This past summer, the Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VACHA), the nonprofit organization that represents the interests of Virginia’s 30 community health centers (and look-alike centers), released research it had commissioned related to the use of telemedicine, especially how COVID-19 had affected its use. To the extent possible (since a great deal of data is not yet available), the study sought to compare the embrace of telehealth among various healthcare practices before, during and “post” pandemic.
While the research’s findings are but a snapshot in time, they made for interesting reading, and we thought we’d share some of the highlights here.
Trends in telehealth during the pandemic
Virginia Health Centers were outpacing health centers nationally in their use of telehealth. In 2018, one in two centers in the Commonwealth were using some form of telemedicine compared to just 43% of health centers nationally. The primary uses were for behavioral health, primary care, managing chronic conditions, consumer and professional education, dermatology and oral health. Soon after the outset of COVID-19, the percentage of health centers nationally employing telehealth spiked to 95% in 2020, a rate that gradually declined as in-person patient visits returned. In June of last year, just over one-third (36%) of weekly health center visits nationally were delivered via telehealth, with rates in the Northeast (48%) more than twice as high as those in the South (20%).
About one in five Dental Health Providers in Virginia had used some form of telemedicine as of August 2020, including prescribing antibiotics or medication for pain (72%), triaging patients to prioritize them (63%) and conducting a visual exam (48%).
Behavioral Health Providers saw one of the most dramatic increases in the use of telehealth. Whereas only 7 percent of psychologists reported employing telepsychology prior to COVID, the percentage leapt to more than 85% during the pandemic. More than one-third say they will continue utilizing telepsychology well into the future.
How Health Centers Can Use Telehealth to Enhance Services
The authors of the research introduce some considerations in how Virginia Health Centers can help telemedicine reach its potential. The promise of greater healthcare equity through telemedicine is one of its inherent benefits, they note, along with enhancing experience for both provider and patient alike as well as potential cost efficiencies. Researchers also point out that telehealth is consistent with the clinical focus of health centers, especially those providing a broad range of care, all of which can be delivered through telemedicine platforms in ways that are convenient for both patient and provider. As health centers determine their posture in a competitive healthcare environment, the study suggests that a strong commitment to telehealth can enhance a health center’s competitive position, even beyond its local community when you consider the far-reaching capacity of telemedicine.
The research concludes with some practical applications – checklists designed to help health centers put together “high-value telehealth services.” There are some 25 thought-starters to consider when planning and implementing a telemedicine strategy.
More broadly, the research identifies ways in which Virginia health centers can be supported, ideas that are familiar to those of us who are telehealth advocates. They include increasing access to broadband, supporting payments and reimbursements that are in line with in-person visits, sharing best practices for implementing telemedicine platforms and enhancing access to education for clinicians and support staff, an area where we at VTN are working hard to implement.
Thanks to VACHA for undertaking and sharing this important research. It puts an exclamation point on the increasing momentum behind telehealth in Virginia.