Friday
Oct242008
Telemedicine to save money for health care and boost the economy
Friday, October 24, 2008 at 4:09PM
Dr. Robert Litan, author of “Vital Signs via Broadband: Remote Health Monitoring Transmits Savings, Enhances Lives,” stated that “of the thirty companies in the Dow Jones, eighteen of them were started in bare economies.” Litan used this as reason to investigate significant enhancements in health care technologies, even though we’re in a global economic downturn. Tom Ferree of Connected Nation said that forming new companies and commercializing new technologies will help economies get out of recessions, and that new ‘telemonitoring’ remote health care technologies are one way to do it.
Dr. Litan believes the United States could cut $197 billion form its health care bill over the next 25 years though ‘telemonitoring’ a new technology that transmits vital health information and video of people with chronic diseases to remote health care experts. The four main diseases this would target are congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic skin ulcers (or skin wounds). Dr. Litan said, “especially for seniors, this is better than going to a doctor or a nursing home. Today approximately 17% of home health health care agencies have adopted this technology.”
In order to fulfill these savings for the government, Dr. Litan stated that there must be systematic change in public policy, such as insurance reimbursement policies for doctors through Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. Litan said, “we also need policies that deliver broadband, including ‘smart networks’ that ensure that patients’ critical data is secure and that communications are not disrupted.” If this systematic change were to occur, Dr. Litan believes that “remote monitoring can spot health problems sooner, reduce hospitalization, improve life quality and save money.”
Dr. Litan believes the United States could cut $197 billion form its health care bill over the next 25 years though ‘telemonitoring’ a new technology that transmits vital health information and video of people with chronic diseases to remote health care experts. The four main diseases this would target are congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic skin ulcers (or skin wounds). Dr. Litan said, “especially for seniors, this is better than going to a doctor or a nursing home. Today approximately 17% of home health health care agencies have adopted this technology.”
In order to fulfill these savings for the government, Dr. Litan stated that there must be systematic change in public policy, such as insurance reimbursement policies for doctors through Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. Litan said, “we also need policies that deliver broadband, including ‘smart networks’ that ensure that patients’ critical data is secure and that communications are not disrupted.” If this systematic change were to occur, Dr. Litan believes that “remote monitoring can spot health problems sooner, reduce hospitalization, improve life quality and save money.”
Community-Based Programs Help Prevent Chronic Disease
A number of community-led programs that provide healthier choices for local populations in West Michigan or upstate New York are increasing the efficiency of the chronic disease prevention, according to statements made by experts at a briefing conducted by the Trust for America’s Health.
“Collectively, these innovative programs emphasize that prevention saves lives, improves the health of the population, improves health equity, and saves money for government, business, healthcare, families and individuals,” said Frances D. Butterfoss, founding President of Coalitions Work in Virginia.
Chronic diseases have been a crucial factor in the health care of many American people. They account for seven of every ten U.S. deaths, affecting half of the country’s population, and is responsible for more than 75 percent of the $2 trillion spent annually on medical care.
“Their preventability resides in our community programs,” said Janet Collins director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Collins said that easy access to fast-food restaurants prevent the local population in making healthy choices. Communities need “to surround the individual with healthy choices” such as local grocery stores and the possibility to buy fresh vegetables and fruits said Collins.
The funding of local programs could increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking use inside the community.
“Community prevention has a direct impact on health outcomes” and results can be seen “in relatively short-time frames,” said Jeff Levi executive director at the Trust for America’s Health.
His organization recently released a report concluding that an investment of $10 per person per year in community-based programs would save the country more than $16 billion annually within five years. “That is a return of $5.60 for every $1 spent,” said Levi.
The speakers at the briefing asked Congress to support $75 million in funding for Healthy Communities Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the fiscal year 2010 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. This funding would help continue the community-based programs.