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CSC: Telemedicine could answer healthcare challenges

As global healthcare reform continues to change approaches to providing quality care, research has shown that implementing telemedicine models in the hospital setting can achieve desirable results. In a recent report, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) outlined ways in which the technology is addressing healthcare challenges, as well as telemedicine’s barriers and recommendations for overcoming them.

In the report, titled “Telemedicine: An Essential Technology for Reformed Healthcare," Freddy Lykke, managing director of CSC Scandihealth in Denmark, and colleagues identified healthcare practices and reform programs in several countries, evaluating the benefits and challenges of telemedicine across the globe. 

Telemedicine is defined in the report as a provision of healthcare delivered via information andcommunications technology, supporting a goal of overcoming a geographical separation of patient and provider. Lykke et al argued that the implementation of telemedicine in hospitals enables widespread delivery of cost-effective, resource-efficient and high-quality care.

Telemedicine is an enabler for combating the rising cost of healthcare, providing high-quality care, meeting care demands, overcoming provider shortages and achieving patient satisfaction, according to the report. 

“Even though telemedicine pilots did not develop into large-scale initiatives, they have provided evidence that these solutions can be implemented and help to address the broad array of healthcare challenges,” the authors wrote. “Telemedicine has been successful in many aspects of care delivery and health management, ranging from the most intensive care setting in the hospital to health and wellness monitoring at home.”

In all levels of care—from intensivist coverage to aged care monitoring and support—researchers found that in the vast majority of the challenges presented, telemedicine either positively or significantly addressed challenges. For example, authors cited a study at the Uniersity of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., which reported a 20 percent decline in patient deaths during its trial period of tele-ICU, and a 36 percent decrease in the severity-adjusted mortality rate at a community hospital also participating in the trial.

Some of the significant challenges to implementing telemedicine are regulatory in nature, while others relate to technology and cost, Lykke and colleagues found.

“The barriers preventing widespread use of telemedicine are coming down, thanks to health reform initiatives, changes to legislation and advances in technology. However, these are long-term changes which take time, making it necessary to address current barriers by developing strategies and tactics for eliminating or mitigating their impact,” the authors wrote. “This is no simple task. Taken singularly, barriers, such as legacy healthcare delivery models, regulatory restrictions, payment policies and technical issues, are complex. … Yet, the collective experiences provide a learning resource to those earlier in the journey.”

A significant traditional barrier to telemedicine, the authors noted, is reimbursement. Some European countries are providing standard reimbursement to telemedicine services, according to the report, and more are starting to follow their lead. Other barriers include legacy care models and regulatory restrictions. Among the technological barriers to implementing telemedicine, are connectivity, systems implementation and interoperability, costs and end-user adoption.

The report's authors put forward specific recommendations on moving forward with technology, including, among others, developing a telemedicine strategy with all stakeholders and preparing an implementation roadmap. For the full CSC report, click here.