Telemedicine is an efficient, inexpensive way to see the doctor

St. Francis Health Center recently announced that it is working with Doctor on Demand to offer telemedicine services to its patients. Doctor on Demand is an app that connects patients with physicians via videoconference, allowing them to receive treatment for non-emergent conditions without a trip to the hospital or clinic.

This service will increase health care access for Topekans and other northeast Kansans while saving them time and money.

Telemedicine is growing rapidly in the United States. According to an August 2015 report from the research and analytics firm IHS, the number of virtual doctor-patient consultations is rising by about 10 percent every year. There were 16.6 million consultations in 2015, and IHS expects this number to grow to 26.9 million by 2020.

The federal government has taken note of this trend; CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) reports that Medicare reimbursement for telemedicine increased by 604 percent between 2006 and 2015. Last July, Congressman Mike Thompson introduced a bill that would give Medicare enrollees greater access to telemedicine.

Many state governments recognize the value of telemedicine as well. In 2011, only 11 states had telemedicine parity laws, which require insurance companies to reimburse telehealth services in the same way as in-person care. Since then, telemedicine parity legislation has been passed in 29 states (plus Washington, D.C.) and similar bills are being considered in eight others. Medicaid covers telehealth services in 48 states.

Kansas is one of 13 states that do not have any telemedicine parity laws.

While some physicians have expressed concerns about the quality of telehealth care and the risk of diminished patient privacy, there are many benefits of virtual treatment.

For rural patients who may live many miles from the nearest health center, telemedicine is the most cost-effective and convenient way to handle non-emergent health conditions. If you have a minor health issue during a trip, you won't be forced to spend an hour or two in an unfamiliar clinic. If you have a medical problem after hours, you will receive assistance without a trip to the emergency room.

St. Francis spokeswoman Nikki Sloup points out that many patients show up at the ER because they don't have any other options: "We recognize that people, especially if it's a holiday or a weekend, will sometimes come to the emergency room because that's the only thing that's open." Companies like Doctor on Demand provide an efficient solution to this problem -- one that relieves patients of a stressful experience and reduces ER wait times.

Most state legislatures in the country have addressed telemedicine in one way or another. Considering its popularity and potential usefulness for thousands of Kansans, ours should do the same.