Telemedicine Effective for Chronic Conditions, New SteadyMD Survey Finds

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Feb 20, 2024, 07:43 ET

It also provides work-life balance for overburdened providers, clinicians say

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Telehealth is effective for managing patients with chronic conditions while also making it easier for healthcare providers to manage their personal and professional lives, according to the results of a new clinician survey from SteadyMD, a telehealth infrastructure provider that powers healthcare leaders and innovators in all 50 states.

While telehealth has previously been viewed as primarily suited for acute or minor conditions, 83.6% of clinicians surveyed strongly agreed (45.5%) or somewhat agreed (38.1%) that it is effective for managing chronic conditions.

The survey of 134 clinicians across SteadyMD's nationwide network was conducted in January. The results offer insights into the benefits, challenges and potential of telemedicine as it matures into its post-pandemic use cases.

As research has repeatedly shown, clinician burnout is having a profound impact across the healthcare landscape, with a 2023 Journal of the American Medical Association study concluding that it is a "potential threat to the ability of the U.S. healthcare system to care for patients." Telemedicine addresses this issue and is attractive to clinicians because it provides the flexibility necessary for a better work-life balance, a fact borne out by the survey. Ninety-four percent of respondents strongly agreed (76.1%) or somewhat agreed (17.9%) with the statement, "I find it easier to manage personal and professional commitments by practicing medicine via telehealth."

SteadyMD's clinicians also addressed barriers to practicing across state lines. While telehealth has grown in popularity, a confusing patchwork of state regulations makes it difficult for providers to deliver comprehensive services across all 50 states. In the survey, 87.3% of respondents strongly agreed with the statement, "Easing cross-state practice regulations would significantly improve telehealth and my place in it."

"No one understands the impact and potential of telehealth better than the clinicians who provide it every day," said Josh Emdur, DO, Chief Medical Officer at SteadyMD. "These survey results underscore that telehealth is poised to play an even more pivotal role in care delivery through the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes and weight management, as well as provide relief for overburdened providers."

For example, skilled telemedicine providers can provide ongoing care for conditions such as weight management. Use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and similar drugs is projected to soar this year if supply can meet the considerable demand. Telemedicine providers adept at overseeing use of weight-loss medications, as well as providing general nutrition and wellness guidance, will be critical in meeting the demand for long-term care for these patients.

The SteadyMD Clinician survey also covered other aspects of telehealth, including access to care, with 83.6% of clinicians saying they strongly agree that telehealth plays a significant role in increasing health equity.

To see more results from the survey, visit steadymd.com.

SteadyMD will be onsite at ViVE Feb. 25-28 in Los Angeles. Schedule a meeting here.

About SteadyMD

SteadyMD is a B2B telehealth infrastructure provider that powers high-quality telehealth patient experiences for leaders and innovators in healthcare in all 50 states. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with healthcare organizations, labs and diagnostics companies, pharmacies, payers, and digital health brands, SteadyMD enables its partners to scale quickly and efficiently nationwide by offering a 50-state clinician workforce, clinical operations, legal and regulatory guidance, and world-class product and technology. SteadyMD's carefully curated community of thousands of board-certified clinicians are passionate about improving access to high-quality care by utilizing state-of-the-art delivery modalities and serving patients across the entire care spectrum. To learn more, please visit steadymd.com.

Media Contact
Patrick Hurley
SteadyMD
[email protected]

SOURCE SteadyMD