13 Apr Key Insights from the State of Pediatric Telemedicine 2021 Survey
In the last year, medical practices all over the country have struggled to offer patients care while dealing with the realities of an unprecedented global pandemic. In 2020 and into 2021, pursuing pediatric success has meant that doctors and practices have been forced to change their methods, working diligently to keep patients and staff safe through social distancing, and by offering care through telemedicine.
Although it wasn’t a new concept, telemedicine exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It not only helped individuals avoid in-person interactions, it also helped deploy large numbers of medical professionals to provide remote services to areas where local facilities were overwhelmed.
This increase in telemedicine services has had an undeniably positive effect on pediatric patients and their families, allowing them to visit primary care physicians, specialists, and other healthcare providers without leaving the safety of home. However, the effects of telemedicine on pediatric healthcare practitioners have largely gone unreported – until now.
The State of Pediatric Telemedicine 2021 Survey
The State of Pediatric Telemedicine 2021 Survey, commissioned by Anytime Pediatrics, was conducted over one month in early 2021. It surveyed a random sample of 787 pediatricians from across the United States and asked them to evaluate their experience with telemedicine over the last year.
The takeaways from the survey are incredibly valuable for pediatricians looking to improve or optimize the success of their practice. Here are some key points to keep in mind as you prepare for the uncertain year ahead.
Telemedicine is Becoming Ubiquitous
In the survey, virtually every respondent was currently using some form of telemedicine in their practice. This technology doesn’t just help them connect with patients. In many cases, doctors and administrators were using technology to make their workflow more flexible and were opting for programs that could integrate seamlessly into their EHR, making record-keeping easier.
Telemedicine Makes Handling Developmental and Behavioral Issues Simpler
For pediatricians, the most common telemedicine appointment was for a patient’s behavioral or mental health issue. The fact that telemedicine makes sensitive appointments like these easier and more discrete will help parents who are struggling to support children with developmental, behavioral, or mental health issues. These issues have been especially pervasive during the COVID-19 pandemic, as routines have been disrupted and children have been largely isolated at home.
The Primary Deterrent to Telemedicine is Poor Technology
More than 51% of respondents reported that they “sometimes” experienced technical difficulties, with a further 16.07% reporting frequent issues. These issues typically came in the form of connectivity challenges, which disrupted the audio or video feed during an appointment.
The right telemedicine platform is the key to mitigating these issues. The best platforms offered peripheral device integration, translation services, and remote monitoring capabilities. However, many clinicians noted that if they could re-do their launch of telemedicine, they would spend more time training staff in the use of their platform to ensure a smoother adoption of the technology.
There’s much more useful information in the complete findings of the State of Pediatric Telemedicine 2021 Survey. To download your own copy, click here.