of reimbursement because it’s a consumer satisfier, it enables better consumer outcomes and, as providers are taking more risk for those outcomes, this virtual care approach allows them to improve outcomes at a lower cost.

Keep watching this space to know more about the latest in healthcare technology, the biggest trends of 2018 and what the coming year has in store.