Telemedicine is one of the latest benefits of the internet and EMR software. The rise and expanded adoption of Electronic Medical Records software across the globe has meant that healthcare providers are now more aware of the impact that technology has on the way they practice medicine. EHR software has also enabled a more patient engagement with tools like the Patient Portal and automated alerts for better management of diseases.
Smartphone users are growing rapidly and unlike the 90s features like video-chat are easily accessible anywhere. In healthcare, this means that doctors are now able to provide remote assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning for patients without physically having them in their exam rooms. However, a simple video chat is not the appropriate solution for modern-day patients and therefore HIPAA compliance and security of the patient-doctor connection is pivotal in Tele-medicine software.
For Cloud-based EMR software vendors today, HIPAA compliance is one of the fundamental requirements and especially for ONC-ATCB certified EHR systems, certification is only successful after completing several tests to verify HIPAA compliance. With Tele-medicine becoming more common, many EMR software vendors have introduced specialized apps and/or features to support Tele-medicine within their EHR software platform.
According to HIMSS Analytics, provider adoption of Telemedicine EHR software was increasingly popular even in 2017 with the adoption rate having risen to 71% that year.
Following are some of the most important features of a strong Telemedicine software platform:
- Seamless integration with practice website
- Seamless integration with the EHR software and Practice Management software
- Instant online appointment (e-visit feature)
- Integration & accessibility within the Patient Portal
- HD video link with low bandwidth support
- Text messaging and follow-up alerts feature
Research by EMRSystems found the following Electronic Health Records software companies to be the leading vendors to have developed and introduced Telemedicine functionality as part of their core EMR software, Practice Management and Medical Billing Services portfolio:
