The Evolution of Healthcare: Adapting to a Telehealth Explosion

As 2021 draws to a close amidst the ongoing pandemic, we reflect on a world that has dramatically transformed in the span of just a few years. Life before the era of toilet paper shortages and supply chain disruptions, before remote work in pajamas, and before the advent of social distancing, virtual school, virtual gyms, virtual parties, and virtual medical appointments seems like a distant memory. In this new COVID-19 world, our approach to medical care has evolved significantly.

A Telehealth Explosion

Before the pandemic, virtual doctor visits were a rare occurrence. The concept of telehealth dates back to 1879 when an article in Lancet discussed the possibility of conducting medical appointments over the phone to avoid unnecessary office visits. While the idea of remote healthcare had been around for a while, it only gained significant traction during the 1970s. However, it wasn't until March 2020, in the midst of a global health crisis, that telehealth truly became mainstream.

In the first quarter of 2020, the medical industry witnessed a 50% increase in remote healthcare visits compared to the same period in 2019. Reports from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicated that in areas heavily affected by COVID-19, telehealth visits skyrocketed from less than 1% to as much as 80% of all appointments. Patients, whether seeking COVID-related care or routine check-ups, were forced to embrace the new reality of virtual medical consultations.

Medical Office Adaptation & Transformation

As the pandemic swept across the globe, healthcare practices faced unprecedented challenges. Some practices and healthcare systems had to furlough employees, while others adapted quickly to the rapidly changing landscape. Under CDC guidelines, healthcare offices revamped patient flow procedures, implemented rigorous sanitization protocols, and rethought how to efficiently run their practices during a pandemic. Many practices also turned to virtual medical answering services for essential front office support.

The experience of walking into a doctor's office and seeing a familiar, empathetic team is comforting. When practices decided to outsource front office tasks, the challenge was to replicate that same connection with virtual receptionists. However, it's important to recognize that the patient-provider interaction begins virtually, from appointment booking to referrals to intake paperwork. To bridge the gap, healthcare call centers must ensure that their virtual medical receptionists can provide the same level of service that patients expect from in-house staff.

Prepping Your Virtual Medical Receptionist

To create a seamless patient experience, virtual receptionists can take on essential administrative tasks. They can assist by answering basic questions such as in-office COVID-19 guidelines, insurance information, cancellation policies, business hours, and practitioner details. The more information virtual receptionists can provide, the more they become a genuine extension of the practice.

Additionally, offloading patient scheduling to remote agents is a practical solution to meet the growing demand for telehealth appointments. Integration of cloud-based scheduling software with in-house systems allows call centers to efficiently manage appointment booking. Patients seeking same-day or next-day appointments can be assisted with COVID-19 screening questions to streamline the process.

Screening and routing calls effectively are critical to a smooth patient experience. Well-defined scripts and logic options enable agents to triage calls and direct patients according to their needs. This approach empowers virtual receptionists to document requests, complete intake forms, and process payments, among other tasks.

Bouncing Back

The financial impact of COVID-19 has affected numerous industries, including healthcare. Many practices were hit hard, but some managed to bounce back by embracing telehealth, enabling remote work, and outsourcing administrative tasks to healthcare answering services. Virtual receptionists can't replace the expertise of medical professionals, but with the right setup, they can ensure patients receive the care they deserve, regardless of the challenges life throws their way.

As we move forward, the integration of telehealth and virtual support will continue to shape the future of healthcare, offering convenience and safety for patients while preserving the patient-centric approach that has always been at the heart of medical care.