Utilizing Telehealth in Transitions of Care for Hospitals, Clinics, Home Health and Ambulatory Care

The use of telehealth has gained momentum over the past 10 years and the restrictions of the COVID crisis in the ability to manage patients face-to-face have accelerated its adoption in certain care areas including physician practices as telehealth options were used for virtual visits in lieu of office visits and in managing unstable chronic care patients. Although this trend has begun to subside, the use of telehealth has continued to outperform its pre-COVID levels.

Telehealth is often used as a global term without a clear understanding of what defines telehealth, including what is and what is not considered under the umbrella of the term. This confusion leads to misunderstandings of when it can and should be used and often limits the practitioner in understanding the myriad areas that telehealth can be used to provide high quality, equitable care delivery and limits the overall effectiveness and opportunities for its integration into health care delivery.

However, while telehealth has emerged as a pivotal component in modern health care and is significantly transforming the delivery of medical services, it has been underutilized in other aspects of health care provisioning. It can also serve as a bridge to enhance patient care, especially during transitions of care, which are critical junctures where patients move between different levels or locations of care. The effective use of telehealth in these transitions can lead to improved health outcomes, increased patient satisfaction, and reduced health care costs.

The primary reason for integrating telehealth in transitions of care is to ensure continuity and coordination of care. Transitions are often fraught with communication gaps and information breakdowns, which can lead to medication errors, redundant tests, and ultimately, patient readmissions. The critical clinician shortage and the disparity in care availability based on patient location also contributes to the challenges that can occur during care transitions resulting in unnecessary rehospitalizations and ED visits. Telehealth can mitigate these issues by providing a seamless platform for real-time communication and medical information exchange among health care providers, patients, and caregivers. Additionally, telehealth facilitates timely follow-ups, allowing health care providers to monitor patients’ progress and address any emerging concerns promptly. This proactive approach can prevent complications and promote faster recovery.

Telehealth should be employed at various stages of care transitions to maximize its benefits. Effective implementation of telehealth in care transitions requires a strategic approach. The form of telehealth used varies based on the type of intervention needed, the focus of the patient population and the arena in which it will be used. Understanding which telehealth intervention should be used in which type of care transition is essential for successfully meeting the goals of the program and the patients’ needs. The ability to provide the right telehealth solution, at the right time, for the right patient is critical to ensuring that patients are able to transition safely.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify reason when telehealth should be used as part of a patient’s transition plan of care
• Identify challenges in the transition of care that can be positively impacted by the use of telehealth
• Identify one form of telehealth that can be used as part of the transition of care process
• Learn to effective implement telehealth in care transitions

Areas Covered in the Session:

• Definition of telehealth
• Types of telehealth Delivery systems
• Goals of telehealth
• Who uses telehealth
• Current telehalth rules and regulations
• Types of Transitions of care
• Current challenges with care transitions
• Current telehealth usage in transitions of care
• Live Q&A Session

Recommended participants:

• Physicians
• Clinicians
• Hospitals and Private Clinics
• Home Care Leaders
• Hospice Leaders
• Population Health Directors
• Population Health Developers
• Innovation Leaders
• Innovation Developers
• Telehealth Program Leaders
• Care Transition Leaders
• Health Care Educators
• Care Coordinators
• Compliance Officers

Presenter Biography: