Remote care options for seniors — and all patients — are more common now. The pandemic forced many different innovations in health care, and remote care options prevailed when people could not leave their homes during lockdowns.
Since remote care options are beneficial to both patients and healthcare providers, it seems these options are here to stay. This means you can help support your senior clients by advising them on virtual health options.
Read on to learn more about remote care options for seniors then contact us at American Senior Benefits for more information.
Remote Care Options for Seniors
Seniors can access remote care in various ways:
Live chat
Patients can access remote care through live chats with their doctors and other medical providers. This could be through a video platform like Zoom or Facetime or via old-fashioned phone calls. These visits are live just like an in-person doctor’s visit would be. The difference is simply that the physician and patient are not in the same physical location. This opens up access for your senior clients to see providers that are far away or would otherwise be difficult for them to see in person.
Live chat doctor appointments are scheduled in advance like an in-person visit, and patients are expected to be on time — no-shows are likely to be charged a fee like you would for missing an in-office appointment. As their agent, you can help your senior clients by making sure they understand how to use the technology they will need for their appointment. You can practice video calls with them in advance to help them navigate the options.
Asynchronous messaging
Another remote way to access care is by messaging programs. Asynchronous messaging simply means the visit is not live, but rather the provider and patient use email or other messaging platforms to communicate when it is convenient. A patient may send a message with updates about symptoms and the provider may respond later in the day when office visits have stopped. Sending records electronically for your doctor to review is another example of remote care via asynchronous messaging.
Remote monitoring
Remote monitoring is a type of remote access to medical care that has been around since before the pandemic. Patients may use at-home monitors to update their physician with details about their health. For example, some patients have to monitor their blood glucose levels and report them to their provider to maintain their health. This is an example of remote monitoring where a physician can review the patient’s data and make corrections remotely without seeing the patient in person.
Help Seniors Access Remote Care Options
As their agent, your senior clients may ask for help with accessing remote care options. You can explain Medicare Part B covers certain telehealth services. The patient is usually responsible for 20% of the costs after they have met their deductible.
Talk with your clients about Medicare Advantage plans as well. Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover more telehealth services when compared with traditional Medicare. If having more access to remote care options is important for your client, an Advantage plan may be the better option for them.
Spend time talking with your senior clients to better understand their needs. This will allow you to develop a trusting relationship where you can better guide and advise them about complex issues, including how to access remote care and their insurance.
How Do I Learn More?
To learn more about remote care options for seniors, contact the experts at American Senior Benefits. Our licensed experts will be happy to answer any questions you have.
