Methods to engage patients in the modern clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To identify current patient and provider engagement methods that use technology in allergy and immunology clinics, in hospitals, and at home. DATA SOURCES: Apple App Store and Google searches for allergy and immunology technology applications and PubMed search of literature involving keywords of website, technology, electronic health record, medical devices, disparity in technology, coding for remote patient monitoring, and artificial intelligence. STUDY SELECTIONS: Studies that addressed the keywords were included and narrowed down based on their applicability in the allergy and immunology clinic. RESULTS: There has been rapid innovation in the digital health care space with expansion of electronic medical record services and the patient portal, creation of allergy and immunology-specific medical devices and applications with remote patient monitoring capabilities, and website and artificial intelligence development to interact with patients. CONCLUSION: These technological advances provide distinct advantages to the provider and patient but also have a burden of time for evaluation of the data for the provider and disparate access to certain technologies for patients. The development of these technologies has been fast-tracked since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. With the explosion in telehealth and medical device development, advancement of medical technology is not revealing any signs of slowing down. It is paving a new way to interact with patients in the future.

Telemedicine Pays: Billing and Coding Update.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Telemedicine is a rapidly growing healthcare sector that can improve access to care for underserved populations and offer flexibility and convenience to patients and clinicians alike. However, uncertainty about insurance coverage and reimbursement policies for telemedicine has historically been a major barrier to adoption, especially among physicians in private practice (the majority of practicing allergists). RECENT FINDINGS: The COVID-19 public health emergency has highlighted the importance of telehealth as a safe and effective healthcare delivery model, with governments and payers rapidly expanding coverage and payment in an effort to ensure public access to healthcare in the midst of an infectious pandemic. This comprehensive review of updated telemedicine coverage and payment policies will include a tabular guide on how to appropriately bill and optimize reimbursement for telemedicine services. This review of current trends in telemedicine coverage, billing, and reimbursement will outline the historical and current state of telemedicine payment policies in the USA, with special focus on recent policy changes implemented in light of COVID-19. The authors will also explore the potential future landscape of telehealth coverage and reimbursement beyond the resolution of the public health emergency.