COVID -19 – TouchPointCare’s partners are reaching out to local and state officials to offer support and services in lieu of COVID-19 concerns. As an example, local residents can call into a custom build toll free inbound IVR number to access a COVID-19 “hotline” telephonic survey or click on a link like the one below, which can easily be added to a webpage to access a COVID-19 risk assessment survey. https://www.touchpointcare.net/survey/daa/16551

To help with your message, here are some key features:

• Survey itself is configurable and can be customized in minutes
• Alerts can be set on any question
• A question can be set up that allows this person to be scheduled for a “live call back” which would automatically be set up for a secure video consult
• This survey is done as a “named” survey which creates a participant record that the system can then follow up with to check up on them via sms or IVR
• This survey example is online but could be converted to an automated call in any language
• Reports are both participant specific but also aggregated for statistical review
• In addition, once people are identified as “Patients under Investigation” TPC can help with patient monitoring using traditional RPM strategies

Reimbursement for telehealth!  Hospitals and health systems will see Medicare reimbursement for more remote patient monitoring services, according to finalized guidelines recently released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services…

https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/cms-finalizes-new-reimbursement-rules-for-remote-patient-monitoring

On November 1, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that includes updates to payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on or after January 1, 2019.   Click here to go to the rules!

Frequently sending texts to caregivers with messages about infant development, safety, and basic care reduces the number of visits to the emergency department (ED) in the first year of life, according to a new study conducted in a large urban pediatric care practice that serves a low-income population with limited health literacy. To read the full article, click LINK

The interest in having patients capture and report on their own health has grown considerably with providers looking for ways to capitalize on this growth and find opportunities to use the data patients are generating.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has published a WHITE PAPER to better describe how organizations are currently using Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD), and the challenges that are impeding successful utilization. The research identifies best practices, gaps, and opportunities for progress in the capture, use and sharing of PGHD.   In addition, (ONC) has also created a much shorter PRACTICAL GUIDE to offer tips, suggestions and instructions.

Lack of reimbursement of telehealth has been a major reason why more providers have been slow to embrace telehealth.   However this is changing rapidly.   Check out these two sources; for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) reimbursement info, CPT Code 99091 click RPM;  and for Chronic Care Management, (CCM) and CPT Code 99490, click CCM