The majority of U.S. counties do not have access to infectious disease specialists. Responding to the pressing demand and a growing shortage of providers, many hospitals are turning to Tele Infectious Disease programs to access specialists who can diagnose patients and guide treatment for those needing specialized infectious disease care.
1. What is Tele Infectious Disease?
Tele Infectious Disease, or Tele-ID, is a specialized type of telemedicine that brings remote consultations and care to patients experiencing a wide range of infections. Tele-ID breaks down geographic barriers and overcomes physician shortages, allowing patients to receive specialized care in their local hospital or clinic. By improving access to care, Tele Infectious Disease programs can enhance clinical and financial outcomes for healthcare organizations while ultimately improving the quality of care delivered locally.
2. Where can Tele-ID physicians provide services?
Tele-ID specialists can deliver virtual care in the emergency department, critical care and med-surge units, the outpatient setting, and directly to patients in their homes. Regardless of the care setting, it is important for Tele Infectious Disease providers to have access to the patient’s chart, as many diagnoses depend upon the information provided by labs, tests, symptoms, and the patient’s medical history. In addition to speaking with the patient’s onsite care team, the Tele-ID provider will examine the patient via video encounter in order to make a diagnosis.
3. What conditions can be treated by Tele Infectious Disease specialists?
Tele-ID specialists can provide virtually all of the services performed by an in-person specialist. Common conditions managed include HIV/AIDS, sepsis, cellulitis, endocarditis, and other complex skin and soft tissue infections. Additionally, these specialists handle more esoteric infections such as fungal infections, travel-related diseases, and other challenging diagnoses that benefit from the expertise of an infectious disease specialist. In addition, some Tele Infectious Disease programs offer antibiotic stewardship and treatment strategies as well as infection control and prevention strategies.
4. How does a hospital with a Tele-ID program benefit?
Tele-ID programs can be pivotal in providing a swifter and more efficient way to manage infectious diseases. Rather than waiting for an on-site infectious disease physician to become available, Tele Infectious Disease programs give on-site providers immediate access to specialized expertise. Adopting a Tele-ID program can lead to fast administration of antibiotics and other treatments, reduced length of stay, fewer inter-hospital transfers (IHTs), better clinical outcomes, more appropriate utilization of labs and tests, fewer readmissions, and improved revenue for the local hospital.
Tele-ID services also support the onsite care team, potentially reducing their workload and boosting productivity. Ultimately, a Tele Infectious Disease specialist can make a positive impact on patient and family satisfaction, improving health outcomes for patients in their local community.
5. What benefits does AmplifyMD’s Tele Infectious Disease solution offer?
AmplifyMD’s Tele Infectious Disease solution is staffed by board-certified infectious disease specialists who provide high-quality care to hospitals and health systems whenever and wherever it is needed. With AmplifyMD’s virtual care platform, hospital staff can easily integrate with their EMR, request a consult, communicate with the specialist, and initiate a video consult with the click of a button. The virtual care platform puts the most essential patient information at the Tele-ID specialist’s fingertips so they can assess the patient’s condition and make recommendations quickly and easily.
The platform boasts antibiotic stewardship, automated workflows, streamlining patient care processes, and enhancing operational efficiency within the healthcare facility. The Tele-ID solution works across clinical settings, helping both inpatients and outpatients, to minimize transfers and reduce costs, length of stay, and patient leakage. The platform is hardware and site-agnostic, minimizing disruptions and maximizing ease of adoption.
6. How can I learn more about AmplifyMD’s Tele-ID solution?
AmplifyMD is one of the nation’s leading providers of Tele Infectious Disease services. Learn more about how AmplifyMD helps hospitals with virtual specialists, read our case study of Infectious Disease staffing challenges, or contact us to request a demo.
