| | September 20219UTLOOKHealthcare Tech THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF REMOTE CAREFor the first time, patients have the ability to communicate with their physician through remote technology and also receive adjustments to the settings on their neuromodulation devices anytime and anywhere as long as a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is available. Advancements in battery life, frequency and amplification, stimulation targets and connectivity options have also helped to create a more seamless experience for both patient and provider. The development of virtual care for chronic pain and movement disorder patients came about as a solution to improve access to care, a need apparent long before COVID-19. Like many people with chronic conditions, this community of patients often has a hard time getting to doctor's appointments, especially if they are experiencing a flare in pain or are having trouble managing their symptoms. Patients with movement disorders face added hurdles because they must be off their medication overnight to reach baseline to determine the next course of treatment, which can make travel difficult. And people living with movement disorders have traditionally traveled over 150 miles on average every two to three months to receive treatment from a specialist. The goal now will be to continue to advance virtual care technology to other segments of care, especially in areas where patients are more likely to delay or forego much-needed care because of access barriers. If we can continue to develop true virtual care solutions, we may be able to keep some chronic conditions from progressing to the point that they become urgent health issues. Even as we work to eradicate COVID-19, issues with access to care will persist. However, government policies have made it possible for more people to take advantage of temporary reimbursement until the COVID-19 pandemic is over. The success of this temporary policy will hopefully encourage payors and policymakers to fully adapt to this approach to further enhance the care continuum.Keith Boettiger is vice president of Abbott's neuromodulation business and has more than 15 years of experience in the dynamically changing neuromodulation industry. HTThe next evolution of remote care will be to a true virtual care platform in which physicians can use digital technologies to administer care and monitor theprogress virtually
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