West Orange, N.J.-based Atlantic Spine Center introduced telemedicine to help patients manage chronic back pain.
Four insights:
1. The new technology enables patients to communicate with Atlantic Spine Center physicians via computer or smartphone apps.
2. Atlantic Spine Center Founder and Medical Director Kaixuan Liu, MD, PhD, shared five benefits of telemedicine:
- Quick and easy access to physicians
- Elimination of travel time
- No wait times
- Lower costs compared to urgent care centers or emergency departments
- Improved health management and outcomes
3. Additionally, more payers are offering coverage for electronic provider visits, according to Dr. Liu, an endoscopic spine surgeon.
"Many states have passed laws requiring third-party payers to cover telemedicine doctor ‘visits' because, in many instances, the technology is proving more efficient and effective in care delivery than more traditional approaches," Dr. Liu said in a press release.
4. Studies have indicated patients who utilize telemedicine report higher satisfaction and more clinically meaningful improvement in pain levels than patients who use more traditional care methods.