Telehealth Provides Greater Healthcare Access for Elderly Patients

The telehealth movement has increased in prominence and popularity over the last few years, and is widely believed to be one effective solution to the physician shortage crisis. Telehealth consultations are a quick and convenient way for patients to connect in real-time with physicians, physician assistants (PAs), and nurse practitioners (NPs) when they have a non-emergent medical condition. The use of telehealth technology is particularly adapted to rural and medically underserved areas, bringing primary care and specialist consultations to the patient virtually. However, telehealth has also gained momentum in the 60+ age group as a convenient way to maintain health and to promote preventive care. Telehealth addresses common challenges to obtaining healthcare services, such as lack of transportation, regular medication adherence, and the expense and oversight needed to treat multiple chronic illnesses. The Chief Medical Director of Telemedicine at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Andrew Watson, states, “Telemedicine is moving like lightning. We’re able to do so much more than before.” Through telehealth, a patient has access to healthcare diagnosis and prescriptions reducing the need to find and obtain an often hard to get doctor’s appointment, and saving hundreds of miles of travel and lost work days. Despite a natural inclination to believe that the elderly may not understand this technology, Dr. Steve Ommen, the Associate Dean at the Center for Connected Care at the Mayo Clinic, predicts that the 60+ age group will be “fast adopters” of telehealth technology. He explains, “The fastest-growing demographic for social media is the 60+ group. They are not technology-averse and they have the greatest mobility challenge in terms of getting to a doctor. A telemedicine solution may be exactly what they need.” Furthermore, 96 percent of all Medicare spending is “consumed by individuals with one or more chronic conditions,” with the highest rate of chronic illnesses among the 60+ age group. Chronic illnesses require high levels of physician oversight and assisted care, and the amount of appointments, medications, and at-home care needed to address these conditions can be overwhelming. Such an important concern of older populations is the ability to live independently as they age, without placing an excessive burden on family care givers. Telehealth is an excellent option to keep older generations engaged in their healthcare while maintaining an active lifestyle. Such engagement would reduce the need for hospitalization and re-hospitalization, promote independence, improve medication compliance, and provide critical oversight of future medical issues that might arise.