Telemedicine Primary Care Sets the Standard

When telemedicine debuted, it was an incredible tool for accessing specialized care. Patients in rural or remote locations needed a way to see specialists outside their area. And because virtual platforms are so effective, many more providers have turned to remote care. As a result, telemedicine primary care has stepped onto the scene.

Doctors and patients aren’t alone in pushing for virtual primary care. Forty-five states have passed laws for reimbursement on Medicaid or private payer insurance [1]. Many insurance companies have gone a step further by incentivizing remote service. With this popular support, it’s no wonder why telemedicine has become the healthcare standard.

While the benefits of remote care aren’t all obvious, they paint a clear picture. Patients can get fast and easy care from the comfort of their own homes. Meanwhile, providers can use virtual platforms to offer a higher standard of treatment. And to prove it, Beam is here to outline why telemedicine primary care is on its way to becoming the norm.

What goes into primary care?

Primary care is a broad field that includes many different medical approaches. Because of this, primary care can look radically different to various patients. So, to explain why telemedicine primary care is valuable, we have to start by asking what primary care consists of.

First, telemedicine primary care simplifies regular checkups. Seeing a general practitioner at least once a year is important for any patient. Thankfully, telemedicine video chat and home testing kits allow you to streamline this visit from home. And thanks to telemedicine’s security, practices can send test results back via email or text.

Of course, some patients have pressing medical needs that demand ongoing care. While some illnesses call for walk-in services, you can manage many chronic conditions remotely. Patients on an already-existing treatment regimen can call in for updates and discuss symptoms. Unless a user’s condition takes a turn for the worse, telemedicine has them covered.

Finally, telemedicine primary care simplifies prescription management. Insurance providers and states are changing their laws to allow remote medication distribution. Practices can write or change a client’s prescription after discussing their symptoms. Whether it’s for physical or psychiatric conditions, access to medicine will improve patients’ quality of life.

Why Patients should switch

While the basics of primary care are simple, telemedicine does a lot to enhance a patient’s experience. Virtual care offers tools in-person clinics can’t use. As a result, switching to telemedicine primary care isn’t just convenient. It could allow for better treatment going forward.

Telemedicine streamlines primary care. All too often, checkups involve follow-up appointments and tests patients have to fit into their schedules. But with virtual treatments, home tests and follow-ups take less time and travel. Remote platforms provide the same care while stressing convenience.

Telemedicine primary care also offers an urgent care safety net. By building relationships with practitioners at a clinic, you have open lines of communication in case of an emergency. Urgent care treatment for allergies, infections, and viruses can be offered along with primary care. In case you need help fast, it never hurts to have somewhere to turn and a doctor you trust.

Finally, telemedicine is at least as helpful as in-person treatment. Some patients are hesitant to try remote care because they assume it must be less effective. However, one poll found that 95% of users received at least the same quality of care online as they have in person [2]. And among this group, many felt that telemedicine was the better model of treatment. No matter how you slice it, remote service rises to meet patients’ needs.

Why Providers Should Switch

Like all medical services, telemedicine is a two-way street. While patients stand to gain from telemedicine primary care, they aren’t the only ones in this equation. Primary healthcare workers benefit from switching to remote treatment. All the while, their quality of service never takes a hit.

Right now, the US faces a shortage of primary care specialists [3]. If that wasn’t bad enough, the available providers are mostly located in cities. But rather than leave rural patients in the cold, telemedicine can increase access to treatment. Thanks to virtual platforms, clinics have more access to the patients who need them than ever before.

Remote appointments work as they would in person, all thanks to telemedicine’s tools. Video conferences ensure that face-to-face interactions are reliable and in real-time. Integrated patient notes and appointment logs streamline data collection. And platforms like Beam offer EHR integration that makes telemedicine primary care workflows easy to follow.

On the regulatory side, telemedicine is just as useful. Virtual platforms stress the importance of security and HIPAA compliance. Some platforms even check insurance eligibility automatically, simplifying the billing process. Finally, your software may even offer legal and regulatory support in the face of new laws.

Telemedicine for primary care is the future of regular treatment. And since providers and clients both love it, all they need is a platform to meet on. Here, Beam will help by offering a year of free service to qualifying mental health clinics. Click here to learn more about our commitment to accessible healthcare.

Sources:

[1] https://www.pcdc.org/telehealth-how-primary-care-is-changing/

[2] https://chironhealth.com/telemedicine/providers/primary-care/

[3]https://www.pcpcc.org/2020/07/10/new-report-confirms-growing-shortage-primary-care-physicians