Large hospitals and other healthcare providers have embraced telehealth since the start of COVID-19. This is because telemedicine allows patients to get more care and helps doctors address a wide range of medical concerns—without needing an in-person visit.
However, while larger hospital networks have been at the forefront of adopting and implementing telehealth solutions to improve care, smaller practices have not. In fact, small practices with three or fewer physicians are 20% less likely to use telemedicine than those with 50 or more physicians.
So, what are large hospital networks doing to lead telehealth adoption, and how can small clinics learn from their example?
Why Large Hospitals Adopt Telehealth
Large hospital systems use telehealth for many services like primary care, mental health care, chronic disease management, and remote patient monitoring.
Some examples include cardiologists using telemedicine to monitor patient heart health after heart attacks, psychiatrists providing therapy to patients who live in rural areas, or dermatologists treating skin conditions without needing in-office visits.
These are just a few practice examples, but here are specific ways telehealth improves patient care for healthcare providers:
- Fewer in-office visits. You can see more patients per day with telehealth. In many cases, patients also prefer it to in-person visits. According to the 2022 J.D. Power Telehealth Satisfaction Study, 80% prefer telehealth for prescription refills, 72% for reviewing medication options, 71% for discussing test results, and 57% for mental health visits.
- Care continuity. Telemedicine gives patients access to care and health data from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows for remote patient monitoring, timely interventions, increased engagement in care, and improved continuity of care.
- Improve interoperability of electronic health records (EHRs). Some telehealth platforms like doxy.me can connect with EHR systems, enabling enhanced workflows and seamless access to patient records across different providers.
- Increase access and remove barriers. Telehealth allows you and other specialists to collaborate in treating patients in underserved areas who often have difficulty getting to in-person visits. For example, a primary care physician and a physical therapist can collaborate over telehealth to develop a coordinated care plan for a patient in a rural area.
- Prescribe medications. Telehealth platforms can electronically prescribe medications to patients, eliminating the need for paper prescriptions. One important thing to remember, though, is that you need to comply with both state and federal laws. That means you may still be required to adhere to the most restrictive rules. For instance, while federal law may not require additional in-person visits, some states might have their own rules.
- Potentially prevent hospital readmissions. Having convenient, real-time access to your patients via telehealth can increase compliance. According to Sage Growth Partners’ 2023 report, more than 52% of clinicians feel virtual healthcare allows them to provide more effective treatment, and more than 50% say telemedicine decreases patient emergency room visits.
- Ease of workflows. Many telemedicine platforms integrate seamlessly with their current EHR systems. The right telehealth programs can be used in tandem to get the most out of your virtual visits.
As we learned in writing our new book, telehealth has revolutionized the healthcare landscape, providing patients convenient access to care and enabling clinicians to expand their reach and improve patient outcomes.
By understanding the fundamentals of telehealth and telemedicine, small clinicians can learn about its potential for helping solo health providers and clinics excel in growing their operations, effectively integrate this technology into their practices, and reap its many benefits.
Learning From Major Health Leaders
You can gain valuable insights by studying your region’s telehealth strategies of large hospital networks. These major providers often have well-established telehealth infrastructure and processes that can serve as models for smaller practices looking to improve outcomes.
For instance, large hospital networks typically have centralized telehealth departments that manage patient scheduling, technology support, and billing. They also employ dedicated teams of telehealth specialists who provide training and support to clinicians. If you work within a smaller practice, you can decide how much or little you want to include in your telehealth program.?
Telemedicine has clear advantages, but the practice also presents potential challenges, such as:
- Limited intervention capacity. Telemedicine is not appropriate for all health conditions, making it challenging to treat certain health problems, namely emergent conditions such as severe allergic reactions, heart attack and stroke symptoms, and traumatic injuries. Some health conditions may also require at least one in-person physical examination before telemedicine takes over.
- Technology requirements. Telemedicine relies on technology, which can pose challenges for patients who lack access to reliable internet connectivity or do not have the appropriate devices. Additionally, technical glitches or software malfunctions can disrupt virtual visits.
- Privacy Concerns. Telemedicine may require transmitting sensitive medical information electronically, raising concerns about data privacy and security. Clinicians must implement robust safeguards to protect patient information from unauthorized access or breaches.
In spite of these potential pitfalls, our research and field experience tell us the benefits of telehealth far outweigh the disadvantages.
Choosing the Right Technology Platforms
To succeed with telehealth, you must choose the correct technology for your clinical purposes and user needs. You must also know how to set up and run the right telemedicine technology for your unique situation.?
Several types of technology are used for remote care:
- Video conferencing platforms. These allow face-to-face virtual consultations between providers and patients.
- Secure messaging systems. These enable secure text-based communication between providers and patients.
- Remote monitoring. These platforms allow providers to remotely collect and track patient data, such as vital signs and blood sugar levels that are gathered from devices.
- Patient portals. These provide patients with secure access to their medical records, appointments, and billing information.
Most telemedicine platforms combine these features and can be used to get the most out of your virtual visits.
There are many important questions to ask when shopping for a telehealth vendor. Based on your needs and preferences, consider the following:
- Application downloads. Do patients need to download an app or software to participate in telehealth sessions?
- Appointment scheduling. Do patients or staff have the ability to schedule telehealth appointments through the platform?
- Contracts. Is a formal agreement required for the telehealth platform and its services?
- Cost structure. What is the pricing structure for the telehealth platform? Are charges levied per visit or as a single subscription fee?
- Electronic health record integration. Does the platform seamlessly integrate with existing electronic health records systems?
- HIPAA compliance. Does the platform adhere to HIPAA regulations to protect sensitive patient information?
- Patient consent. Can patients provide consent to receive telehealth services directly on the platform?
- User-friendliness. Is the telehealth platform easy to use and navigate for patients and clinicians?
- Waiting room feature. Does the platform offer a virtual waiting room for patients until the scheduled appointment time arrives?
The American Medical Association also provides a guide to selecting the right healthcare technology vendor.
Ready to Get Started?
Telehealth has revolutionized the healthcare landscape, providing patients convenient access to care and enabling clinicians to expand their reach and improve patient outcomes. By understanding the fundamentals of telehealth, smaller clinicians can effectively integrate this technology into their practices and reap its many benefits.
If you're interested in learning more, or trying out a free platform, visit https://doxy.me/sign-up.
