Why Practices Should Still Utilize Telehealth Amid COVID-19
COVID-19 prompted a widespread adoption of telehealth solutions across the country. Pro...
February 10, 2020
The rise of mobile technology is reflected in the lives of patients through social media, mobile communication, fitness, and how they wish to receive medical care. From patient portal communications to online bill pay, patients everywhere are looking for ways to reach their provider and stay engaged in the medical process without exhausting themselves and their time. Telehealth has revolutionized how patients receive care and is increasingly expected by patients. Millennials are reaching their 30’s and eager to address their personal care in a way that is familiar to them. For providers to continue to reach their patients and bring in new ones, they must utilize telehealth at their practice.
Benefits of Telehealth:
1) Fastest Growing Point of Care
While telehealth is recognized by most a visit with a physician that is completed over video communication, it is much more than that. Telehealth is growing to be the fasted growing point of care among patients all over the United States. It is more than just a video visit. Telehealth offers solutions like remote patient monitoring, enabling providers to collect patient vitals and review them in a patient’s chart. This keeps patients who are safer cared for in their homes from having to travel to complete these labs while also keeping their PHI as accurate as possible.
2) Follow Up Efficiency
It is important that a physician discuss lab results with a patient quickly, especially if those results show any red flags. Telehealth enables providers to quickly follow up with patients and discuss with them their next steps. Patients are more likely to comply with follow-up care when they have an accessible option like telehealth. Their busy lives do not always allow them the time or convenience to stay active with their providers. By simplifying access to physician visits, patients will be inclined to complete their follow up care and stay compliant with their treatment plan from start to finish.
3) Patient Satisfaction
Patients are leaving their providers in search of care that makes sense for their daily lives. The first place they are looking is online. Does your practice have a quality online reputation? Do they offer online resources like the patient portal? Patients are especially on the search for visit alternatives like telehealth. Visit alternatives allow them to stay involved with their care without exhausting resources like time or travel costs. By making care more accessible and convenient for your patients, they will start to utilize more aspects of it and be more pleased with their care overall. Telehealth directly impacts patient satisfaction as it is a tool of accessible mobile technology and it makes it easier for them to play a part in their own medical care.
4) Improve Patient Retention
As mentioned before, patients are on the search for providers that offer tools like telehealth. In fact, patients are actively leaving their providers in efforts to find one that will give them what they need. For practices that do not stay ahead of the curve, falling behind and losing patients to providers in surrounding areas is a very real risk. For providers that decide to implement telehealth and other patient satisfactory tools, they will start to see their patient retention rates stabilize and even more patients enter their practice.
In order to protect your patient retention rates, improve the patient experience, and offer your patients exactly what they are looking for to stay involved in their care, you must implement a quality telehealth solution. To learn more about a solution that could help your practice take a step forward into the future of care delivery, click here.