As the nation’s population ages, the need for accessible healthcare becomes more pressing. According to the United States Census, by 2030, all baby boomers will be over 65. By 2060, nearly one in four Americans is expected to be an older adult. This demographic shift will further strain an already overwhelmed healthcare system. Concurrently, there is a growing desire among older adults to remain in their homes and age in place. Fortunately, advancements in digital health technologies, particularly virtual care, are emerging as crucial tools to support this desire, enabling older adults to receive quality care at home.
Understanding Virtual Care
Virtual care is a broad term and includes various healthcare services provided remotely. Panda Health breaks down the most common forms of virtual care, which include virtual nursing, remote patient monitoring, and telehealth consultations. These subcategories offer numerous benefits to health systems, including improved accessibility, convenience, cost-effectiveness, continuity of care, and increased patient engagement, which together lead to better health outcomes. In addition to virtual care category education, Panda provides instant access to the estimated financial cost and ROI of these services for healthcare systems of all sizes. Having this information at one’s fingertips makes the learning process more efficient and helps to navigate leaders in the virtual care space to a solution that aligns with their specific needs.
Virtual Care in a Post-Pandemic Era
Virtual Care saw significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. An NCBI study found that telehealth usage among older adults rose from 4.1% pre-pandemic to 21.1% post-pandemic. This challenges the notion that older adults are on the “digital divide” of technology users. Furthermore, four out of five adults over 65 view virtual care as essential for providing healthcare access to those unable to see providers in person. This shift is welcomed news, as it positively impacts the workload balance of healthcare providers.
The COVID-19 pandemic added even more complexity to an already complex and vulnerable population. As a result, virtual care has fortunately been making great strides in helping to reform a broken and exhausted healthcare system. In this post-pandemic era, we are seeing an increased delivery of care in the home, with virtual care becoming more widely accepted across a patient’s circle of care. In fact, 40% of physicians now claim telehealth as an active skill, compared to only 20% in 2020. Remote patient monitoring and telehealth have provided patients the opportunity to receive condition specific treatment (i.e., remote sensory activities for stroke survivors, blood pressure monitoring, weight measurement), while maintaining their independence at home. Since 2020, virtual care has become prevalent in the treatment of chronic illnesses, specifically endocrinology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, nephrology, cardiology, and psychiatry. Additionally, pharmacist-based telemedicine interventions have shown some of the strongest improved patient outcomes. An NCBI review of 34 studies on pharmacist-based telemedicine interventions for chronic disease management found positive patient outcomes for conditions such as heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes. The review revealed that 23 out of 34 studies showed improvements in disease management, adherence, and patient self-management.
Barriers to Virtual Care
Despite the clear benefits, there are barriers that can hinder the widespread adoption of virtual care. These include low broadband access in rural areas, financial constraints, and limited education on using technology. In 2021, about half of older adults over 65 living alone lacked the financial resources for essentials, let alone the technology needed for virtual care. Many senior households lacked a computer or smartphone. As one New England HIMSS Conference speaker shared, she once had to purchase a computer for her father and then teach him how to use it, just so he could have a single telehealth appointment. These stories underscore the need to address barriers to make virtual care accessible to all. Efforts are underway to overcome these obstacles. Solutions include waiving copayments, offering community-based educational programs, and implementing financial aid for purchasing necessary devices and internet access. Funding for telemedicine infrastructure in underserved communities is crucial, as is ensuring the technology’s ease of use and compatibility. Legislative support for efficient mental health care delivery is also imperative to address all aspects of a patient’s health.
Future of Virtual Care
As our country finds a new path forward and begins repair on a broken healthcare system, virtual care will continue to transform how care is delivered to our most vulnerable populations. The future of this technology is bright and brings hope to those seeking care in the comfort of their home. Over the next five years, national claims data suggests that more than 50+million in person additional visits per year could be converted to virtual visits if adoption were extended equally. There are several important factors to consider, but chief among these include:
- Virtual Care Experts: In the next five years, more physicians will become experts in virtual care, improving their “web-side manner” and comfort with seeing patients online. As a result, hospitals will likely employ full-time telehealth specialists and possibly even chief virtual care officers.
- Virtual Care and AI: Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance telehealth by using AI chatbots as the initial point of contact for patients, helping to quickly guide them to the appropriate care.
- Specialist Sharing: Health systems will increasingly share telehealth services to address ongoing specialist shortages. By stacking or sharing resources, organizations can efficiently utilize in-demand physicians across multiple systems through telehealth.
- Virtual Patient Experience: The key challenge in deploying telehealth is ensuring a positive patient experience from the initial contact through care delivery and follow-up. Creating this seamless experience is essential for the future success of telehealth.
Older adults’ desire to age in place will continue to grow, and so too does our responsibility to continue technological advancements and adoption strategy within virtual care. By building on the lessons learned during challenging times, we can ensure that our most vulnerable populations receive the dignity and quality of life they deserve.
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