Primary care physicians are the heart of healthcare in the United States. In addition to providing many crucial healthcare services, they are the traffic cop for all other forms of healthcare in the healthcare system.
Virtual primary care can address challenges in traditional healthcare by filling existing gaps in care and providing various benefits to healthcare organizations, providers and patients, according to experts.
A big part of the telemedicine technology and services business The company of Teladoc Health is in primary care.
We interviewed Kelly Bliss, president of US Healthcare at Teladoc Health, to discuss how virtual primary care can provide high-quality care coordination for preventative care, chronic condition management and mental health care; deliver cost savings through lower out-of-pocket expenses and premiums, and avoid unnecessary or repetitive care in physical settings; and improve access to care and the patient experience.
Q. You argue that virtual primary care can increase value in several ways. First, you suggest it can provide high-touch care coordination for preventative care, chronic condition management, and mental health care. Explain here how and what value virtual primary care adds.
A. Virtual primary care serves as an entry point to provide individuals with access to the healthcare system and through the healthcare system to the individual where they want to receive care. And usually that is at home.
It is perfectly positioned to deliver integrated care as it can act as a hub for other services (mental health, chronic condition management, specialist care) and can be combined with a hybrid, in-person experience when medically appropriate.
It overcomes historic challenges to access to primary care and better connects people to detection, prevention and condition management, empowering them to live their healthiest lives.
For example, within our own program, 38% of diabetes diagnoses were newly diagnosed, and 25% of individuals diagnosed with hypertension were similarly newly diagnosed by their Teladoc primary care provider. These are diagnoses that would otherwise have gone unnoticed and led to uncontrolled outcomes.
And virtual-first doesn’t just mean virtual. It is essential virtual primary care work in combination with the broader healthcare ecosystem, connecting patients digitally and physically with specialists in the network as needed.
For example, many people support preventative screenings for things like colon, breast, or cervical cancer, and much of this knowledge is gathered or learned during a virtual primary care visit. Strong virtual care programs connect the dots for members and help guide them to the right follow-up care.
Q. You also argue that virtual primary care provides cost savings through lower out-of-pocket expenses and premiums, and avoids unnecessary or repetitive care in physical settings. Please elaborate on this suggestion and the value created.
A. Primary care has long been known and recognized as a model to curb rising costs. People without a primary care physician often lag behind in health screenings, have difficulty managing their chronic conditions, and are more likely to use expensive settings, such as emergency rooms or emergency rooms, often for care that could have been treated in a primary care setting.
The convenience of virtual primary care – combined with its ability to support better preventative care – reduces unnecessary ER visits and guides members to the most cost-effective healthcare service.
Virtual primary care embedded in a virtual health plan can have an outsized impact on affordability, both at the employer/health plan sponsor level and at the member level. The digital accessibility of virtual-first health care plans, combined with low or no co-payments, motivates individuals to seek preventative care early and often, reducing the risk of disease progression and unnecessary hospitalizations.
These plans are becoming increasingly popular as consumers increasingly demand and expect a virtual component to their healthcare.
Q. You go on to say that virtual primary care can improve access to care and the patient experience. How exactly?
A. There are numerous challenges facing in-person primary care today. I would say one of the bigger barriers is the lack of access to a PCP in general. Many people across the country live in designated primary care deserts, leaving them with little or no access to the care they need.
According to recent studiesan estimated 100 million people, or one-third of Americans, do not have a primary care provider.
Additionally, wait times for a PCP can be long (waiting for an in-person visit can take up to a month), and actual visits with the PCP can be quite short. Even finding time for an appointment can be difficult, given unique work schedules, family obligations and more.
Virtual primary care can remove these geographic barriers to care. It eliminates many inconsistencies and disparities in care, allowing individuals to receive the same quality of care regardless of the community in which they live.
Virtual primary care also provides more flexibility in scheduling appointments and convenience in making appointments where and how appointments are made. Individuals can connect with their PCP and care team via phone, video, or in-app messaging, with an appointment or on-demand.
This is especially useful for patients in rural or remote locations and low-income areas, who may face transportation barriers.
Virtual primary care visits also take longer than in-person visits, with some initial visits lasting more than 45 minutes. Individuals can build better rapport and trust with their primary care physician this way, which can improve adherence to the care plan and more. We see that these relationships translate into member satisfaction of more than 95%.
While virtual primary care is an important first step in improving health outcomes, in-person services are still needed at times. This is another area where virtual primary care excels: a strong virtual care offering ensures that individuals can connect to other, high-quality care within their network as needed, whether that’s lab testing, chronic condition management, cancer screenings, fertility benefits, mental health care , healthcare and more.
Q. It has been reported that the national average wait time to see a new GP is almost a month. What is the value proposition that virtual primary care can offer here?
A. Long and inconvenient waiting times are a major problem that prevents people from providing primary care. As mentioned, the national average waiting time for a GP surgery is almost a month. This is largely due to a shortage of primary care physicians across the country, and some communities are disproportionately affected.
But with virtual primary care, we can remove those geographic barriers and provide individuals with access to physicians beyond those in their zip code. It can provide access to primary care in all zip codes across the country within five days, giving individuals who previously lacked access a fair opportunity to begin their preventive health care journey.
That’s a significant difference, and that extra time can go a long way toward early identification and timely treatment, which are essential for patients with diabetes, hypertension and other complex conditions. In fact, we see our physicians’ oncology referrals and subsequent early detection of cancer literally saving lives.
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