Health IT leaders are saying that the Supreme Court ruling is a win for healthcare technology in general. And mobile and remote health are two of five healthcare technologies that will benefit the most from last week's Supreme Court ruling on healthcare reform, according to healthcare consultant David Scher, M.D.
The demand for mobile apps has been on the rise independent of healthcare reform, he writes in a post for MedCity News. But stresses on the supply of healthcare providers will markedly increase demand, he adds.
Telemedicine and remote healthcare will enjoy a similar boost, he says.
"Telemedicine is experiencing significant gains over barriers to adoption. It has a longer history than other technologies, is closest to what patients remember as an interpersonal experience, and has made strides in the regulatory arena regarding physician licensing and reimbursement," he writes.
As for remote monitoring, more insured patients means more patients with chronic diseases will seek care. "Remote patient monitoring, whether it encompasses text messaging or sensors delivering actionable alerts of vital signs, glucose levels or other information has promise to lead to more care at home," he writes.
In fact, organizations that have tried remote monitoring to supplement staffing say they they've reaped other rewards, as well. For example, Sentara Healthcare, based in Chesapeake, Va., found remote monitoring reduced readmissions, as well, as FierceMobileHealthcare recently reported.
The American Telemedicine Association, in lauding the Supreme Court's decision last week, said in a statement that the Affordable Care Act will have a "positive impact on the development and adoption of telehealth."
To learn more:
- read Scher's post
- here's an announcement of the ATA's statement