April 30, 2020
How COVID-19 is Expediting the Telehealth Movement
As healthcare IT leaders we are innately problem solvers. A day doesn’t go by that we are not presented with new challenges and requests from the clinicians, physicians, and administrators we serve. The ongoing COVID-19 healthcare crisis shines a blinding light on our ability (or inability) to respond quickly and efficiently in times of great need. As many companies across the globe close their doors in response to COVID-19, healthcare organizations deemed essential remain open. But with so much at stake, visiting those patient-facing organizations is flat out precarious. In turn, the response has been swift, and telehealth jobs are having a moment.
Telehealth Jobs and Reimbursements During COVID-19
The recent and frenetic advancement of telehealth and data sharing is reminiscent of the impact of the 2009 HITECH Act on the adoption electronic health records. Then, we all witnessed the positive behavioral influence incentive dollars had on achieving computerized physician order entry (CPOE) percentages and other healthcare electronic data advances that had previously lagged for years with little movement. Now we are witnessing what the industry knew was sorely needed: a change in payment structures for telehealth jobs. Unfortunately, it took a crisis of incredible proportion requiring social distancing to prompt CMS and commercial payers to hastily redefine telehealth reimbursement. Without doubt the telehealth pandora’s box has been opened and won’t be easily closed once the
crisis subsides.
Data Sharing and Security During COVID-19
As shocking as the rapid approval of telehealth reimbursement is the promotion of data sharing on a variety of local, state, and national levels. Among the changes was published regulatory guidance that immediately permitted communication via non-traditional commercial sources like FaceTime and Zoom. HIPAA requirements were relaxed to promote access and exchange of vital patient information. But just as quickly came the exploitation of cyber vulnerabilities and the realization that there will be a price to pay for such hasty action without advance planning.
Remote Work During COVID-19
To accomplish social distancing, replacing on-prem with remote work shatters yet another norm that will be challenged to return to business as usual once the crisis subsides. For those organizations without a robust remote work policy and procedure, it has been a frenzied and chaotic scramble to ensure business continuity. Accessibility has always been a hurdle — remote network connections, home connection speed to meet diagnostic level requirements, deploying fixed and mobile devices to remote (home) locations, data protection and encryption, conference capability, application software changes, infection control, etc. It’s essential we adapt.
Healthcare IT & Business Continuity Moving Forward
At some point in the future we will reflect on our response to this crisis with the immediate shock behind us. Sadly, the sacrifices are already staggering for many. But with collaboration and resiliency we will wake up to a new day allowing each of us to take stock of all that has occurred. For IT professionals we will begin the arduous job of augmenting and correcting course on technology decisions made in haste during the crisis. Debates will continue, new products and technologies will be introduced, new skill sets will be required, and undoubtedly new regulations will emerge to govern all of the above. In spite of the obstacles, we are compelled to use our current experience to forge a path forward with purposeful focus on IT Business Continuity the likes of which we may never have gotten to if not for the challenges we currently face.