Towards new telehealth strategies at the HIMSS24 Virtual Care Forum
As healthcare organizations underwent a significant shift to virtual care delivery during the pandemic, the need for seamless integration into the digital healthcare ecosystem came to the forefront.
Even as some telehealth metrics have come back down to earth, policies and legislation like the Telehealth Extension and Evaluation Act have made the expansion of virtual care imminent – prompting a critical examination of the processes and technologies thereof.
Next week at HIMSS24, a full-day forum on virtual care will explore the technological convergence enabling the adoption of virtual care, its transformative impact on healthcare delivery, and best practices for overcoming current and future challenges.
Preconference participants Virtual Healthcare Forum – directed by MobiHealthNews eexecutive editor Jessica Hagen – will gain strategic insights into overcoming regulatory and reimbursement barriers, implementing successful remote patient monitoring, strengthening patient-provider relationships, addressing health care disparities, and launching campaigns for digital literacy.
The discussions also include innovative approaches to virtual care integration, regulatory compliance and data security measures.
The forum will kick off with a panel moderated by Jennifer Goldsack, CEO of Digital Medicine Society, focusing on the challenges in scaling virtual care within healthcare institutions, addressing financial barriers and strategies for sustainable pricing models.
Panelists will explore the buy versus build dilemma, including the integration of in-house physicians and third-party providers, as well as the evolving primary care landscape and infrastructure optimization for virtual care expansion.
The discussion also explores the evolving primary care landscape and its implications for the future of healthcare, focusing on optimizing infrastructure and workflows for successful scaling of virtual care.
Midway through the forum, Chad Ellimoottil, associate professor, medical director of virtual care at the University of Michigan Medical Group, and Matthew Pruente, senior director of healthcare industry at Alvarez & Marsal, will discuss the importance of evaluating return on investment for virtual care technologies.
The focus of the discussion will be on building a comprehensive framework for clarifying ROI, including the intricacies of measuring both direct and indirect benefits versus costs incurred, covering a range of virtual care tools such as video consultations, RPM and patient engagement platforms.
Through real-world examples, participants will understand factors that influence ROI in various healthcare environments, empowering them to make informed investment decisions.
The discussion will also address the impact of virtual care on healthcare costs, changing reimbursement laws, and strategies for generating new revenue streams.
Other topics include ROI timelines for telemedicine and patient education strategies to facilitate seamless adoption.
The forum will conclude with a three-person panel moderated by Matt Cybulsky, founder and consultant at Ionian Healthcare Consulting, exploring the topic of improving healthcare through building building trust in virtual agents and chatbots.
Powered by AI-powered technology, these virtual care assistants are reshaping patient care and expanding the capabilities of healthcare professionals.
Panelists will address physician concerns and debate the issues surrounding AI’s capabilities compared to physicians and how healthcare providers can build trust in virtual agents and chatbots as they evolve into essential components of modern healthcare.
The discussion will analyze the impact of virtual communications on healthcare connectivity, explore the challenges facing physicians and patients, and explore strategies for promoting trust through real-world examples, providing participants with the knowledge to effectively deliver high-quality healthcare.
HIMSS24 takes place March 11-15 in Orlando. More information and registration.
Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin.
Email the writer: nathaneddy@gmail.com
Twitter: @dropdeaded209