In its new report, the American Medical Association (AMA) have found there are growing appetite and aptitude for telehealth and virtual visits, remote patient monitoring, clinical decision support and more.
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The AMA, which first began benchmarking how various health technologies are being integrated into clinical practice in 2016, says its new research finds physicians – more than ever – see digital health as a key driver for quality outcomes, cost efficiency and patient access, reports Healthcare IT News.
Attitudes and expectations are changing among the physicians it surveyed, according to the new AMA Health Research. According to the report, adoption is encouraging across the seven categories:
Telehealth and virtual visits. This is the largest growth among the digital health categories. Telehealth and virtual visits doubled – from 14% in 2016 to 28% in 2019.
Remote patient monitoring. Went up from 13% in 2016 to 22% in 2019. Using wearables and mobile apps, remote patient monitoring is conducted to manage chronic diseases by measuring vital signs such as glucose, blood pressure, weight etc. The data is transmitted wirelessly to the doctor’s office.
Remote monitoring for efficiency rose from 12% in 2016 to 16% in 2019. This category includes smart versions of common clinical devices such as thermometers, blood pressure cuffs and Bluetooth scales that can digitally enter readings into the patient’s EHR.
Clinical decision support went up from 28% in 2016 to 37% in 2019. In this category, modules are used in conjunction with the EHR, or mobile applications integrated with an EHR, that highlight potentially significant changes in patient data, such as weight gain/loss, change in blood chemistry, etc.
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Patient engagement rose from 26% in 2016 to 32% in 2019. This category discusses new tools to promote patient’s active participation to manage chronic diseases, such as adherence to treatment regimens and adoption.
Point of care/workflow enhancement. Physician adoption increased modestly, from 42% in 2016 to 47% in 2019. This category includes communication and sharing of electronic clinical data to consult with specialists, make referrals and/or transitions of care.
Consumer access to clinical data rose from 53% in 2016 to 58% in 2019, making it the highest adoption rate among the digital health tool categories. This category discusses how patients are allowed secure access to view clinical information like routine lab results, receive appointment reminders and treatment prompts, and to ask for prescription refills, appointments and to speak with their physician.
