Feature
Dialing in
Utilizing telehealth to expand the reach of small or rural IR practices By Arun Jagannathan, MD
care. IR practices of all sizes and types took part in this transformational shift in the delivery of healthcare in the United States. Although overall utilization has declined with gradual resumption of face-to-face outpatient evaluation and management services, there are many important roles still available for telehealth in the modern IR practice, particularly in expanding the scope and reach of small or rural providers.
T
Opportunities Virtual consultations IRs can offer virtual consultations to patients who may not be able to visit
he COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread and rapid establishment of telehealth to maintain continuity of clinical
their physical clinic. This can be crucial given the large geographic catchment areas of many small and rural practices. Through video conferencing or teleconferencing platforms, providers can interact with patients, review their medical history and imaging studies, and provide recommendations or treatment plans remotely. Although dependent on the disease process, some of which may necessitate direct physical examination for the initial consultation, there are many pathologies treated by IR for which the medical history and imaging studies are sufficient to proceed with procedural scheduling.
Second opinion services By offering remote second opinion services, IRs can collaborate with other
healthcare providers or patients directly. Given that many rural community hospitals have essentially minimal to zero onsite IR coverage, providing these second opinion consultations can be critical to provide patients with the full breadth of minimally invasive treatment options with subsequent procedural treatment provided at the appropriate IR staffed facility.
Postprocedure follow-up Telehealth can be used for postprocedure follow-up visits. IRs can assess a patient’s progress, address any concerns or questions they may have, and provide necessary recommendations or adjustments to their care plan. The ease of access provided by this service can help improve patient compliance to follow-up care, thereby reducing the potential for complication and improving outcome.
Collaboration and teleradiology Telehealth enables collaboration with other healthcare professionals, radiology departments or medical facilities located in remote areas. Through teleconferencing or secure image- sharing platforms, they can consult on complex cases, provide guidance during procedures being done onsite by less
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