The URAC Report

In comments submitted on June 30, 2017 to the National Quality Forum’s draft framework for telehealth measures, URAC expresses its support of the NQF telehealth committee’s report and provides recommendations.

Residents of more than half of the counties in the U.S. have no access to mental health professionals, making telepsychiatry an absolute game changer for improving access and closing disparity gaps.

Healthcare organizations increasingly view telehealth technology as a strategic tool in expanding the reach of their services. According to a survey released on April 19 by the tax, audit and advisory firm KPMG, one-third of providers now use video-based virtual care and remote patient monitoring services, while about three-quarters of healthcare organizations currently have virtual care incentives in place.

Advanced telehealth programs have the potential to transform the workers’ compensation industry, providing injured employees with a convenient, personal and effective alternative to on-site medical care while reducing utilization of unnecessary services.

With healthcare costs on the rise, telehealth is increasingly being seen as a way for healthcare organizations to save money. A March 2017 report by The Rural Broadband Association suggests telehealth use holds the potential for robust savings. While the cost savings vary by state, the U.S. national average of hospital cost savings per medical facility is estimated at $20,841. In California, for example, the annual hospital cost savings is estimated at $104,564 per facility.   

A growing number of businesses are offering telehealth benefits as part of their employee medical packages. A key driver of the expansion of telehealth: the millennial workforce.

The convenience of being able to speak to a physician via live videoconference is changing healthcare, but how do we maintain quality control and keep our personal data safe?

Washington, DC -- Independent accreditor URAC today published its latest industry insight report addressing the present and future of the telehealth industry. The report, Disrupting Healthcare: Risks and Rewards of Telehealth, examines the major factors driving the growth of telehealth in the U.S. healthcare sector, including financial incentives, changing medical philosophies and a growing need to serve patient populations who lack access to care.