The advent of telemedicine has reshaped the healthcare landscape, particularly for seniors. This incredible innovation offers a wealth of benefits, making healthcare more accessible and convenient for older adults. This article explores the benefits, challenges, and best practices of telemedicine for seniors.

The Rise of Telemedicine

Telemedicine experienced a significant surge during the COVID-19 pandemic as in-person visits became risky. In April 2020, telehealth use for patient visits was 78 times higher than in February 2020, according to McKinsey. This spike remains steady, with telemedicine playing a crucial role in delivering care, especially for senior patients.

The Appeal of Telemedicine for Seniors

Telemedicine provides a myriad of benefits for older individuals, who often face challenges in accessing healthcare. Here’s a closer look at how telemedicine is transforming healthcare for seniors.

1. Convenient Access to Healthcare

Seniors often have complex health needs that necessitate multiple doctor visits. However, many older adults face challenges in attending these appointments due to mobility or transportation limitations. Telemedicine offers easy, convenient access to care right from the comfort of a patient’s home, reducing the need for trips outside the house.

2. Reduced Exposure to Illnesses

By facilitating virtual doctor visits, telemedicine minimizes the risk of exposure to illnesses, particularly vital during pandemics or flu seasons. This reduced exposure is especially beneficial for seniors, who often have weakened immune systems.

3. Better Chances of Being Seen Sooner

With telemedicine, seniors don’t need to wait for an available appointment slot or spend time traveling to a healthcare provider’s office. This convenience often translates into the ability to be seen by a healthcare provider sooner.

4. Potential for Better Health Monitoring

Telemedicine technology enables physicians to monitor symptoms more easily. Remote patient monitoring (e.g., monitoring daily blood pressure readings via a Bluetooth device) or shorter but more frequent telehealth visits can help manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes and COPD.

5. Relief for Caregivers

Many seniors have dedicated caregivers who can quickly experience burnout due to the demands of caregiving. Telemedicine can reduce this burden by providing easier access to doctor appointments, freeing caregivers to attend to other responsibilities.

Preparing for Telehealth Appointments with Seniors

Transitioning to telemedicine may be a new experience for some seniors. Here are some activities that can help make a telehealth visit more successful.

1. Home Setup Walkthrough

Before a telehealth appointment, it’s a good idea to walk seniors through their home setup. A staff member can contact the patient to guide them through the process of starting the visit, checking their internet connection, and ensuring their device is sufficiently charged and capable of video calls.

2. Technology Basics Review

The staff member should also make sure the patient knows how to check into the telehealth visit, position their camera, check lighting, and adjust audio settings.

3. Audio-Only Appointments

For patients who don’t have a device that supports video or a slow WiFi connection, audio-only appointments are a good option. These work well for follow-up appointments, reviewing lab or test results, and discussing medication changes or refills.

4. Involving a Caregiver or Family Member

Before the visit, ask the patient if they would like a family member or caregiver to participate and help during the appointment. A support person can assist in getting the patient online, troubleshoot technology challenges, and facilitate communication.

Telemedicine Reimbursement Policies and Billing Medicare

Reimbursement policies for telemedicine under Medicare continue to evolve. It’s essential for healthcare providers to stay updated on the latest changes to ensure they’re properly billing for telehealth services.

Best Practices for Treating Older Adults Through Telemedicine

Here are a few tips to help older adults access health care through telemedicine:

1. Understand that your patients might not be digitally literate or have a basic understanding of how video calls work.
2. Consider other non-video telehealth options such as phone calls or answering follow up questions via email.
3. Allow extra time during the first few telehealth appointments with an older patient. They may need more time to figure out how to get online and logged into the video chat.
4. Use remote monitoring devices such as blood pressure monitors, heart rate monitors, and continuous glucose monitors. These devices can measure vital information such as cardiac conditions and diabetes, possibly minimizing the need for in-person visits.

Telemedicine: The Future of Healthcare

The majority of patients aged 65 or older reported being satisfied with the care they received via telehealth and want it to continue to be an option. Despite some seniors’ preference for in-person care, many envision utilizing a hybrid of telemedicine and in-person care in the future.

Telemedicine Challenges and Solutions

While telemedicine offers a range of benefits, it’s not without challenges. However, innovative solutions are helping overcome these barriers. From delivering tablets to patients who lack them to introducing practice visits for those with limited digital literacy, healthcare providers are finding creative ways to make telemedicine work for seniors.

Conclusion

Telemedicine is a game-changer in healthcare, especially for seniors. By improving access to care, reducing exposure to illnesses, and easing the burden on caregivers, telemedicine is making a significant difference in seniors’ lives. As telemedicine continues to evolve, it’s likely to play an even more critical role in senior healthcare.