PATIENTS EQUALLY SATISFIED WITH VIRTUAL ENCOUNTERS COMPARED TO IN-PERSON VISITS
The number of people using telehealth has grown tremendously since the COVID-19 outbreak. Many patients are equally satisfied with virtual encounters rather than their in-person visits to the doctor. Read the article below for more on the survey given to patients regarding telemedicine and what they preferred about their virtual visit.nnThe advent of COVID-19 has fueled the rise of telemedicine, accelerating growth beyond what was even imaginable only three months ago. Along with this phenomenon, a related mystery has been seemingly solved: can patients be as satisfied with virtual interactions as they are with in-person encounters?nnAccording to a new, large-scale Press Ganey survey, that answer is yes. The South Bend, Indiana-based company, known for its patient satisfaction surveys, took a deep look into comparing the two forms of provider-patient interactions and found that “virtual visits can achieve similar ratings for patient experience as in-person visits, with some specific differences in methods of care delivery,” according to a news release.nn“The rapid adoption of telehealth has enabled caregivers to meet the needs of patients with the levels of attentiveness, expertise, and empathy provided during an in-office visit,” said Patrick T. Ryan, chairman, and CEO of Press Ganey. “If caregivers actively adapt their processes and behaviors to the telemedicine environment, they can effectively build the unbreakable bonds of trust that are so critical to patient-centered care.”nnThe survey was conducted over a six-week period concluding at the end of April and includes more than 30,000 responses. During that time respondents reported nearly 70% of their encounters involved a full or mixed virtual medicine component. Mixed visits could have included a combination of video and in-person visits, telephone, email, or text.nn”Based on the data, patients are overwhelmingly positive about their virtual interactions with their care providers, even when technical issues posed challenges,” according to The Rapid Transition to Telemedicine: Insights and Early Trends, issued by Press Ganey. A chart in the report demonstrates tight alignment between patient’s satisfaction scores for virtual or in-person visits when asked about their likelihood of recommending care provider, the provider’s concerns for their questions or worries, efforts to include them in decisions, explanations of problems and conditions, treatment discussions, and “whether the staff worked together to care for you.”nnThe survey also indicates, however, opportunities to improve processes related to telemedicine. For example, ease of scheduling appointments and ease of contacting the provider scored much lower for virtual care versus in-office visits. As a result, patients are less likely to recommend virtual visits to others compared to office encounters.nn”This is not unexpected given the quick, large-scale transition to telemedicine and the learning curve for the provider and the patient,” the report states. “These data highlight opportunities for enhancing the physician-patient connection by addressing technical barriers that impede consistent and reliable communication.”nnThe report suggests several recommendations to help providers enhance the patient experience when conducting virtual visits:n
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- Be genuine and conscious of the warmth conveyed during the opening and closing of each session. Confirm that the patient can hear and see you clearly and avoid interruptions.
- Set an agenda at the outset. Identify and confirm the patient’s priorities and communicate how they will be addressed.
- Consistently convey empathy through language. Deliberately check in about patients’ worries or concerns throughout the visit and especially at the end of the session.
- Bring structure to officially closing out the session. Summarize the post-visit plan, reinforcing patient, and provider actions. Review questions and answers. Offer instructions for follow-up concerns.
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nOriginal article published on healthleadersmedia.com
This week’s code spotlight highlights the social determinants of health codes that deal with many factors including prescribed medications or a patient’s BMI. Read below for more information on some of the benefits of including social determinants of health in reporting.nnAs the health care industry sees an increase of risk adjustment coding, the importance of correct and accurate ICD-10 coding is continuing to be an area of discussion among the various organizations. Although these codes do not carry an HCC level, from a correct coding standpoint, it is always important to code to the greatest specificity supported by the documentation. Social determinants of health (SDoH) category codes of Z55-Z65 are part of Chapter 21 [Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services] which all deal with a wide range of factors from prescribed medications to a patients BMI. As coders, it’s important to not forget to report these codes if they are supported by the documentation. As clinicians, it is important to make sure that these factors are documented when present.nnIn a November 2019 article posted on the American Medical Associations website (
Have you started preparing for the new 2021 E/M changes? It is never too early as much of healthcare is already changing. Read below for more information on what has prompted the changes in the healthcare system.nnWith all that 2020 has already brought to the table and the changes it has prompted in the healthcare industry, it is important that each of us not lose track of what the future holds.nnAlthough the final rule is not scheduled to be released until November 2020, it is important that practice managers start talking, teaching, and planning now with their teams. These changes have been focused on how providers document and report E/M encounters and have been several years in the making.nnAMA’s director of editorial and regulatory services Zach Hochstetler said in a recent webinar, “We are encouraging everyone to adopt these changes now”. In addition to this, it was announced that AMA has plans to release educational and training material as well as web-based tools to assist in the transition.nnStart training your providers now to recognize the appropriate medical decision making, or MDM, level, and then driving the rest of the key elements to match this. As the new guidelines allow providers to select their level of service based on MDM or time, this will become the most important element of the encounter documentation.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, there are certain aspects of healthcare that will never be the same. Below, CEOs of some of the biggest healthcare providers in the United States have provided their take on what they believe will never be the same in healthcare. Read the article below to find out more on their perspectives. nnThe healthcare industry’s vocabulary has avoided the word “never.” The COVID-19 pandemic has tossed aside squishy, non-committal words like “iteration” and “evolution” and replaced them with “permanently” and “over.” Healthcare leaders are facing a very different healthcare world because of COVID-19.nnHealthLeaders Exchange program director and editor Jim Molpus reached out to 17 trusted advisors to get their perspective on what will never be the same again in healthcare. The responses were passionate, diverse, and hopeful:nnVERY LITTLE WILL BE THE SAME AGAIN IN HEALTHCARE.nnI expect very little will be the same as it used to be after this pandemic is behind us. This crisis is altering—perhaps permanently—how and where providers interact with their patients and with each other, how providers approach their work, and how health systems respond individually and collectively under intense pressures. Stay-at-home and physical-distancing directives have thrust new telemedicine into the spotlight for giving patients more choices to be seen when and where they want to be seen.nnA nice-to-have service before the pandemic, virtual office visit capability is now elevated to a must-have care delivery option. This will fuel a burst of competition as providers race with urgency to expand virtual care access. I am hopeful the lessons learned during COVID-19 will drive innovation that transforms care quality, safety, efficiency, preparedness, and patient satisfaction. I am often asked if my organization, and our nation, will weather this healthcare crisis. The answer is yes, and we will be stronger. But we also understand that overcoming this threat means being changed by the experience.nnGary S. Kaplan, MDnChairman and CEOnVirginia Mason Health SystemnSeattle, WAnnTHE STATUS QUO WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN IN HEALTHCARE.nnExecutives are likely to encourage employees to work from home. Significant savings can be realized by eliminating expensive commercial space and allowing employees to work remotely. Remote workers are happier and more engaged without brutal commutes. As appropriate, employees can now watch over their young children, take care of older or sick family members, attend important events, and enjoy a higher quality of life. It will be hard to bring everyone back from home once they have demonstrated improved productivity, wellness, happiness, and its ultimate impact on the bottom line.nnSarah RichardsonnVP Change Leadership, ITnOptumnLos Angeles, CAnnPROCESSES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN IN HEALTHCARE.nnHospital operations will never rely so heavily on human processes again in the future. The days of relying on huge teams of humans to accomplish routine mission-critical processes are over. Health systems will hire AI workers to take on critical “keep the lights on” processes and shift their human workforce to focus on the quality of care delivery.nnSean LanenCEOnOlivenColumbus, OHnnDAY-TO-DAY HOSPITAL OPERATIONS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN IN HEALTHCARE.nnFrom social distancing guidelines to how we greet one another, the way we manage the day-to-day operations of healthcare will never be the same. Small conference rooms will make people uncomfortable; handshakes will be frowned upon, and face-to-face meetings will be replaced by Zoom and GOTOMEETING. Losing the human connection will be a concern that everyone will think about … but I am confident that new ways of communication and operations will evolve to ensure that human contact is not lost.nnBeverly Bokovitz, DNP, RN, NEA-BCnVice President & Chief Nurse ExecutivenUC HealthnCincinnati, OHnnHEALTHCARE SPENDING WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN IN HEALTHCARE.nnThe U.S. will emerge from this pandemic with WWII levels of debt. The trillions in debt will require healthcare spending to be on a different trajectory. There are a few levers of change that can be pulled:n
During these times of social distancing, isolation, businesses being shut down, and employees being laid off, it is hard for a lot of people to feel the same fulfillment they did just a few months ago and self-pity can set in quickly. nnPerhaps you believe in the theory that there is nothing better for self-pity than you go out and help others. Volunteering is one of those opportunities that can take so many different forms. And when we relate this specifically to your career, knowledge sharing can not only be beneficial to your co-workers, networking groups, or community, but also to yourself.nnKnowledge sharing in these times can be as simple as writing a short article, hosting a virtual networking event, spending some downtime working with a co-worker, or volunteering to talk on a topic to a group. And with virtual meetings, your fear of standing in front of a group and speaking just may improve by practicing talking to a webcam.nn