Basics of Virtual Care
Virtual care is the process of connecting a patient and a provider for the purpose of delivering healthcare services when the two are not at the same location. For practices, virtual care goes beyond simply providing an online video appointment between a patient and provider. It includes the different ways in which providers use technology and digital tools, such as audio/video conferencing and instant messaging, to communicate with patients in real-time. Virtual care can be used to answer patient queries, diagnose a disease or condition, give post-op instructions, or refer patients to nearby specialists, among other medical services.
Virtual care is different from telemedicine, as most people often confuse virtual care with telemedicine. Telemedicine is extremely popular with patients and has been for a while now, but it refers only to virtual meets between providers and patients. Virtual care, on the other hand, goes beyond just online meets. It’s integrated into the overall care delivery process and whenever possible leverages the same systems used for in-person care. If your practice uses telemedicine, you’re already on your way to providing virtual care to your patients.
Components of Virtual Care
You can deliver virtual healthcare via three components i.e., virtual visits (including telemedicine); remote patient monitoring; and digital clinical encounters. All three components use technology to help providers virtually meet your patients where they are, allowing them to offer all-encompassing care they may not otherwise be able to access.
Virtual Visits
A virtual visit is an alternative to the traditional face-to-face interaction between provider and patient. The virtual visit can occur through various methods, including a video call, phone call, text message, file transfer, and live chat. This branch of virtual care is where traditional telehealth and telemedicine live, so it may be one you are most familiar and comfortable with. Offering virtual visits allows your practice to provide care to more patients regardless of their healthcare status. It’s particularly useful for patients in rural areas who may not have access to advanced healthcare and patients who risk infection during in-person appointments.
Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote patient monitoring uses digital tools or technology to monitor and collect patients’ real-time physiological data outside of traditional medical facilities, transmit that data to care providers, monitor it for any abnormalities, and send alerts or recommendations based on the results. Remote monitoring is characterized as synchronous or asynchronous and organized around a continuous medical need, such as managing a chronic disease (e.g., diabetes or heart disease). In fact, most patients seem to be on board with the technology. A recent Software Advice survey found that a majority of patients with chronic conditions that require frequent monitoring, check-ups, or exams to manage are interested in remote patient monitoring.
Digital Clinical Encounters
Digital clinical encounters involve the automation of all or some components of a clinical encounter. This is achieved through a combination of clinical protocols, virtual health assistants, algorithms, and AI to facilitate history-taking, diagnosis, prescribing, and documentation. Digital clinical encounters streamline the practice’s administrative processes by helping manage appointments and schedules, transcribe doctor-patient conversations, and automate record-keeping. To facilitate digital clinical encounters at practice, you can adopt a virtual health assistant (VHA), an AI system created to engage with patients in place of an encounter with a real clinician or care provider. The encounter leverages the latest evidence-based clinical knowledge to reduce clinicians’ direct involvement before they review the captured and analyzed content for clinical governance and oversight. VHAs help patients remain compliant with their medication, chronic condition management plan, discharge plan, and health and wellness routine. Healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) use VHAs for pre-and post-op monitoring of chronic diseases.
Virtual Care is the Future of US Healthcare
More and more patients are going to expect some form of virtual care moving forward, so adopting at least some form of telemedicine or telehealth is vital for your practice. But moving beyond simply providing virtual visits and embracing a holistic virtual care model will set you up for the future and provide your practice a competitive edge. MedicalBillersandCoders (MBC) is a leading telehealth billing service provider company. We help providers and practice owners to stay compliant with ever-changing telehealth billing and coding requirements. We help them to bring accurate insurance reimbursements and also provide guidance of documentation. To know more about our telehealth or virtual care billing services, contact us at info@medicalbillersandcoders.com/ 888-357-3226.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between virtual care and telemedicine?
Virtual care is a comprehensive model that goes beyond just video consultations, incorporating various technologies like remote patient monitoring and digital clinical encounters. Telemedicine specifically refers to virtual visits, usually video calls, between patients and providers. Virtual care encompasses telemedicine but also includes other remote healthcare services that improve overall care delivery.
2. What are the key components of virtual care?
Virtual care consists of three main components:
- Virtual Visits: Video calls, phone calls, text messages, or live chats between providers and patients.
- Remote Patient Monitoring: Continuous tracking of patients’ health data through digital tools.
- Digital Clinical Encounters: Automation of parts of a clinical encounter using virtual health assistants (VHAs) and AI to handle tasks like history-taking, diagnosis, and documentation.
3. How does remote patient monitoring work?
Remote patient monitoring involves using digital tools to collect patients’ physiological data in real-time, transmitting it to healthcare providers. The data is analyzed for abnormalities, and alerts or recommendations are sent based on the findings. It’s particularly useful for managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease.
4. What are digital clinical encounters, and how can they benefit my practice?
Digital clinical encounters automate parts of a patient’s clinical visit, such as history-taking, diagnosis, and documentation, using virtual health assistants (VHAs) and AI. This helps streamline administrative tasks, improves efficiency, and reduces clinician workload while maintaining clinical oversight. It’s especially beneficial for practices looking to enhance operational workflows and patient management.
5. How can MedicalBillersandCoders (MBC) help with virtual care billing?
MBC specializes in telehealth billing services, helping providers stay compliant with changing telehealth billing codes and documentation requirements. They ensure accurate insurance reimbursements and provide guidance on necessary documentation to streamline the billing process for virtual care services, helping practices optimize revenue and reduce claim denials.
