TELEHEALTH FOR CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS GENERATES REVENUE AND BOOSTS CARE

For healthcare providers, telehealth is an opportunity to generate revenue and boost the quality of care when working with chronically ill patients, a chief transformation officer says.

Telehealth visits can drive value for chronically ill patients. Telehealth visits are not only more convenient for chronically ill patients than in-person visits, they also are far less expensive than a trip to the emergency room.

“Instead of going to the emergency room for an unneeded visit and a very large charge, patients can get on a telehealth platform and speak to either a physician or a nurse who bills through their insurance. Providers can bill through an evaluation and management code such as a 99213,” says Janice Coffin, DO, a practicing family medicine physician and chief transformation officer at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University.