Telerehabilitation: managed care's new opportunity

Recent advances in telecommunications technology are leading to new developments in postacute and rehabilitative care. For about $400 per patient and a telephone hookup, physicians and therapists can provide ongoing, direct care to patients at remote clinics or in their homes. The lack of large-scale randomized controlled trials demonstrating clinical and cost effectiveness in rehabilitation and telemedicine has precluded many payers from reimbursing for services. Guidelines for best use do not currently exist, yet the benefits for payers, providers, and patients could be substantial. Telerehabilitation could become an important modality to MCOs seeking to extend the continuum of postacute care to nonclinical settings.