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Demand for telehealth solutions has boomed over the past few years. Medicare telehealth visits alone grew from 840,000 in 2019 to 52.7 million in 2020, or 63-fold as shown right (source: Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff).

For cases deemed appropriate for telehealth, some studies have provided overwhelming evidence of increased patient satisfaction with remote visits compared to traditional in-person (urology; breast cancer; radiation oncology; general medicine). One of the main drivers? Convenience. Patients love removing the travel time and associated costs or tradeoffs that come with taking off work, finding childcare, and traveling to see a physician in person. Additionally, the CDC reports that 15%, or 49.8 million Americans live in rural parts of the U.S., which correlates with poorer health outcomes regardless of income level. Access to specialty carefor this population has been known to be especially difficult or impossible, but telehealth programs have introduced a new channel that many patients can take advantage of. 

In addition to increasing patient demand, there is a strong business case for Hospitals to expand their reach through telehealth modalities. A recent article by Purview's Dr. Christopher Schwartz, Remote Second Opinions: A Cure for the C-Suite Blues, describes the challenging financial state of many hospitals post-covid. Schwartz explains that, ‘during the lockdown alone, U.S. hospitalslost an estimated $22 billion in revenue due to cancellations in elective surgeries.’  Contrast this with the estimated value and market growth of the second opinion market at $10.7 billion by 2027with a CAGR 16.8%, and it is understandable why many hospitals are exploring the potential of these programs. Here, we outline key considerations for your organization as you assess readiness prior to launching a second opinion program.

As we near the end of 2022, we reflect on the past year of Purview's most read and shared blogs. Ranging from the new idea of establishing a 'virtual front door' in healthcare, to the impact of second opinions in pathology, patient resources, and the challenges that surround licensure in telehealth, these topics continue to resurface as we establish research and standards to inform what is best for today's patients in a rapidly changing field. 

Pediatric health care workers are fearing the tripledemic. The RSV surge alone is overwhelming pediatric hospitals, according to the Advisory Board.^[1] While today COVID seems to mostly be a retrospective, it still is a real threat. And the flu season is just beginning. Does that mean we are returning to pandemic-like conditions this winter?

Earlier this year, I injured my hand during a martial arts training session; I heard a popping noise at the same time that I felt a lightning bolt go through my finger. Ouch! Later that hour, I was in an urgent care center getting an x-ray taken of my hand. Working for a cloud-based medical records company, I figured that a doctor would need to see my scans someday, so I asked the x-ray technician how I could get my images to my provider. He told me that he can burn a CD for me and I can take it to my visit. Easy enough.

When and how do you go about getting a second opinion? When it’s not a medical emergency and you're dealing with a major medical decision, gathering additional perspectives and information can guide you through figuring out what is best for you.