As the cost of living and ageing population numbers continue to increase, there’s never been a better time to redesign the landscape of physiotherapy by moving resources and treatment online. DocHQ’s latest development is DocHQ Physio, a technical service that moves consultations online and allows recovery to be tracked by its AI technology as users perform their exercise plans on our software. As health insurance companies consider the potential of virtual physiotherapy, it is important to explore the potential benefits of this technology. DocHQ Physio offers patients a convenient and cost-effective way to access the care they need and not worry about issues surrounding distance, mobility or financial constraints. In this article, we will discuss the potential benefits of DocHQ Physio and what health insurance companies should consider when assessing its potential.
Improved access to care
NHS physiotherapists are often in high demand, and accessing care in a timely manner can be difficult for patients. Some people may choose to go to a private physiotherapist as this is a faster process and they’ll need insurance policies that can cover the higher costs. DocHQ Physio allows patients to schedule an online consultation with a Chartered Physiotherapist, who will assess their issue and create a recovery plan that the patient can perform from the comfort of their own home.
Remote physio sessions allow patients to save time and travel costs while receiving the guidance they need to begin their rehabilitation. Improved access to care can help to reduce wait times which allows for a faster recovery for the patient which can lead to reduced costs for health insurance companies. For example, shorter wait times could reduce the need for patients to seek a second opinion due to frustration with being on the waitlist and faster recovery means insurers won’t need to keep paying out month after month for an issue that could have been resolved sooner.
Increased affordability
Physiotherapy services can be costly and can often result in patients having to either pay out of pocket or seek financial assistance from their insurance company. The average price for a 60-minute initial assessment with a private physical therapist in the UK is £75. The average price for follow-up consultations (30 minutes) is £53. DocHQ offers their initial assessment with a physiotherapist at £60 and the follow up consultation at £45. DocHQ Physio also offers bundle upgrades that predict a 3-month recovery so the patient pays an all-in-one price for an additional 2 month treatment after their initial assessment.
Our plans include full access to DocHQ Physio’s AI tech software, which scans the patient’s body to help them improve and maintain their required exercises. Our AI tech allows the patient’s physio to track patient progress so they can update their rehabilitation plans to improve the recovery rate. Patients are more likely to perform their plan alongside our AI tech, as someone is guiding them through it and ensuring they are performing the exercises accurately. All this leads to a faster recovery for the patient and a reduced physio cost over time for insurers.
Potential Cost Savings to Health Insurance Companies
Virtual physiotherapy has the potential to reduce the cost of care by offering reduced equipment costs, greater affordability of services, improved access to care, and better outcomes for patients. Additionally, the increase in demand for virtual physiotherapy services such as DocHQ Physio can help to reduce the demand for in-person care, helping to reduce costs for health insurance companies.
The initial consultations and follow up appointments enable a more holistic patient-centred focus. The format encourages more conversation and provides the clinician with a better opportunity to ask questions and provide bespoke advice, education and reassurance. Once the patient has their recovery plan, they can use DocHQ’s AI software to perform their exercises every day, from the comfort of their own home. DocHQ’s AI visual technology uses the patient’s webcam to scan their body and track their movement as they perform their recovery exercises. Real-time feedback in the form of visual and audio cues is given, to ensure the patient is executing the exercise accurately and effectively. Performance data such as range of movement is logged, so the physio can monitor the patient’s progress and update the plan accordingly. These features mean a faster recovery rate is expected.
Faster recovery means a reduced cost for health insurance providers with less insurance claim payouts and a potential decrease in the need for surgery, saving insurance providers and patients time and money over the long term.
Data and monitoring
Certain insurance providers require that patients keep a record of their recovery process to show that the exercises are being performed to keep their premium down. DocHQ’s Physiotherapy Lead, Tiggy Corben believes that the tracked progress available on DocHQ Physio will provide evidence that patients are performing their exercises:
“The AI might be very useful for providing objective data that proves someone has followed their rehabilitation plan. This can provide evidence to certain insurance providers that require proof that the exercises have been performed in order to keep a patient’s premium down.”
The tracked progress available on DocHQ Physio can help reduce back and forth between insurance companies and patients, leading to reduced costs and faster recovery. Our data can help insurers identify many customers who require unique attention. Confirmation that the patient insured has or has not completed the treatment plan will help insurers understand if the patient insured has complied with their T&Cs.
Conclusion
DocHQ Physio offers a more accessible and cost-effective route to recovery than traditional physiotherapy practices for the more common musculoskeletal conditions caused by working from home or at a desk, including back, neck and joint pain. Health insurance companies can benefit from partnering with DocHQ Physio to help reduce their costs by reducing the need for long wait times, follow up appointments, long-term treatment and potential surgery, as offering a unique monitoring tool to keep a record of a patients’ recovery progress.
If you wish to discuss B2B opportunities, please reach out to us via LinkedIn or email us at madhur.srivastava@dochq.co.uk
