Does telehealth (telehealth services) reduce the need for emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, and in-person follow-ups, thereby lowering healthcare costs?

From the Guidelines

Telehealth is a crucial tool in reducing the need for emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, and in-person follow-ups, ultimately leading to significant cost savings in healthcare. This assertion is supported by various studies and programs that have successfully integrated telehealth into their services, such as the Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service 1. The VHA's Care Coordination/Home Telehealth program, for instance, saw a 25% reduction in bed days and a 19% reduction in hospital readmissions, alongside a high patient satisfaction score of 86% 1.

Key benefits of telehealth include:

• Early intervention through virtual consultations, preventing health concerns from escalating into emergencies
• Remote monitoring of chronic conditions, enabling timely interventions before hospitalization is required
• Enhanced post-discharge care through virtual follow-ups, reducing readmission rates
• Elimination of transportation costs, reduction in time off work, and decreased need for childcare arrangements
• Access to specialist consultations without the need for costly patient transfers, particularly beneficial for underserved areas

The economic benefits of telehealth are substantial, with potential savings estimated to be as high as $5 billion, as suggested by the projection of 00 million e-visits resulting in significant healthcare cost reductions 1. While there is an initial investment required for technology and training, the long-term savings from reduced hospitalizations and emergency care outweigh these costs.

The success of telehealth programs in various settings, including the VHA and the Indian Health Service, demonstrates its potential as a model for primary care settings, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs 1. Therefore, the integration of telehealth into healthcare systems is a recommended strategy for reducing emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, and in-person follow-ups, ultimately contributing to lower healthcare costs.

From the Research

Reduction in Healthcare Utilization

• Telehealth has been shown to reduce the need for emergency department visits and hospital readmissions, ultimately lowering healthcare costs 2.
• A study on elective thoracic surgery patients found that postoperative telehealth visits reduced emergency department visits and 30-day readmissions 2.
• The use of telehealth has also been associated with improved medication adherence and blood pressure control in patients with hypertension 3, 4.

Cost-Effectiveness of Telehealth

• Telehealth interventions have been found to be cost-effective in improving clinical outcomes and medication adherence in patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes 3, 4.
• A systematic review of telehealth interventions found that they were successful in improving medication adherence and reducing healthcare utilization 4.
• The use of telehealth has also been shown to be a scalable solution for promoting healthy blood pressure and lifestyle modification 5.

Telehealth and Hypertension Management

• Telehealth has been found to be effective in improving blood pressure control and medication adherence in patients with hypertension 3, 6, 4.
• A systematic review of digital health interventions found that telehealth was associated with a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with hypertension 3.
• Telehealth has also been found to be a useful tool for promoting lifestyle modification and healthy blood pressure in patients with overweight or obesity 5.