An official website of the United States government
Abstract Purpose/ObjectivesWe aim to explore Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for caregiving training services and their potential impacts on caregivers of people living with dementia. Description of the Project/ProgramIn response to the growing need for support for caregivers of people living with physical and mental health issues, CPT codes for caregiving training services will be activated for the calendar year 2024. These codes cover (1) family group behavior management and modification training services and (2) caregiver training for techniques to help patients maintain their quality of life. Caregivers will access such training support through the CPT codes provided by treating practitioners. The duration of training will vary by code. OutcomeImplementing CPT codes for caregiver training services highlights the vital role of caregivers in patient care. This support may improve their skills and communication with healthcare providers. However, timing and accessibility in care delivery need clarification, especially for caregivers of people living with dementia. Regular skill assessment and culturally competent care are essential. Before providing the service, provider training may also promote person-centered care, benefiting patients and their caregivers. ConclusionActivating CPT codes for caregiving training services may enhance caregivers' support and skills, including dementia care.
more »
« less
Asynchronous telepsychiatry: A systematic review
IntroductionHealthcare providers and systems increasingly utilize telehealth modalities to address barriers and challenges for healthcare delivery. Specialties, such as psychiatry, are testing asynchronous methods for telehealth delivery. The National Quality Forum (NQF) developed a framework with which to assess the quality of telemedicine according to measures and measure concepts within four domains. This review assesses existing asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP) research according to the telehealth domains established by NQF, evaluates the prevalence and quality of ATP, and identifies the areas in which more research must be conducted. MethodsA systematic review of ATP methods was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies were categorized according to NQF telehealth domains and subdomains to further examine study outcomes. ResultsThe review initially identified 205 studies that were narrowed down to a final sample of 11 articles. Of the final articles, most studies addressed the effectiveness of ATP or users’ experience with ATP. DiscussionThe initial investigation of published ATP literature suggests promising results. ATP studies suggest that these services improve access to care, can be feasibly implemented by the clinical team, maintain patient/family satisfaction, and potentially reduce the cost of services. The limited sample of published literature necessitates further study of the practice in order to assess ATP according to the quality domains identified by NQF, especially access to care for patients and caregivers, the financial costs incurred by both providers and patients, and barriers to uptake.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1738359
- PAR ID:
- 10547042
- Publisher / Repository:
- SAGE Publications
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare
- Volume:
- 27
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1357-633X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 137-145
- Size(s):
- p. 137-145
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
BackgroundRural and remote communities were especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic due to the availability and capacity of rural health services. Research has found that key issues surrounded (1) the lack of staff, (2) the need for coordinated health services, and (3) operational and facility issues. Similarly, research also confirms that irrespective of hospital capacity issues existing during crisis, compared to urban communities, rural communities typically face poorer access to health services. Telehealth programs have long held promise for addressing health disparities perpetuated by inadequate health care access. In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Adventist Health Saint Helena Hospital, a rural hospital in northern California, urgently worked to expand telehealth services. However, as Adventist Health Saint Helena Hospital is the longest-serving rural hospital in the state of California, administrators were also able to draw on experiences from the pandemic of 1918/1919. Understanding their historically rural and heavily Latino populations, their telehealth approach was coupled with cultural approaches for prioritizing socially responsive and equitable access to health services. ObjectiveThis study aimed to present one rural community’s holistic sociotechnical response to COVID-19 in redesigning their health care delivery approach. Redesign efforts included the expansion of digital health services coupled with county-wide collaborations for nondigital mobile health centers, testing, and vaccination clinics to meet the needs of those with limited digital access and language barriers. MethodsWe present data on telehealth services for maintaining critical care services and a framework on the feasibility of private-public partnerships to address COVID-19 challenges. ResultsIn this paper, we provide a critical review of how a rural hospital adapted its health care approach to incorporate telehealth services and distance services to meet the needs of a diverse population. ConclusionsThis paper contributes empirical data on how rural communities can use telehealth technologies and community partnerships for a holistic community approach to meet health needs during a natural disaster. Conflicts of InterestNone declared.more » « less
-
BackgroundCOVID-19 has severely impacted health in vulnerable demographics. As communities transition back to in-person work, learning, and social activities, pediatric patients who are restricted to their homes due to medical conditions face unprecedented isolation. Prior to the pandemic, it was estimated that each year, over 2.5 million US children remained at home due to medical conditions. Confronting gaps in health and technical resources is central to addressing the challenges faced by children who remain at home. Having children use mobile telemedicine units (telerobots) to interact with their outside environment (eg, school and play, etc) is increasingly recognized for its potential to support children’s development. Additionally, social telerobots are emerging as a novel form of telehealth. A social telerobot is a tele-operated unit with a mobile base, 2-way audio/video capabilities, and some semiautonomous features. ObjectiveIn this paper, we aimed to provide a critical review of studies focused on the use of social telerobots for pediatric populations. MethodsTo examine the evidence on telerobots as a telehealth intervention, we conducted electronic and full-text searches of private and public databases in June 2010. We included studies with the pediatric personal use of interactive telehealth technologies and telerobot studies that explored effects on child development. We excluded telehealth and telerobot studies with adult (aged >18 years) participants. ResultsIn addition to telehealth and telerobot advantages, evidence from the literature suggests 3 promising robot-mediated supports that contribute to optimal child development—belonging, competence, and autonomy. These robot-mediated supports may be leveraged for improved pediatric patient socioemotional development, well-being, and quality-of-life activities that transfer traditional developmental and behavioral experiences from organic local environments to the remote child. ConclusionsThis review contributes to the creation of the first pediatric telehealth taxonomy of care that includes the personal use of telehealth technologies as a compelling form of telehealth care.more » « less
-
Ramsey, Doug (Ed.)This study delves into the adoption and challenges of telehealth services in rural settings, examining racial and locational influences on usage. Employing qualitative methods, it draws on 30 detailed interviews with both healthcare providers and patients in two racially diverse, economically disadvantaged towns in Southern Illinois from fall 2021 to spring 2023. Our findings indicate that insufficient internet access and lack of necessary devices are significant factors in the reluctance of rural residents to embrace telehealth services. Additionally, this study reveals a major barrier: a deep-seated mistrust in the telehealth infrastructure's ability to safeguard private medical information. Notably, our results show that Black participants have heightened concerns regarding the health care industry's capacity to maintain the confidentiality of their medical data.more » « less
-
Despite providing convenience and reducing the travel burden of patients, Video-Conferencing (VC) clinical visits have not enjoyed wide uptake by patients and care providers. It is desired that the medical problems addressed by VC visits can match a face-to-face encounter in scope and quality. Subsequently, VC visits with nurse assistance are emerging; however, the scalable and financially sustainable of such services are unclear. Therefore, we explore the implementability of VC visits with nursing services using a game-theoretic model, and investigate the impact of different pricing schemes (discriminative pricing based on patient characteristics vs. non-discriminative) on patients’ care choices between VC and in-person visits. Our results shed light on the “artificial congestion” created by a profit-driven medical institution that hurts patient welfare, and subsequently identify the conditions where the interest of the social planner and the medical institution are aligned. Our results highlight that, compared to a uniform price of VC visits which seems fair, discriminative pricing can be more beneficial for patients and the medical institution alike. This heightens the importance of insurance coverage of telehealth-related services to promote the adoption of telehealth by patients and care providers, and ultimately, improving care access and patient outcomes.more » « less
