Leveraging Telemedicine as a Workforce Multiplier for Clinicians

Telemedicine has been a crucial tool in the fight against COVID-19, allowing patients and providers to stay connected even when quarantine rules keep them physically separated. During the first phase of the pandemic, both patients and providers embraced remote care, prompting an incredible spike in utilization – approximately 63 times pre-pandemic baseline levels among Medicare patients, new CMS data reveals. Ambulatory, long-term care, and acute care providers reported that 26 percent of their patients used telemedicine in 2021 compared to 32 percent in 2020. Telemedicine is the key to helping us do more with less – without sacrificing care quality, patient safety, or shared patient-provider satisfaction. Immediate, 24-hour care from remote geriatric-trained clinicians significantly relieves pressure on Primrose’s clinical staff, allowing nurses and other on-site professionals to provide high-quality care to all the patients in their charge.