Telehealth in the therapy world came about during the early times of COVID. Under the emergency rules CMS released, it allowed for Telehealth services to exist for therapy.
Telehealth services has been a game changing tool for rural nursing homes. All too often there are very few therapists available to cover the amount of need for some of these rural nursing homes.
More availability of Assistants
More times than not, there are more therapy assistants available in more rural areas to allow for treatment to occur. There are many factors related to this concept.
Community or County colleges can have either a physical therapy assistant or an Occupational Therapy assistant program. These can be very successful in more remote areas. To become licensed, the state boards require an associate degree in the discipline of therapy. This allows for smaller more remote schools to offer the program. It also helps keep costs down for the student to get the degree.
How does Telehealth work?
Most frequently the service is used to get initial evaluations done. A therapist that has a license in the state can utilize a secure video program while an assistant is on site and being their “hands”. It actually works very well as an assistant is already skilled in doing the hands on aspect of therapy. The therapist is only watching and listening to allow for proper evaluation and assessment. The therapist then would remotely write the evaluation and orders to allow for the assistant to follow the plan of care for treatment.
This tool can also be a significant help in slightly less rural areas. Due to increased difficulty with staffing numbers, when a therapist is sick or is on vacation, often times it is easier to find an assistant to cover hours. Unfortunately there might be an evaluation needed. That’s where Telehealth can be the saving grace. Instead of a delay in care, the resident can be evaluated timely and get the healing process started.
Need for Congressional intervention
Unfortunately the availability of telehealth is on the line. Without intervention by Congress, telehealth will no longer be available for therapy come April first. The telehealth extension ends at the end of March. Without this wonderful tool, there is significantly more likelihood of delays in care due to staffing shortages.
Many times there is the argument that it saves the providers money by hiring less therapists. In reality a telehealth evaluation actually is more cost prohibitive. The time spent by the assistant is not billable. So the amount of time to complete the eval requires a provider to pay two individuals for the same service while only getting reimbursement for one.
The biggest benefactor of telehealth is the residents. It allows for more flexibility and the ability to get onto the path to recovery.
Need to Advocate
So we need help. We need as much people as possible to be advocating for telehealth to be made a permanent part of Medicare coverage. So please go to ADVION’s website. ADVIONadvocates.org and make your voice heard.
