A recent Bisnow National Healthcare New England event brought together medical industry leaders to discuss trends of care centered away from hospitals. This is reflected in a more than doubling of urgent care clinics in Massachusetts between 2010 and 2018, from 18 to 45. Though these clinics offer greater convenience, a consensus of panelists was that patients want even more responsive care from home and this is a niche that telemedicine fills.
As described by the Boston Medical Center director of ambulatory operations, an increasing number of patients are beginning to receive care via apps on their phone. Through the use of video conferences or photos, patients can easily consult with professionals in areas ranging from psychiatry to dermatology, and also access prescriptions.
High demand is reflected in new Persistence Market Research data, which estimates the North American telemedicine market value at almost $7 billion, with this figure expected to expand by a factor of five over the next decade. Nearly 70 percent of physicians surveyed reported strong interest in employing telemedicine and remote patient monitoring moving forward.