Telehealth can make a world of difference in many areas of medicine. One such subspecialty is bariatric medicine, which is ever-growing due to the obesity epidemic in America. This specialization is a notoriously trying area since many patients are hesitant to disclose unhealthy habits to their health care providers for fear of judgment. Individuals struggling with obesity may also demonstrate difficulty engaging in weight loss programs to improve their condition.
Bariatric telemedicine can not only assist with confidentiality concerns patients might have surrounding these discussions, but it also has the added benefit of being highly convenient and increasing provider efficacy. The use of telemedicine for this purpose also allows a greater sense of collaboration between clinicians since this specialty requires close contact between both physical rehabilitation and mental health care providers. More collaboration eliminates the duplication of efforts and ultimately leads to better quality care at a lower cost.
On top of that, more effective obesity management and treatment provided via telehealth can also give way to more comprehensive and easily accessible obesity prevention programs. It benefits patients to engage in these programs as they are provided, since it keeps them healthier and prevents obesity-related complications from occurring in the first place.
But, even more than that, it’s in the best interest of insurance companies, hospitals, and providers to assist in the creation of preventive programs. Development efforts such as these can not only avoid the need for future care, but they also significantly cut down on costs for all parties involved.
Prioritizing obesity prevention also improves outcomes, which allows insurers and organizations alike to hit outcome measures and benchmarks set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This allows health care facilities to obtain increased funding from governmental bodies to continue providing the obesity-related care society needs.
Insurers should demonstrate a solid commitment to obesity prevention programming, not only for the sake of population health, but because it also reduces costs associated with obesity-related health care services.
If your company wants to take the first step in obesity prevention, they should start by identifying resources and organizations who can assist with these efforts. Reach out to TOG Network Solutions to analyze your provider network today.