Why Providers Everywhere Are Turning to Telehealth During COVID-19

Every industry is doing its part to try and keep people safe during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic. Retail stores are closing their doors, banks are moving to drive-thru only, and restaurants are closing their dine-in lobbies. Large companies are even equipping their employees to work from home. Healthcare providers do not have that option.

First-responders during the COVID-19 outbreak and many in the medical field are turning to Telehealth for relief. Telehealth is helping providers everywhere offer high-quality care to patients while minimizing the risk of spreading the virus.

Benefits of Telehealth during COVID-19

1) Reduces Risk of Exposure

Where patients might have made an appointment to enter your office, bringing the virus with them, telehealth offers them the option to stay home. Self-quarantine is suggested for patients who have known to contract the virus. The issue is that the disease can live for up to 2 weeks inside an individual’s system before symptoms present themselves.

Many providers are turning to telehealth in order to continue to provide care to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. By keeping patients testing positive at home, providers can help reduce the risk of exposure to others that the individual might spread it to.

2) Keep High-Risk Patients Safe

While many who contract the disease are able to make a full recovery, that is not the case for all. Individuals over the age of 65 and those who are immunocompromised experience life-threatening ramifications of the disease and must avoid it at all costs.

These patients, unfortunately, are ones who need the most frequently scheduled medical attention. During a time where it is best to avoid all medical facilities, telehealth helps high-risk patients stay safe. They can complete their regular visits from home, while still addressing important aspects of their care and asking their physician for the best ways to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth makes it possible for high-risk patients to stay home and avoid the virus at all costs.

3) Geo-based Targeting

A quality telehealth software should be fully integrated with your practice’s Electronic Health Record. This enables providers to complete a telehealth visit, while still having access to important patient information and e-prescription technology.

This feature of a quality telehealth solution also enables providers to utilize geo-based targeting technology to help your patients find the most convenient pharmacy to pick up their prescriptions.

4) Minimize Risk to Staff with Prescreening

Your staff is at high risk for coming into contact with the coronavirus as they are constantly working with patients who may or may not have it in their system. Telehealth is the best option for keeping as many patients out of your office as possible, while still providing quality care and billing for services.

Your team can avoid person-to-person interaction with those who might be carrying the virus by prescreening them through a telehealth visit. Providers are telling patients who have symptoms of COVID-19 to stay home and continue to seek medical advice through their patient portal.

Telehealth is key for medical professionals looking to reduce the contact and spread of the coronavirus in their facilities. To learn more about how your practice can quickly implement a telehealth solution, click here.