The COVID-19 pandemic has caused explosive growth in the adoption of Telehealth technology across the world. Telehealth claim lines increased nearly 3,000% between September 2019 and September 2020, as medical practices and hospitals in COVID-19 hotspots were forced to shut clinic doors and address care continuity through remote operations.
The demand for Telehealth is expected to continue in 2021, and grow exponentially as more patients get comfortable with virtual care encounters. Most physician practices today face challenges due to regulations, declining reimbursement, and increasing patient needs. Ensuring that the office is running at peak efficiency, while still providing the best in patient care, is critical for success.
Although most practices have considered Telehealth and many attempted to modernize through the adoption of EHR and practice management systems, there are still far too many providers out there that continue to struggle with old processes, procedures, and technology. This article goes over how to ensure the successful implementation of Telehealth and get the most out of digital health technology in the market today.
Here are some best practices for ensuring Telehealth implementation is creating a positive experience at your practice.
Get the Basics Right
When implementing a Telehealth solution, it is imperative to operate with a clearly defined eligibility criteria. Steps need to be taken to ensure all departments are onboard and on the same page. It helps to provide training documentation and checklists that can be easily followed when talking about Telehealth or attending to patients using Telehealth.
In order to understand the outcomes and challenges that spring up, it is beneficial to closely observe the reaction and consumption of Telehealth solutions by clinicians and patients in the first 100 days. Which is why it is important to choose the right implementation partner who can be agile and accommodate customizations and integrations as per your infrastructure and specific needs.
Quality of Experience
EHR Integration
Telehealth Etiquette
Communicate Commitment
Initiate Virtual Visits After In-Patient Discharge
A rather easy way to improve adoption of Telehealth is by scheduling a Telehealth visit after patients are discharged from in-person care. This practice typically will have the least resistance from patients and also ensure that the patients are able to transition safely back home after being discharged. It has the dual benefit of increasing patient satisfaction while decreasing re-admissions.
Let Workflows Do the Heavy Lifting
Adding Intuitive Telehealth Implementation to Your Practice
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