Asynchronous Telehealth Proves to be a Blessing!

In contrast to synchronous telehealth, asynchronous telehealth refers to a visit during which the patient and provider do not engage in real-time. It usually entails a patient submitting their information and symptoms into a platform or application, with the clinician reviewing it later and issuing a diagnosis and treatment plan.

• Asynchronous telehealth: Several health systems around the country have implemented an asynchronous telehealth service to supplement video- and phone-based visits, including Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health. According to Matt Warrens, managing director of innovation at the health system, the service has been largely beneficial for patients and providers alike, affording both stakeholders more flexibility and offering a way to effectively triage patients and ensure they receive the appropriate level of care.
• Visit: “Essentially, asynchronous visits are a way for a patient to walk through a series of questions that an algorithm is running behind, which knows to intuitively ask them the appropriate next question, and then tees off a recommendation of the diagnosis and treatment,” said Warrens in a phone interview.
• Provider: The provider can accept, reject, or modify the recommendation. Once the provider takes action, the patient receives a message through the platform on the next steps, which can range from being told that a prescription has been sent to their pharmacy of choice or being asked to participate in a video or in-person visit.
• Visit: In November, UnityPoint Health launched asynchronous visits through a company called Bright.md in one of its nine markets. The upsides of asynchronous telehealth for patients are fairly obvious. For one, the service gives patients more flexibility regarding how and when they interact with their physicians.
• Experience: It also helps improve the patient experience as it enables patients to navigate the health system and get the appropriate level of care. For instance, though UnityPoint’s asynchronous telehealth platform is set up to provide diagnosis recommendations for low-acuity conditions — like upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infections, strep throat, and the common cold — it can help triage a patient that requires a higher level of care through its treatment plan recommendation.