Virtual visits: Cutting healthcare costs

An Alliance for Connected Care study, released in December, estimates that virtual visits could save an average of $126 per visit. Researchers found on average, telehealth visits cost between $40 and $50; compared to an average estimated cost of $136 to $176 for an in-office visit.

They also found that 83% of health conditions were resolved after a virtual visit.  Of the remainder (patients whose conditions did not resolve), 10% went to an emergency department and about 50% had an in-office visit.  In addition, patients who were seen via telehealth reported that if the virtual visit was not available 5.6% would have sought treatment in an emergency department.

Additionally:

• 45.8% would have gone to an urgent care facility;

• 30.9% would have gone to a physician’s office;

• 12% would have done nothing

Taking a couple of steps beyond telehealth, another report, focusing on the needs of current and future caregivers, expressed an interest in supports, such as:

• Electronic pill boxes;

• Electronic sensors;

• Home monitoring security systems;

• Online care coordination tools; and

• Webcams for two-way communications and for home monitoring

Thus the future of healthcare will align a bit closer to the daily life we saw depicted in The Jetsons cartoons of our childhoods. It will be virtual for both professional and family caregivers.