IMAGE © LONELY–FOTOLIA
be diagnosed via a video visit, for example, the common urinary tract infections can, because they use the decision tree based on common question-and-answer protocols used throughout health care during face- to-face visits. Like the nurse triage hotlines, in those cases where the patient’s problem requires a visit to their PCP or a specialist, Carena refers them back to Franciscan. “I see telemedicine doing for
health care what, for banking, the ATM did.” said Green, meaning reducing unnecessary bank visits and the staffing they required—and by extension, the overhead required for running a bank. Or as Robertson put it, “the simple stuff that by default should be taken care of somewhere else, anyway.”
Facing Reimbursement Issues While getting payers to reimburse
Carena’s services is a work in progress, Carena has secured malpractice and liability insurance, said CEO Ralph Derrickson. Some of the same arguments that persuade liability carriers that they manage risk well may end up being the same ones that persuade health insurance payers to cover virtual visits:
• According to Carena research, most in-person visits net the patient 7 minutes with a physician; their virtual visits average 20 minutes.
• Since telemedicine providers understand the limits of remote visits, they take on simpler diagnostic challenges.
• Carena physicians make use of “much clinical decision support,” which standardizes care.
“We’re offering care that’s both
clinically appropriate and under circumstances that are pretty consistent and well known to our liability carrier,” Green said.
Keep Your Head in the Clouds And Your Data on Demand
Cloud computing delivers IT as a service through the use of the Internet and technology such as virtual machines to share software and hardware. One of the most common reasons organizations consider cloud computing is to reduce TCO and minimize IT infrastructure investments. Using the cloud, you can deliver IT services more efficiently, simplify provisioning and deployment, and rapidly scale to meet your unique needs.
Cloud Options • Public Cloud: IT services shared by multiple organizations, managed by an external provider
• Private Cloud: Pooled internal resources of a single organization, delivered on demand
• Hybrid Cloud: An organization’s use of a mix of private and public cloud infrastructures
Call your Account Manager today to learn more about how cloud computing can benefit your organization. 1.800.395.8685
CONNECTION/HEALTHCARE IT 2012.Q3 27
IMAGE ©THOMAS TROJANOWSKI–FOTOLIA
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