Thought it would be interesting to post a few predictions based on recent market activity. I invite others to share predictions from their worldview… or to counter mine. A few may be fairly obvious to those following the industry, but they help set the tone. We need more common sense conversations around telemedicine barriers. The value of telemedicine is proven. If ever there was a time to let the balance tip on the side “doing the right thing,” this is it. Hopefully this list will provide fodder for discussion.  

1. Telemedicine will become ubiquitous. Cell, tablets, and laptops will be first-point of medical care access.

2. All physicians, regardless of specialty, will use telemedicine for routine follow-up care, minimally.

3. Future home medical kits will include devices that connect (see above) to share vital signs and healthcare data relative to preventive care, diagnostics, chronic disease management, and step-down care transition (the list is quite longer if you look at pain management, therapy, home health, etc.)

4. Psychiatric or behavioral healthcare is being poised for EHR entry; the behavioral health industry just doesn’t know it yet. In fact, behavioral healthcare is coming under scrutiny. It will be next focus of healthcare reform; as will short term/long term care, home health, palliative, and hospice care.

5. Telemedicine (regardless of medical discipline) will be integrated into EHRs; it will be treated just like an outpatient visit. It is simply a matter of “when” but, given the saturated EHR solution market, that make take some time.

6. Retail clinics will enter the telemedicine/telehealth space within 5 years.

7. Physician state-licensure restrictions will be removed within 5-10 years.

8. Mandated pre-existing MD/patient relationship will be removed within 10 years.

9. Electronic prescription restrictions (outside of controlled substances) will also be removed within 10 years.

10. Reimbursement for telemedicine will be routinely covered by insurance, Reimbursement may be less than in-office visits (based on time requirements and resources utilized) but reimbursements will continue to come.

11. The VA and US government will continue to push telemedicine/telehealth forward. Our veterans deserve easier access to care via whatever means makes common sense… whether for acute care or behavioral healthcare… without restriction, including access across state lines.

12. High-dollar proprietary telemedicine solutions will lose market share. Connectivity, broadband, security, and equipment costs will continue to go down; new, viable solutions will emerge.

13. Data analytics and data management will continue to look at new ways to integrate across silos to create interoperable solutions. Just keep an eye on the industry. Some things will come faster than anticipated. We will move to a system wide or enterprise approach as government agencies push for data collection.

Let me know what you think. Add your own.