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PSA-  Purview is offering a number of solutions and services free of charge to aid with the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more about them here. 

In this series of blogs, Translating Healthcare, we will highlight and break down the meaning of phrases and terminology that are increasingly used, but not always widely understood, in healthcare today.

The words Telehealth and Telemedicine are showing up with increasing frequency on medical blogs, websites, and in the news. Since the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, you likely have even heard them directly from the mouths of healthcare providers, legislators and supporters.

As providers adopt Telehealth solutions as safe alternatives to in-person visits, many are wondering whether coverage for these services has changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency in the US, the popularity of Telehealth – remote electronic communications between physicians, other healthcare providers and patients - had been somewhat limited. The limited use of electronic patient engagement was in large part due to restrictive reimbursement for those services by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the decision to temporarily make our medical image sharing solution available free of charge to help keep your staff and patients safe, and to help mitigate the spread of the virus. To use this service, please visit: https://www.purview.net/covid-19. 

A concern we often hear from physicians who hesitate to adopt online imaging access is that their older patients won't be comfortable with digital healthcare tools. In reality, seniors are more engaged with digital devices than ever before thanks to the vast health, social, and safety benefits that these tools offer. An app will actually make it easier for your patients to keep track of their imaging and share their images with their healthcare provider team.

The short answer: YES! Health apps are increasingly becoming an integral part of healthcare, and luckily medical imaging is no exception. Today, patients use apps for everything from tracking their nutrition and exercise to making sure they take their medication on time. Now they can also easily access and share their medical images from the Patient Access app on their smartphones and tablets!