Medicare, the Internet, and the future of telemedicine
Medicare, the Internet, and the future of telemedicine
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DOI：
10.1097/00003246-200108001-00002
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发表时间：
2001-08-01
影响因子：
8.8
通讯作者：
Gutierrez, G
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Gutierrez, G
目的：从2001年10月1日起，保健筹资管理局将把医疗保险的范围扩大到各种远程医疗服务和提供者，允许对生活在农村地区的病人进行医疗访问、咨询、心理健康服务和药物监测。向提供者支付的费用将与不使用远程医疗时支付的费用相似。此外，医疗保险将支付20美元的设施费，以始发站点每个远程medicationsession.This文章讨论了如何在计算机连接和通信基础设施的进步，再加上医疗保险报销的远程medications.Data Sources的医疗服务提供商提供了一个独特的机会，以改善医疗服务提供给他们的病人，特别是那些生活在农村县在美国。发表在文献中的同行评议文章和在互联网上发表的行业特定调查。毫无疑问，HCFA对远程医疗报销的最新变化将对美国农村地区的医疗服务产生巨大影响。通过纠正1997年平衡预算法案条款的错误，国会承认远程医疗是一种可行的、可能挽救生命的技术。将远程医疗服务扩大到农村县的最有可能的方案是通过利用互联网技术的网络。互联网和宽带基础设施的扩展应当能够以最低的费用建立地理范围广、技术可靠的远程医疗网络。
Objectives: Beginning October 1, 2001, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) will extend Medicare coverage to a wide range of telemedicine services and providers, allowing for medical visits, consultations, mental health services, and pharmacologic monitoring of patients living in rural areas. Payment to providers will be at a rate similar to that paid without the use of telemedicine. Furthermore, Medicare will pay a facility fee of $20 to the originating site per telemedicine session.This article discusses how advances in computer connectivity and communication infrastructure, coupled with Medicare reimbursement for telemedicine services, present medical providers with a unique opportunity to improve healthcare delivery to their patients, in particular those living in rural counties in the United States.Data Sources. Peer-reviewed articles published in the literature and industry-specific surveys published on the Internet.Conclusions. There is little doubt that recent changes In HCFA reimbursement for telemedicine will have a dramatic impact on the delivery of medical care to rural America. By correcting the mistakes of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act provisions, Congress has acknowledged telemedicine as a viable, potentially life-saving technology. The most likely scenario for the expansion of telemedicine services to rural counties will be through networks using Internet technology. The expansion of the Internet and broadband infrastructure should allow for the establishment of geographically wide and technically robust telemedicine networks, with a minimum of expense.