| | October 20178CIOReviewIN MY OPINIONBy Lynn Gibson, VP/ CTO, Christus HealthConsidering a Telemedicine Program`How do we provide medical care to a man flying in a space capsule thousands of miles above us?" It was some form of that question that began the technology that we now refer to as telemedicine and which is evolving into telehealth. With changing technology and laws at both the federal and state levels, telemedicine is starting to find its way into a more traditional path and offering in our society. It is becoming a new approach to the older version of a house call. This is a great relief for the areas of our country who do not have physicians or the level of specialties that reside in our major metropolitan areas. Large healthcare organizations to individual practice groups are starting to embark on this journey, but it can be one fraught with potential failures and frustrations if not given careful thought. When an organization embarks to add an offering of telemedicine to its list of services, there are some considerations which should be given attention: physician engagement, selection of offerings, technology approach, and method of execution.Physician EngagementThere can be no telemedicine program without engaged and supportive physicians. This not only includes physicians to directly participate in the program, but those whose service may be directly impacted. For example, should an offering of tele-cardiology be considered, will the cardiologists in practice within the organization participate or be supportive or will they see it as a threat to their own practice.The state and local insurance offerings may or may not be supportive of reimbursement of services when rendered outside a personal and direct touch? Legislation such as HITECH and ARRA have created support for telemedicine programs, but states are still the key holder of insurance. This can be a key to physician engagement.Selection of OfferingsTelemedicine to some can be seen as a simple video conference between a general practitioner receiving a consult from a specialist. To others it represents specially designed room with complex equipment where local medical technicians connect with a specialist some hundreds of miles away via a video screen who performs the procedure or conducts the office visit while receiving reports and response at their computer.
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