Types of Telehealth: Modalities
Store-and-forward (asynchronous) telehealth is the transmission of a recorded health history to a health practitioner, usually a specialist, who will assess patient information. This enables providers to access specialist input within their own workflows. This is also a mode of communication between patients and providers, where providers may evaluate patient data and/or render a service outside of real-time interaction.
As beneficial as the store-and-forward approach may be, this modality can be overlooked by healthcare professionals due to a lack of understanding of how it can integrate into their current workflows and reimbursement for use of technologies required. Also, this service can be limited, as it may be inappropriate to use in emergency situations.
Though there may be obstacles in implementing an asynchronous telehealth platform, solutions are found in training, and new regulations and policies that allow for reimbursement of these services.
Technology used for this modality may include a secure web server, encrypted email, specially-designed store-and-forward software, text, online forums, and/or electronic health records.
Reimbursement of telehealth services is incredibly complex, as each state and policy have different regulations. When it comes to reimbursement of asynchronous healthcare, there are states that restrict reimbursement for rendered store-and-forward services; this is due to the definition used by the state for “telehealth/telemedicine” as a service rendered in “real-time.” However, with new emergency regulations, CMS has broadened access to telehealth and many asynchronous telehealth services are now reimbursable.
https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet
Examples of NC sites using asynchronous videoconferencing include:
Mount Olive Primary Care Center
Appalachian Mountain Community Health Centers
