Recent studies have shown that healthcare providers can save by implementing technology that enables remote communication between patients and physicians. A veterans’ hospital in rural Oregon saved more than $88,000 in travel expenses in 2011 after shifting more than 3,000 patient visits from in-person to telehealth services. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Northwest Health Network was able to save $742,000 in 2011 by facilitating 23,580 remote consultations.
But physicians who become focused on the cost savings and efficiency associated with telemedicine should not neglect face time with patients. “There’s a good deal of research to show that a clinician’s physical presence in the room, along with a simple pat on the back, has therapeutic value,” the editorial said.
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