Telehealth Tips: Making the Most of Virtual Health

A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2020 found that the use of telehealth services increased by over 150% compared to the previous year. Since, the adoption of virtual care telehealth has only increased. 

Many patients and healthcare providers have embraced telehealth due to its convenience, accessibility, and ability to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Telehealth has been shown to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and increase patient satisfaction. As a result, virtual health solutions are expected to continue to grow in popularity and become an increasingly important part of healthcare delivery in the years to come. 

How Is Telehealth Currently Integrated in Healthcare?

Every year telehealth expands and integrates further into the healthcare industry. Practices are incorporating virtual care into managing ongoing patient care. Telehealth supports patients in a variety of circumstances. Telemedicine makes healthcare accessible for patients who meet regularly for ongoing care or who have difficulty regularly traveling to the office.

Today, telehealth offers much more than telemedicine alone. Telehealth facilitates a variety of services including:

Web-based EMR: providers gather patient data and securely store records through integrated EMR

Remote Monitoring: through web based apps health teams can review patient-uploaded data including food logs, blood sugar levels, and medication charting

Patient-Provider Communication: virtual consultations allow providers to reach patients much sooner than they would be able to with an office visit alone, patients can receive feedback from providers regarding specific treatment questions

What is a Telehealth Virtual Care Platform?

A telehealth platform is a software or web-based tool that enables healthcare providers to deliver virtual medical services to patients using videoconferencing, secure messaging, and other communication technologies. Virtual care  platforms allow patients to remotely access healthcare services, including consultations, diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up care, from anywhere with an internet connection. Today, telehealth platforms offer more than video conferencing alone. 

What Features Does a Telehealth Platform Offer?

Virtual patient care  platforms are all about improving telehealth. They offer a variety of features that can enhance the virtual healthcare experience for both patients and healthcare providers. While there may be some differences between platforms, most reputable platforms will offer the following telehealth innovations : 

1. Video conferencing: Most telehealth platforms offer video conferencing, which allows patients to see and talk to their healthcare provider in real-time. This feature can help providers diagnose and treat patients more effectively than a phone call or text-based chat.
2. Instant messaging: Some telehealth platforms offer instant messaging or chat features that allow patients to communicate with their healthcare provider in real time. This  virtual health solution can be useful for non-urgent questions or concerns, as well as medication management.
3. Virtual waiting room: A virtual waiting room is a feature that allows patients to wait for their appointment online. This feature can help reduce the time patients spend waiting in physical waiting rooms, making the appointment more convenient.
4. Electronic health record integration: Telehealth platforms may integrate with electronic health record (EHR) systems, allowing healthcare providers to access patient information and update medical records during the appointment.
5. File sharing: Telehealth platforms may allow healthcare providers and patients to share files, such as medical images, lab results, or prescriptions.
6. Scheduling and reminders: Some telehealth platforms offer scheduling and reminder features that can help patients and healthcare providers keep track of appointments.

These features can enhance the telehealth experience for patients and healthcare providers, making virtual patient care more convenient and effective.

Is Telehealth Beneficial for Small Practices?

Telehealth can be particularly beneficial for small practices, as it can help them to overcome common challenges, such as limited resources, staff shortages, and a small patient population. Telehealth can automate the backend processes to streamline operations and free up valuable time for small office staff. 

What is the Best Platform for Telehealth? 

It is important to choose a telehealth platform that meets your practice needs. Your telehealth platform should be secure and compliant with HIPAA regulations. For small practices, it’s effective and cost-efficient to provide telehealth through a comprehensive practice management system for private practices that also includes EMR, scheduling, billing, and more. Healthie is an all-in-one telehealth platform tailored to the needs of small practices, and is available to try for free! Our platform provides the top telehealth innovation and allows you to:

• Host telehealth sessions, message clients, share resources, and more, through a completely secure client engagement portal.
• Send forms and collect client paperwork completely electronically.
• Store your clients’ notes and data in a cloud-based EMR, designed for small practices.
• Send bills or pre-filled insurance claims, and receive card payments via Stripe.
• Feel confident you’re maintaining complete HIPAA compliance.
• Choose from a range of plans that suit your practice’s size and needs.

Try it yourself! Get started with a 14-day free trial of Healthie today.

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