Patients are savvier than ever in our modern age. They want better access to reliable healthcare and want it now. It’s noteworthy that 1 in 5 patients want to switch to a health care provider who offers telehealth services. You might think you’re too busy to take on a new healthcare model.

Believe me. Telehealth may be the change you want to see in your practice. A recent Cisco Global Survey showed 74% of patients want easier access to providers. This means patients will forgo an in-person office visit for instant access to you. So, it’s definitely worth your time and energy to adopt a telehealth model that works for your practice. 

If you want to stay ahead of the curve, save time, and reap a positive return on investment. It’s wise to use telehealth tools to better your patients’ health outcomes. This will ensure your patients will use your services for years to come. 

Bountiful Benefits for Patients

Managing time is very important for many patients. There aren’t enough hours in the day for them to get all the things they need to do done. 

Every day some patients are occupied with:

• Caregiving or parenting
• Navigating a disability or chronic illness
• Battling taking off work for appointments issues

You can free up time for patients with the use of on-demand care, in the comfort of their home or workplace. 

Time is one factor — patients can also save money.  Research has shown telehealth to be more affordable compared to in-person office visits. In light of this, the average cost of a virtual visit vs. an office visit is about a $40 difference. Why not provide your patients with a cheaper and more effective way to receive care?  

Plus, patients can avoid becoming sicker from waiting around in a germ-filled environment. Also, contagious patients won’t get others ill if they opt-in for a  virtual visit. Virtual visits allow you to provide all the medical care needed and more.  Telehealth helps make healthcare accessible and affordable to all patients.

Indispensable Advantages for Health Care Providers

Virtual visits can allow you to have a comprehensive and trust-building approach to treatment. John Hopkins found the U.S. spends over 300 billion dollars on healthcare costs that could’ve been avoided — due to low adherence to treatment. You can lower healthcare costs through useful virtual sessions using video conferencing, mobile apps, or online management systems.

You can have detailed discussions about lifestyle changes too. Overall, these impactful virtual visits will not add to your administrative burdens and might lessen them. Plus, you’ll get to engage in one-on-one chats with your patients, and the extra attention can improve their health outcomes.

Would you enjoy an increase in revenue? 

Telehealth used in your practice can allow you to:

•  See more patients
•  Attract new ones 
•  Turn on-call time into billable hours 
•  Reduce the number of patients canceling their appointments. 

Your workflow can work smoother when an average visit takes less time to complete. Fewer people around your office can decrease wait times. How can telehealth services help you elevate your practice?

Practical Hurdles to Telehealth Use

With any new healthcare model, there are certain things we have to work through. This isn’t an exhaustive list of all the obstacles, but I present a couple of hurdles for you to consider. 

Reimbursement can be a real issue for healthcare providers. Billing to Medicaid, Medicare, and even private healthcare insurance can be a challenge. For instance, Medicare offers limited coverage for telehealth services. A specific rule includes coverage for patients with two-plus chronic conditions that persists for one or more years. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are making plans to cover virtual visits and preventative services now and into the future. Overcome this obstacle by using technology to track what patients have to pay. And to check what their insurance covers. 

Care continuity can be a problem because a patient may visit one provider. Then, choose to use another telehealth provider for their follow-up. Thus, medical history records wouldn’t be available for the new healthcare provider. In this case, it’s best to ask the patient where they first received care. And then you can call up the doctor to get all the information you need for your visit.

Tangible Use of Telehealth to Improve Outcomes

Now, you know how telehealth can be uber-beneficial for you and your patients. But, you might wonder, how does this look like in a practical sense? 

Patients often have a hard time following up after major acute illnesses. Using telehealth is a convenient option for your patients to get the follow-up care they need. You know, following up improves patients’ health outcomes. Why not make it easier for them?

Is a phone call the best way to chat about lab results? Well, a visual diagnostic image of the problem is more effective than talking about it on the phone. You can use telehealth technology to show your patients where the issues are. 

People with a disability and chronic illness deal with a lot and do their best to make it through each day.  It behoves health care providers to make it easier for them to continue treatment. Lessening their stress of planning and getting to an office visit. They’ll then have the energy to keep up with treatment. 

You’ve Made It

Using telehealth can help lower costs, improve productivity, and drive up revenue. What’s more? Your patients will have better health through convenient access to top-notched care. You’ll get more time to do the work you love without adding to your busy load. Now is the time to put off the old way of doing things and embrace the new. Does your practice need a shift?