Telemedicine: When to Embark on an Alternate Care Delivery Model?

As medical practices move from a fee-for-service reimbursement environment to fee-for-value reimbursement, it is increasingly important for the financial health of the organization to be able to optimally manage the health of the practice’s patient population in a cost-effective manner. For a community health center (CHC) practice, the decision to offer medical services virtually, however, does not come without significant organizational commitment and investment cost. From a clinical perspective, virtual care requires physician acceptance of a paradigm shift in how a relationship is established between patient and physician. From a financial perspective, key areas of concern are: (1) return on investment (ROI) projections; and (2) the potential implications of not offering a virtual visit solution. This presentation seeks to: provide a review of existing literature on the topic of telemedicine with a focus on synchronous virtual encounters in primary care; evaluate experiences of primary care practices; and, ultimately, provide additional knowledge to assist practice administrators and key stakeholders in decision-making and strategic planning as it relates to the value of virtual visits to the future of their organizations.