How to build a winning telehealth strategy
Offering
telehealth services is no longer seen merely as an innovative idea by the
patients who use them. Today, it is increasingly what patients expect.
Healthcare
practices today are judged less by whether they provide remote care, and more
by the specific nature of their off-premises consultations.
How satisfied are patients with their telemedicine consultations? How much time and money can be saved by patients and practitioners using remote services instead of in-person visits? How comprehensive are the online exams? How secure are the networks being used?
Recent polling
by Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) shows 45% of medical groups
report 2025 telehealth volumes at the same level or higher than a year ago.
“Telehealth services have been an integral part of many medical groups,”
explains a MGMA report.
Adoption
to this trend has been especially robust at hospitals, which have boosted their
fiber connectivity and communications platforms accordingly.
According
to the American Hospital Association: “Telehealth is
now a routine way for patients to access health care services and for providers
in remote and other areas to access specialty consults that expand their
ability to treat patients in their local communities.”
Unlocking
the power of AI
One
way telehealth expands the efficacy of healthcare providers is by providing
remote diagnoses that identify potential illnesses early. This ability,
augmented by in-person visits, is further enhanced when supported by robust AI
tools.
AI
offers physicians the ability to instantly analyze a patient across any number
of profiles to focus on areas of most immediate concern, such as diabetes or
heart health. Predictive analytics tools help doctors focus on what reported
symptoms may mean, making time spent with patients more productive. Even
check-in procedures can be automated and simplified via machine learning.
Combined
with increased use of wearables and the storage of electronic health records,
AI can design a more comprehensive and individualized care program through the
monitoring of patient behavior. This effectively extends the care experience well beyond the walls of a medical
practice.
Expanding
the reach of physician support
Telehealth
is proving especially effective for rural locations, where the nearest
healthcare facility may be many miles away. In more populated parts of the
country, the ability to offer hybrid solutions with both telehealth and
in-patient services means less strain for patients managing traffic or public
transportation.
There
is also the telehealth benefit of widening the pool of expertise available to
patients. Consulting physicians and other experts can be brought to the virtual
table through online consultations. Cloud-based communications platforms ensure
a seamless experience where key questions are asked and answered, and next
steps explained utilizing a broad array of applications and tools.
Telehealth
is not yet at a level where it can replace in-person visits. But it is already
making in-person visits more efficient and focused as well as less frequent,
while simultaneously providing a more holistic healthcare model for providers.
Emphasizing
security at every turn
The
more people rely on remote care, the more it pays to be careful. The need for
strong telehealth security becomes clearer as telehealth becomes part of the
day-to-day lives of patients in the forms of remote monitoring and AI-driven
care.
For
medical providers, a healthy cybersecurity regimen runs the gamut from password
protection and observing HIPAA provisions
to protecting critical data in the cloud. Securing all types of Protected
Health Information, from Social Security numbers to treatment records to email
addresses, is a baseline need.
Supported
by cloud-based security tools like zero-trust network access, building a
protective wall around the privacy of patients is more practical and less
onerous than ever.
Telehealth
security is increasingly on the minds of patients, who are made constantly
aware by news reports of the risks of exposing their personal information.
While adhering to stricter protocols can be bothersome in the short-term,
patients understand its importance and appreciate its contribution to a safer,
more secure telehealth experience.
Getting
the right tools in place
Today’s
healthcare leaders understand that telehealth is a critical component to any
growth strategy. That is why they are investing in connectivity and
communications tools that give them the flexibility they need at the service
level patients expect.
For
telehealth providers, the ability to work with a wide variety of devices is
critical. So is a service that brings together voice services across a single
network. A cloud-based communications platform with HITRUST
certification, Unified
Communications with RingCentral is designed to offer full HIPAA
compliance as well as the scalability and flexibility needed for growth.
Finding
the right solution for you
Want
to know more about how to make telehealth more central to your practice? Learn how
Spectrum Business can help bring your best future into clearer focus.
Link to article: https://enterprise.spectrum.com/insights/blog/how-to-build-a-winning-telehealth-strategy-for-your-practice.html
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