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- More people and care professionals will continue to use virtual care amid the persistent spread of COVID-19.
- Virtual care and other digital health resources are contributing to a more connected, personalized healthcare system.
- UnitedHealthcare's focus on innovation provides more digital-health resources to people and employers.
When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered most medical facilities for all but emergency care for several months in 2020, many patients turned to virtual care out of necessity. That trend has continued into 2021, but rather than out of necessity it is because many people are embracing the simplicity, convenience, and affordability of virtual care.
The use of virtual care surged by 2,500% during 2020, according to UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest providers of health-benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in the US. This trend is showing staying power as some types of virtual medical services, such as primary care, urgent care, disease management, and behavioral health services, have remained at or above pre-pandemic levels, indicating the momentum is lasting.
Virtual care is one example of how digital health resources will continue to benefit people and care professionals, with other types of technology helping create a more connected, data-driven healthcare system. Here's how innovative digital solutions are helping people get and stay healthier.
Virtual care will grow, especially for older Americans
Not surprisingly, in an era where people are increasingly comfortable purchasing groceries and making other transactions online, virtual care has surged in popularity. In fact, a recent UnitedHealthcare survey found that - even after the COVID-19 pandemic ends - one-quarter of respondents said they prefer a virtual relationship with a primary care physician rather than in-person visits.
Moving forward, virtual care is particularly advantageous for older Americans, due in part to higher rates of chronic conditions, lack of access to transportation, limited incomes, and other factors. Increasingly, people 65 and older are growing more comfortable using virtual care and may consider this option to be more desirable than in-person visits. To that end, as Medicare's open enrollment period is here (October 15 - December 7), almost all Medicare Advantage plans from UnitedHealthcare offer $0 copays on virtual visits for primary care and mental health.
While virtual care won't replace in-person visits, the technology is generally more affordable and convenient, said Dr. Anne Docimo, chief medical officer, UnitedHealthcare.
"We are seeing that a hybrid approach that leverages virtual care can help expand consumer choice and convenience, while increasing engagement and access to care," Dr. Docimo said. "As people seek to balance busy work and life schedules, virtual care is proving to be an increasingly important option for care."
Increasing simplified access to digital-health resources
Removing barriers to care and leveraging technology can also help people take charge of their health. This is important given the ongoing spread of COVID-19, which has prompted many people to avoid visiting public gyms and placed a premium on at-home exercise.
For instance, more people and employers are asking for health plans that include technology-based resources that can motivate - and incentivize - members for being physically active. Programs like UnitedHealthcare Motion® give eligible people access to wearable devices at no additional cost and enable them to earn financial incentives by meeting certain daily activity goals, such as walking, cycling, swimming, and strength training, among others.
UnitedHealthcare is also meeting this growing demand by expanding access to digital fitness apps for on-demand, studio-style workouts. Starting November 1, millions of people in most states enrolled in UnitedHealthcare fully insured, employer-sponsored health plans will have year-long access - at no additional cost - to Apple Fitness+, the first fitness service built entirely around Apple Watch. And starting next year, employers with self-funded health plans can purchase an "Apple Fitness Bundle," which provides employees with a 12-month subscription to Apple Fitness+ as well as a $25 Apple digital gift card.
"As more people and care professionals embrace and move to a digital-first mindset, UnitedHealthcare will continue to modernize our approach to health benefits and invest in new ways to use technology to help individuals along their journeys toward health," Dr. Docimo said.
Virtual primary care and digital therapeutics help prevent or better manage chronic conditions
Remote-patient monitoring programs, digital therapeutics, and virtual primary care are other healthcare advances that are becoming more prevalent. These approaches can help individuals and care professionals make more data-driven treatment decisions while driving greater consumer engagement.
For instance, virtual care can help people to establish - or maintain - a relationship with a primary care physician for wellness checkups, diagnostics, management of long-term conditions and some urgent and non-urgent treatments. At the same time, people may consider using connected devices to help potentially improve their health, ranging from smartwatches and activity trackers to continuous blood glucose monitors and connected asthma inhalers.
These connected devices - and others like them - may provide important real-time information and offer people actionable feedback about their behavior patterns, while helping make it possible for care professionals to counsel patients to follow recommended treatments more effectively.
UnitedHealthcare provides some members who suffer from symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) with electronic scales and blood pressure monitors, as well as tablets with software that lets them complete daily health surveys. This information can then be transferred directly to care teams who monitor and reach out to members or connect them to their care professional when personalized data indicates that an intervention could help improve health outcomes.
"Digital health has expanded from delivering care to people who are sick to also focusing on preventing and detecting disease and, if needed, helping people more conveniently manage chronic conditions," Dr. Docimo said. "The adoption and increased use of virtual care and other types of digital health resources may help flag gaps in care, prevent complications and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations - all of which help improve health outcomes and curb costs."
Virtual care has earned its place alongside in-person visits as an important healthcare option, while other types of digital health innovations are becoming increasingly important in helping people live healthier lives. As technological advancements continue to improve and more physicians and people adopt and accept them, virtual care and digital health are poised to become even more important options in creating a more modern, high-performing healthcare system.
Learn more about UnitedHealthcare's initiatives here.
This post was created by Insider Studios with UnitedHealthcare.
source https://www.businessinsider.com/sc/how-virtual-care-innovations-can-benefit-people-and-employers-2021-10