Washington, D.C. — Telehealth was once the topic of futuristic videos. A handsome, charismatic doctor would beam into the living room of some fairly-fit family on a very-expensive-looking big screen and take their vitals with flashes of light, all while conferencing in consults from around the world to diagnose the son’s … hangnail?
Real life telehealth is a little less dramatic and increasingly a lot more common place. Chances are, you already have access. A critical mass of insurance plans and practice programs actively encourage members to interact with their doctors through video, email or text messaging.
A recent study by the Affiliated Workers Association, found that more than 36 million Americans have used telemedicine. For simple consults, the practice makes sense. The American Medical Association says that as many as 70% of doctor office visits are for information or matters that can be handled over the phone.
One of the surprise proving grounds of telehealth has been the Veteran’s Administration. It’s used telehealth to connect with an estimated 460,000 veterans in the past year and is looking to double that number in the coming year with an aggressive campaign that includes new and expanded services.
Their program fundamentally changes the consumer healthcare experience. It pairs apps, home videos visits, even educational iPads for caregivers, with traditional in-office care to create a system that works with – rather than interrupts – the lives of veterans.
What’s more? It works for people and for the bottom line. The VA’s telehealth program has earned a 30 percent reduction in bed days of care, an 80 percent increase in patient satisfaction rates and saved an estimated $1,900 per person annually and consistently since 2005, moving it well beyond the “pilot” stage.
Posted by: Leigh Householder
About the Author:
As Managing Director of Innovation and Insights for Syneos Health Communications, Leigh is responsible for building and scaling a global team of healthcare experts who together help life science leaders better understand the complex lives, influences and expectations of their customers. Specifically, they uncover actionable insights that fuel empathy and creativity; lead co-creation events that let marketers learn from peers, trends, and new possibilities; and help clients identify the most valuable and useful new customer experiences to create.
Leigh has worked with Fortune 1000 companies to craft their digital, mobile, social and CRM strategies for nearly 20 years.She’s worked for category-leading agencies in retail, public affairs, B2B technology, and higher education. Prior to moving to Syneos Health Communications, she held several leadership roles at our largest agency, GSW. There, she founded an innovation practice fueled by the zeitgeist and spearheaded digital and innovation thinking across the business.
Leigh has taken a special interest in complex healthcare products that can change lives in meaningful ways. She was recently a strategic lead on the 3rd largest launch in pharmaceutical history: Tecfidera. Before that she had keys roles with Eli Lilly Oncology, Abbott Nutrition, Amgen Cardiovascular, and Eli Lilly Diabetes.
A critical part of Leigh’s work is trends and new ideas. Every year, she convenes a group of trend watchers from across our global network to identify the shifts most critical to healthcare marketers. This year, she led over 250 experts to experts to focus on the most important changes in the commercial, consumer, marketing, digital and healthcare landscapes. (See reports at trends.health)
Leigh is a sought-after writer and speaker. Recognized as one of the most inspiring people in the pharmaceutical industry by PharmaVoice and Top 10 Innovation Catalysts of 2017 by MM&M, Leigh also was recognized as a Rising Star by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) for her overt passion, industry thought leadership and significant contributions in new business, strategy and mentoring.
