A substantial majority of American clinicians believe that telehealth options can play a crucial role in improving healthcare practices, especially in the management of chronic conditions, according to recent research.
Almost 95% of older adults have at least one chronic condition, according to the National Council on Aging. The most prevalent conditions are hypertension, high cholesterol and arthritis, which at least one third of all older adults have, the NCA found.
According to the federal government, 73.9% of nursing home residents and 47.9% of assisted living residents have hypertension, and 27.7% of nursing home residents and 36.4% of assisted living residents have arthritis, among other chronic conditions.
Many older adults, particularly those living in long-term care facilities, must learn to live with certain conditions, such diabetes (34.5% of nursing home residents and 16.9% of assisted living residents) or Parkinson’s. The latter disease can limit mobility, making in-person doctor visits a major challenge.
The new survey, conducted by telehealth platform SteadyMD, polled clinicians in all 50 states. In addition to finding broad support for telehealth options and access, 87% of respondents said they supported federal regulations that would standardize telehealth practice.
“No one understands the impact and potential of telehealth better than the clinicians who provide it every day,” Josh Emdur, chief medical officer at SteadyMD, said in a statement. “These survey results underscore that telehealth is poised to play an even more pivotal role in care delivery through the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes and weight management, as well as provide relief for overburdened providers.”
Although clinicians may be showing increased enthusiasm for telehealth, at least as an option patients can use, some older adults still are skeptical about relying on virtual visits, including skilled nursing facility residents, according to a McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest blog posted last year.
The primary obstacle to universal telehealth access appears to be related to wireless connectivity, particularly in rural areas. Many recent initiatives, however, aim to close this technology gap. In one recent example, the South Dakota legislature introduced a bill that would provide $5 million in total funding to assisted living communities and nursing homes throughout the state to implement telehealth technology.
