The usage of telehealth rapidly skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare providers have realized the true value of Telemedicine EMR Software solutions post-pandemic, emerging as an important diagnostic tool and treatment vehicle, according to a recent athenahealth research. The leading provider of network-enabled software for health systems, athenahealth announced its findings last month suggesting the powerful platform can help fill care gaps for patients and is playing a prominent role in healthcare delivery. Telehealth has evolved preceding its early pandemic function of replacing in-person visits for patient and provider safety.
Patient adoption of telehealth solutions
Twenty-four percent of the respondents revealed that they have used the telehealth platform since their health anxieties did not warrant an in-person visit with the provider. Telemedicine sessions facilitated frequent check-ins and preventive care which would otherwise not be possible.
Telehealth usage has been especially high with patients suffering from chronic conditions. The survey respondents reported using telehealth to effectively manage their conditions. 23% percent of the respondents informed that they use telehealth sessions for scheduled check-ins related to chronic conditions.
The findings from the research tell that patients are comfortable and satisfied with the telemedicine EMR software platform to access care easily and meet their care needs without having to physically visit the doctor’s office.
Gender differences in telemedicine adoption and use
The research findings revealed interesting insights about gender differences in telehealth adoption and use. Male providers are less likely to leverage the remote care platform. The data also suggests that after the pandemic physicians are greatly relying on telehealth to offer care to their patients. Furthermore, previous research has shown that female providers tend to spend more time with the patients, which could tell that a higher adoption rate is prevalent in female doctors in contrast to male healthcare providers. Female clinicians see the telehealth platform as an additional tool to connect with their patients.
Telehealth and mental healthcare
The telehealth platform has come to the forefront of offering mental healthcare to patients with various mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorders. Patients have shown a willingness to engage in mental healthcare due to telemedicine according to the research. 25% of the survey respondents told that they have taken part in a telehealth session to address a new mental health concern. 23% percent of the respondents revealed that due to the telemedicine platform they were encouraged to seek out mental health support.
Telemedicine can play a vital role in patient care. The remote care solution does not only increase access to care but can help drive positive health outcomes as they offer better continuity of care.
