Telehealth has revolutionized how healthcare is delivered, making it accessible, efficient, and tailored to patient needs. Consider these eye-opening statistics from The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC):
- Telehealth is replacing in-person visits rather than leading to further visits. In-person primary care visits decreased from 2019 to 2023 as telehealth visits increased. But total primary care visits stayed the same as patient needs are being met through secure emails with physicians and phone calls to nurses who provide triage and self-care advice.
- Both video and phone-based telehealth can help patients access primary care. Researchers also found that return visits after video and phone visits were uncommon, and emergency events were rare.
With this information, healthcare providers from small to medium-sized practices are transitioning to telehealth, which requires careful planning and execution to maximize its benefits and minimize potential disruptions.
This article will explore the benefits, challenges, and best practices for transitioning to telehealth, ensuring your practice is fully prepared for the future of healthcare.
RELATED ARTICLE: Expanding Care Access: The Impact of Telehealth
Why Transition to Telehealth?
Adopting telehealth is no longer a “good-to-have”—it’s rapidly becoming a “must-have.” Here’s why making the switch could benefit your practice and patients:
Improving Patient Access and Satisfaction
Telehealth removes geographic barriers, making healthcare accessible to patients across urban, suburban, and rural areas. Telehealth offers a lifeline to quality care for underserved communities, particularly in rural regions.
For example, research finds by overcoming geographical barriers and enhancing patient engagement, telehealth platforms have been a transformative tool in diabetes care. Early exposure to primary care telemedicine (telephone or video) was associated with significantly higher rates of HbA1c measurement (blood test for diagnosis of type 2 diabetes) and lower HbA1c levels.
Studies have also shown that telemedicine improves access and boosts patient satisfaction, as it allows for flexible scheduling and eliminates the need for long commutes or waiting room times.
Cost-Effectiveness and Time-Saving Benefits
The financial benefits of telehealth adoption are significant. By reducing overhead costs such as office utilities and waiting room maintenance, telehealth provides cost-effective solutions, especially for small to medium-sized practices.
For example, one study finds that telemedicine can save health systems money without significantly creating new utilization of care services. How much? Net savings ranged from between $19 and $121 per visit compared with care received in other available settings.
Telehealth also saves patients money. A study found remote care management of radiation oncology care boosts patients’ satisfaction while saving them $613,000 over 2 years.
It also saves time for providers by streamlining appointment workflows and allows patients to receive medical care without taking a day off work. Telehealth ensures valuable time is focused on care rather than logistics.
Common Challenges of Transitioning to Telehealth
While the benefits are clear, preparing for the challenges in transitioning to telehealth is essential to make the process seamless. Here’s what to watch out for.
Technical Barriers and Costs
One of the primary challenges is the cost of transitioning to telehealth, including investing in HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms and providing secure IT infrastructure.
According to the JAMA Health Forum, smaller health organizations that implement telemedicine must pay the initial fixed costs for equipment and internet connectivity, which can range from $17,000 to $50,000.
Additionally, some practices might face difficulty accessing reliable internet connectivity, especially in rural areas. According to the Pew Research Center, only 72% of rural regions have access to high-speed broadband internet. In addition, only 65% of housing units on rural tribal lands have access to broadband services.
Training Staff and Patients
Implementing telehealth requires training healthcare providers and administrative staff to use new platforms effectively. One review found patients, particularly older individuals, may also struggle with using telemedicine technology and technical literacy in general, necessitating thorough guidance and support.
Regulatory Compliance
Ensuring compliance with privacy laws such as HIPAA is critical. Practices must adopt safeguards to protect patient information while maintaining a user-friendly experience. For example, some providers may use a home address for billing. This practice could result in identity theft, bringing unnecessary risk to providers and patients.
Building Trust
While telehealth can enhance access, some clinics face challenges in improving patient engagement with telehealth, such as encouraging patients to attend virtual sessions and building trust in remote care solutions.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: What to Look for in a Telehealth Platform
How to Ensure a Successful Transition to Telehealth
Begin the transition to telehealth by focusing on these key strategies to make the process successful for everyone involved.
Choose Reliable, HIPAA-Compliant Telehealth Software
Start with secure software ensuring privacy protection while offering intuitive features for providers and patients.
For example, Updox’s telehealth software provides secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual visits, enhancing patient access and provider collaboration in healthcare. Some benefits include:
- Flexible virtual waiting room that allows for triage workflows that mimic an in-person visit.
- Seamless integrations with most electronic health record (EHR) systems.
- HIPAA-compliant video conferencing
- Interpreter services to increase accessibility and optimize the patient experience.
Pilot the Program Before Scaling
To minimize potential disruptions, pilot the telehealth system with a small number of patients and staff. This allows you to troubleshoot technical issues, gather feedback, and work toward scaling telehealth successfully across your entire practice.
Prioritize Training
Effective and practical training is critical. Offer comprehensive sessions for your healthcare team, ensuring they feel comfortable using telemedicine best practices.
Additionally, create patient-friendly resources, such as instructional videos or step-by-step guides, to increase adoption and ease of use.
Make Your Patients Comfortable
Make the virtual care experience feel personal and professional. During telehealth consultations, eye contact, active listening, and clear communication can help build trust and rapport with patients. Regular follow-ups improve engagement and ensure patients feel valued.
Track Metrics to See What’s Working and What Isn’t
Monitor metrics such as feedback to fine-tune your telehealth processes. Insights from KPIs can help highlight roadblocks and uncover opportunities for improvement. Review metrics such as:
- Patient satisfaction: Measure patient feedback through surveys or post-visit questionnaires regarding their experience with the telehealth visit, including ease of use, provider communication, and overall satisfaction.
- Patient retention: Track the percentage of patients who continue to use telehealth services for follow-up appointments.
- Appointment cancellation rate: Monitor the rate of canceled telehealth appointments.
- Connection quality: Track the frequency of connection drops and audio/video quality issues during telehealth sessions
RELATED ARTICLE: How to Engage Patients in Telehealth
Start to Transition to Telehealth Right Now/Practical Tips for Immediate Action
If you’re ready to start the transition to telehealth, these five actionable steps will set your practice on the right path:
Step 1. Identify Your Needs
Evaluate which services can be provided virtually and identify the right tools to support them. Consider which of your patients would most benefit from telehealth—for example, those needing follow-up care or routine check-ins.
The American Medical Association (AMA) also suggests determining the issues and goals that can be addressed by telehealth, such as:
- Disruption in continuity of care
- Clinician shortages
- Revenue stream
- Socioeconomic or geographical barriers to in-person visits
Step 2. Review Telehealth Payor Policies
Telehealth payer policies and regulations are guidelines set by insurance companies and government agencies that dictate which telehealth services are covered, under what circumstances, and how much providers can be reimbursed for virtual care.
It’s important to review topics like:
- Technology standards
- Patient privacy
- Provider licensing
- Reimbursement rates
- Scope of services allowed through telehealth
Here are three resources to familiarize you with some of these policies and standards:
Step 3. Communicate the Transition
Inform your staff and patients about the switch to telehealth. Get their honest feedback about this transition and address any concerns. Clearly communicate how it will benefit them and provide easy ways to use the new technology.
Step 4. Examine Your Internet and IT Infrastructure
Ensure your practice has the necessary hardware and internet bandwidth to support seamless virtual care. Other great technical questions to consider from Telehealth.HHS.gov. include:
- Will your practice’s current EHR system integrate with a telehealth solution seamlessly?
- What kind of impact will your telehealth solution have on your day-to-day operations and workflows?
- What software and equipment requirements are needed to make the platform easy for patients to use?
Step 5. Walk Before Running
Focus on implementing telehealth for one or two services to build confidence before rolling out a broader program.
Transitioning to telehealth is not just about keeping pace with current healthcare trends—it’s about positioning your practice for sustainable growth and future success.
By addressing the challenges in transitioning to telehealth and implementing thoughtful strategies tailored to your needs, you can provide top-notch care while maximizing efficiency and profitability.
Contact Updox today to learn how we can create and build a plan for your practice’s seamless transition to telehealth.
