With physician shortage looming, hospitals turn to telehealth tools

Telehealth is beginning to mature as a viable arm of the healthcare industry, and it couldn’t be happening at a better time. Thanks in part to an aging baby boomer population, many experts are predicting a physician shortage in the coming years — one that can be addressed through telehealth technology, which allows doctors and specialists to be anywhere, anytime. With telehealth gaining popularity among more and more groups of patients, including veterans, providers are sensing a revenue opportunity. They’re also hopeful that being able to connect with people via video conference — and making diagnoses with the help of high-res images — can ease some of the workforce burden caused by too few physicians seeing too many patients.

“A lot of that is around the increasing population, and the increasing access people have to different modes of care,” said Jeff Cutler, chief revenue officer of telehealth firm Tyto Care. “But more importantly it’s the expectation people have that things be more accessible. Healthcare is somewhat antiquated when it comes to delivery, and having to come to an office. You have more efficiently connect people to the clinicians who are there.”

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