Karen R. Thomas

Karen R. Thomas is the founder and president of Advanced TeleHealth Solutions. In 2004, she developed and secured funding for the first Medicaid-covered telemonitoring program within the Disease Management Department of the state of Missouri. Karen is a nationally-renowned speaker, using her expertise in telehealth monitoring to educate hospitals, home health agencies and other companies and organizations about the benefits of telemedicine solutions. She is also an educator for Missouri State University's Health Care Administration master's program and a contributing author to "Home Telehealth: Connecting Care Within the Community," published by Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd. Additionally, Karen serves as a board member for the National Association for Home Care and the Private Duty Home Care Association, is a member of the American Telemedicine Association, and is an Ex Officio member of the advisory board of HealthCare Technology Association of America.

Articles by Karen R. Thomas

• Data doesn’t lie: Remote monitoring works

  Tuesday, August 11, 2015

  There has been a lot of positive press lately about remote patient monitoring, but many wonder what the news really means for patients. Yes, telehealth can improve efficiencies, reduce re-hospitalizations and save money for the healthcare system, but is it actually helping patients?

• Beyond tech: The human side of remote monitoring and health call centers

  Wednesday, July 08, 2015

  What comes to mind when you think about remote patient monitoring? The first thing most people think of are the various technologies that make this transfer of health data possible. They envision the remote monitoring devices that collect data such as weight, pulse, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, blood glucose readings and so on, and transmit that data back to a technology hub.

• Choosing telehealth for growth: Evaluating logistics and operations

  Tuesday, June 02, 2015

  One of the first steps toward choosing the right telehealth program for your business is to determine the needs of your customers, clients and/or patients so you can assess how telehealth will help them achieve better health outcomes.

• Tailoring telehealth for your business: Evaluating customer needs

  Tuesday, May 12, 2015

  Recent pressures for healthcare providers to both reduce hospital readmission rates and find convenient, affordable care solutions for patients, clients and employees are causing many businesses to turn to telehealth. Telehealth has swiftly grown in popularity as a way to more efficiently manage care and improve wellness.

• How telehealth is changing the lives of chronically ill patients

  Tuesday, April 14, 2015

  ​Living with a chronic disease isn't just physically taxing; it takes an emotional toll as well. Millions of older Americans live with a chronic illness such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes or heart disease, and many suffer through their day-to-day care routines alone.

• Telehealth’s true success starts behind the scenes

  Tuesday, March 17, 2015

  For the last few years, telehealth has been one of the biggest buzzwords in the healthcare industry. With recent predictions indicating that the number of patients using telehealth will hit 7 million by the year 2018, businesses are scrambling to create devices that can keep up with the high demand.

• Telehealth is changing the landscape of diabetes management

  Monday, February 16, 2015

  Diabetes is an epidemic that affects both individuals who suffer from the disease and the overall economy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, a dramatic increase in the previous estimate of 26 million in 2010.

• Telehealth hits the mark on Triple Aim requirements

  Tuesday, January 13, 2015

  ​In today's rapidly-evolving healthcare environment, care providers are looking for new ways to meet the needs of those for whom they provide care, while simultaneously reducing overall care costs. Hence, the development of Triple Aim.

• Have faith, early adopters: Telehealth’s time is finally here

  Friday, November 21, 2014

  In the tech world, the early-adoption phase of new software and devices is always filled with the anticipation and excitement of users wondering what the new technology will be like, how it will make life easier and how it might change the industry. People stand in lines for days waiting for the release of updated technology products.

• Telehealth strategies for improving your healthcare business

  Tuesday, October 07, 2014

  As the national conversation about telehealth is trending daily, healthcare and aging care companies are increasingly investigating their telehealth options. Here are some tips on how to be ready to help an organization assess how telehealth can improve its business.

• Solidarity vs. solitary: Why collaboration means better healthcare

  Wednesday, September 10, 2014

  ​Historically, healthcare has been adept at achieving highly focused and specialized solutions. Focus and specialization literally permeated the culture and structure of healthcare for many years.

• An aging America: The future of healthcare depends on telehealth

  Monday, August 11, 2014

  As a country, we are living longer and in greater numbers. The number of people over the age of 65 in America is predicted to rise to nearly 80 million by 2040, according to the Administration on Aging. When that happens, there will be more people living in our country who are over the age of 65 than at any point before in history, a fact that has many wondering if the U.S. healthcare system will have the resources, systems and integration to care for such a substantial older adult population.