Telemedicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch; world leaders in telemedicine and telehealth

The AT&T Center for Telehealth Research and Policy at UTMB

Daily FYI

April 13, 2009

Telemedicine Defies Slowdown

Source: Federal Telemedicine News

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is witnessing its strongest growth in history for their upcoming annual meeting in April despite the nationwide trend toward decreased attendance at meetings. With a record 20 percent increase in attendance and sold-out trade show with 200 exhibiting companies, ATA is experiencing the largest surge in interest since its creation in 1993.

New Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement Policy is Expected to Benefit Many Telemedicine Facilities across the Country

Source: Center for Telehealth and e-Health Law

Changes to the current telemedicine Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policies will go into effect this month. The proposed changes would permit facilities using telemedicine to offer patients more medical services.Under the current telemedicine Medicare and Medicaid policy, site locations within the office of a physician or practitioner, critical access hospitals, rural health clinics, federally qualified health clinics, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, community mental health centers, and in-hospital dialysis centers are covered. The current policy also covers consultations, outpatient visits, psychiatric diagnostic interviews, pharmacologic management, and psychotherapy through telemedicine. However, the policy proposed will expand on the patient site locations covered, including state hospitals, schools and locations in rural areas. It will also provide all Medicare and Medicaid patients with eligibility to use the medical services previously listed.

Louisiana reaps health gains with telemedicine strategy

Source: Government Health IT

Although their state ranks lowest in the country in health indicators, leaders of the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition (LRHC) hope that the addition of telemedicine programs, a health information exchange, electronic health records and tools for managing chronic diseases will improve the health of Louisianans.

Telemedicine bill clears the Senate

Source: StatesmanJournal.com

bill that would expand opportunities for Oregonians and their doctors to take advantage of telemedicine passed the Senate on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 24 requires health insurers to cover telemedical health service if that service otherwise is covered by the plan.

Long-distance health care

Source: Omaha World Herald

Instead of driving the 15 miles to a doctor's office in Norfolk, residents of this rural community can see a physician by simply stepping into a back room of the local drugstore.

That's where a doctor, linked via computer, can conduct a routine examination of a patient's ears, nose and throat using scopes equipped with high-definition cameras.

Global Telemedicine Market to Exceed $18 Billion by 2015, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc

Source: PR Web

Telemedicine, offering quality services with significant cost savings, has given a new dimension to the healthcare sector. Although telemedicine programs have been in vogue for nearly half a century, the recent health care reforms have been instrumental in promoting the increased usage of such applications. Telemedicine services are used in several medical areas including diabetes control, primary health care, psychiatry, genetics, radiology, pathology, cardiology, dermatology and pediatrics, among others. Telemedicine programs have proved cost effective, and with curtailment of health care expenditures becoming one of the major concerns, such programs are being increasingly implemented in several nations across the globe.

Telemedicine answers health care challenges: Policy brief outlines recommendations for expanding telemedicine

Source: California Telemedicine and eHealth Center

California's unsettled economic situation is challenging the health care system to consider new initiatives that will improve access in a cost-effective way, and telemedicine is positioned to meet those challenges.

Intel, GE Team Up To Develop Health IT, Telehealth Products

Source: iHealthBeat

On Thursday, Intel and General Electric announced that they will spend $250 million over five years to develop new health care technology, such as health IT and home health care monitoring tools, the Wall Street Journal reports.

In recent years, Intel has emphasized technology that monitors sick or aging people at home and then transfers their information to physicians over the Internet.