Patients with COVID-19 become contagious 48 hours before the onset of symptoms. Healthcare workers are seven times more likely to get COVID-19 than non-essential workers. The virus’s rapid spread can put both providers and patients in jeopardy.
Telehealth services evolve to keep doctors and patients safe. This remote service also expands access to care and reduces overhead costs. To learn more, continue reading about the importance of telehealth solutions.
Increase Safety for Both Providers and Patients
More than 60% of patients prefer seeing a doctor online during the pandemic. After all, you can’t spread the coronavirus through your mobile device or computer.
Primary care practitioners can conduct more visits online than in-person. Most providers rely on videoconferencing, but many have turned towards IoT Medical Devices. These devices can check patients’ vital signs from anywhere.
Allows Diagnostic Specialists to Work Anywhere
COVID-19 will change the way radiologists practice. They can now read their x-ray in the comfort of their home. This helps them serve more patients, especially the rural population.
Telecardiology solutions have also made it possible to perform echo reads anywhere. This allows cardiologists to provide echocardiogram interpretations without exposing themselves and their patients. They can also serve patients in underserved communities with their telecardiology services.
Expands Access to Healthcare in Senior Living Communities
Telemedicine services can increase convenience, enhance care, and improve disease management. It can also decrease hospitalization rates for high-risk seniors.
Telehealth services are becoming prevalent to seniors living in healthcare settings. They can now schedule a telehealth appointment for screenings and treatments.
Conserving Supplies and Bed Space
Telehealth has helped reduce the demand for supplies and hospital beds. The solution allows low-risk patients to remain at home. This solution reduces exposure and avoids wasting protective equipment during the pandemic.
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a $200 million telehealth program in early April. This program helps providers buy telemedicine equipment necessary to provide telehealth services. The whole goal is to free up valuable hospital space.
Provides Care to Underserved Populations
The pandemic has exposed existing racial, economic, and geographic gaps. These issues can impede access to medical care. The rapid adoption of telehealth could improve access for marginalized groups.
The telehealth program empowers those communities by providing available healthcare and clinics. The best part is that they don’t have to go to a facility in another metro region.
Having Family Members Involve in the Healing Process
It’s usually beneficial to have a family member present during a doctor’s visit. They can provide information, ask questions, and take notes on your physician’s responses.
If the patient is outside of town, it wouldn’t matter. Telemedicine can include a family member in the virtual visit if you approve it.
Establishes Novel Business Concepts
By improving consumer-based care, telehealth is reshaping the paradigm. Specialists are discovering that they can now build their own telehealth platform. They can provide their services online in the same way that other businesses do.
Clinicians may use telehealth to expand their patient base beyond brick-and-mortar locations. They can also expand their availability and offer patients new forms of care.
Increases Revenue for the Practice
Telehealth enables clinicians to charge for unpaid phone calls while increasing billable hours. It reduces no-shows and may increase a practice’s efficiency. Telehealth can also help organizations recruit and maintain more patients.
Lowers Overhead Practice
In comparison to costly hospital systems, SaaS telehealth solutions are quite affordable. Telehealth appointments are far less expensive than regular onsite visits. An emergency department visit costs $1,734, and an onsite doctor’s office visit costs $146.
In comparison, a telehealth appointment costs an average of $79 per visit. The University of Pittsburg hospital saved $86.64. They accomplished this by replacing onsite visits with online visits.
Reduces Patient Expenses
The doctor visits the patient by phone or laptop during a telehealth appointment. Consider how traveling, parking, childcare, and time away from work can add up. The added effort to get to a distant clinic can be very costly.
Patients in some rural areas must travel overnight to see experts in major cities. Oregon Health and Science saved $6.4 million for their patients via telehealth. 40% of patients claimed they would forego treatment if they did not have access to virtual visits.
Decreases the Number of No-Show Patients
Nebraska Children’s Hospital has suffered from frequent no-shows. This problem stems from rural patients traveling great distances to get treatment.
No shows have caused a severe income drain for the hospital and jeopardized the quality of care. When they used telehealth, the targeted service line saw a 50% reduction in no-show rates.
Enhances Patient Pleasure
87 percent of patients that have used telehealth programs from the past will use it again. Patients reported a satisfaction rate of up to 99 percent via telehealth.
These findings are in other clinical settings as well. For example, Cleveland Clinic and children’s hospitals have experienced the same results.
Less Time in the Waiting Room
The average wait time to see your doctor is 19 minutes. You can cook a meal or finish some paperwork at that time.
With telemedicine services, you will avoid wasting time glancing at outdated magazines. Finding a clinic that provides this remote service can cut your wait time by half.
Telehealth Modes of Communication
Seven million Americans have used telehealth technologies by the end of 2018. That figure was 350,000 only five years ago. There are several telehealth methods linking providers and patients through various technology, like:
Synchronous
This kind of engagement involves real-time telephone or live audio-video interaction. It implements through a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Asynchronous
This technology collects messages, pictures, or data. Then it interprets or responds to the information. Through encrypted messaging, patient portals permit contact between physician and patient.
Remote Patient Monitoring
This is a direct transmission of a patient’s info to their provider from a distance. This method may or may not be in real-time.
Learn More About Telehealth Solutions
If after reading this article and you are still wondering, “what is telehealth,” we are here to help. Telehealth enables healthcare providers to treat patients in the comfort of their homes. Through a telehealth app, doctors can consult with the patient online.
They can provide diagnostic services like echocardiogram reads and ultrasound interpretations. If you want to incorporate this into your practice, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about the importance of telehealth solutions.
