remote monitoring • Telehealth • VA • hospital admissions • 3 min read • Jul 3, 2014 12:00:00 AM • Written by: Brad Ranks
As the Veteran Affairs organization makes it way out of an extensive investigation regarding delaying treatment for its members, it continues to implement telemedicine to provide service for its patients. While their scheduling system remains under scrutiny, their pioneering efforts in telemedicine have proven effective and useful. Based on a study conducted throughout the year of 2013, researchers found that the VA managed to reduce their hospital admissions by about 35% through the use of telemedicine.
Since many veterans (about 45%) live in rural areas, it is difficult for them to obtain proper medical care without telemedicine. In 2013 alone, there were 1.8 million recorded episodes of care that took place online, helping patients with conditions ranging from PTSD to chronic diseases. Here are a few of the reasons why telehealth has worked for the VA:
+ It saves tax payer money
+ Medical treatments are performed in a timely manner with little to no wait times
+ Patients are more comfortable seeking medical assistance
+ Older patients can live at home with remote monitoring of their condition
Due to the fact that the VA has continued to receive positive clinical outcomes and patient experiences from telemedicine, they continue to be an excellent advocate for its effectiveness. The entire medical community has become increasingly aware of the VA’s efforts, which will help telemedicine gain more ground in other areas of healthcare where patients can have access to more convenient and efficient treatment.
