IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kareo, the leading provider of cloud-based clinical and business management software for independent medical practices, today announced the launch of Kareo Telemedicine, a solution that enables healthcare providers to conduct secure, HIPAA-compliant video consultations with patients. This announcement comes amid explosive growth in the telemedicine space, driven by patient demand for convenient and cost-effective access to healthcare. Video consultations in the U.S. are projected to grow from 19.7 million in 2014 to an estimated 158.4 million by 2020. Kareo Telemedicine is immediately available to the more than 40,000 healthcare providers using the company's cloud-based platform today. Kareo customers simply follow their regular workflows to schedule appointments, document encounters, and bill for telemedicine visits.

Telemedicine appeals to a wide range of specialties, including primary care, mental health, physical therapy, and obstetrics. Video visits are ideal for routine consultations and follow-ups that do not require a physical examination, such as reviewing lab results, adjusting medications, and minor urgent care.

Regulations have advanced rapidly at the state level to improve the reimbursement landscape for practices offering video visits. Currently 35 states have private parity laws and 8 states have pending laws awaiting approval. All states with parity laws include real-time video conferencing as an acceptable form of telemedicine. And many private payers reimburse at the same rate as in-person encounters.
"By some estimates, medical practices and clinics may save over $100 on cost of care per telemedicine visit as compared to in-office," said Kareo Founder and CEO Dan Rodrigues. "This just makes financial sense for our customers. We have made it easy and affordable for the independent practices we serve to implement a successful telemedicine program. Our hope is that Kareo Telemedicine helps connect providers and patients by giving them a convenient, cost-effective alternative to in-office visits."

Kareo customers adding telemedicine receive their first 10 video visits free of charge. Thereafter, each confirmed video visit costs just $7. Kareo's unique per-usage pricing model enables their customers to get started with telemedicine with little financial risk, only paying for what they use.

Telemedicine solutions typically have significant upfront costs and high monthly subscription fees that are difficult to justify by most medical practices. With Kareo Telemedicine, the average reimbursement for a single visit is roughly 10 times the cost to deliver the visit, generating a positive return from the very first visit. Per visit pricing also provides practices the flexibility to use telemedicine as much or as little as makes sense for the practice and its patients.

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