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Committee hears insurers' virtual physical-therapy pilot and wider telehealth potential
Summary
Members heard about a virtual physical-therapy program that mails tablets with sensors and delivers therapy by video, and discussed connectivity, reimbursement and scope-of-practice constraints for telehealth expansion in rural areas.
Members discussed telemedicine as a way to improve access, especially in rural communities, and heard from a representative of an insurer that reported a virtual physical-therapy pilot. "If we mail them an iPad, it's like some kind of tablet and sensors ... and then you do everything over video conference," the representative said, describing higher completion rates and lower costs in pilot use.
Speakers noted reimbursement, connectivity and scope-of-practice rules as barriers to broader adoption. Committee members suggested exploring partnerships with home-care providers and larger health systems to expand access and address reimbursement challenges; they also discussed whether providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners should be encompassed by potential scope changes.
