By Ryan Bullock

Over the past year, directly in response to the pandemic, we’ve seen a rapid shift in how patients prefer to receive care. While in-person visits will always be necessary for comprehensive care and treatment, both practitioners and patients have preferred to approach minor issues virtually for convenience and of course, to avoid potential exposure to the virus. As a result, we’ve seen utilization of telehealth skyrocket among patients, healthcare providers and commercial payers, thanks in large part to the CARES Act and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which expanded coverage and funding for these programs.

While telehealth services will continue to gain momentum for safety and efficiency purposes as we endure a second wave, providers and payers who want to keep providing patients with a favorable experience will offer these services beyond the pandemic to continue delivering care where and how they prefer.

The rise of telehealth
According to a recent survey, most payors reported that they had implemented telehealth offerings in response to the pandemic, as all healthcare facilities were trying to reserve in-person visits to emergencies only in an attempt to reduce the spread. These offerings were well-received by patients — according to doctor.com’s 2020 Customer Experience Trends in Healthcare, which was released in early 2020, patient usage of telemedicine was up 33 percent from the previous year and in the early months of the pandemic, 71 percent of US patients had considered virtual medicine, while half had already seen a healthcare provider virtually. With that being said, this percentage is likely even higher now, with the pandemic induced restrictions continuing at varying degrees around the country since March.

Telehealth has fostered a healthcare experience that patients crave in our digital-first era—easy, immediate access to healthcare professionals through their smartphone or computer. They’re able to quickly schedule an appointment online whenever they need, can avoid the time spent traveling to the doctor’s office and sitting in the waiting room, and best of all, they don’t have to leave their homes or risk exposure to the virus.

Why telehealth is here to stay
Roughly 83 percent of patients expect to use telemedicine after the pandemic resolves. Telehealth’s ability to allow patients to access care for non-urgent matters such as pain management, to address smaller health concerns and to help with in-home set ups of durable medical equipment such as CPAPs and breast pumps, has changed their expectations for care delivery. Convenience is a key factor in the success of telehealth for both patients and providers, which will continue to be important when the majority of the workforce returns to the office and ‘normal life’ activities resume. Telehealth will allow individuals to better prioritize their health by having it fit more easily in their schedule due to the flexibility it provides—in fact, one study found telehealth services save patients over 100 minutes of their time compared to in-person. This will reduce the amount of time they will need to take off work and can help them better gauge when an in-person visit is necessary.

Second is affordability. With the pandemic leaving millions unemployed and potentially without benefits, cost-efficiency is going to continue to have a huge influence on whether individuals pursue care. A 2017 study by Health Affairs found the average cost of a telehealth visit is $79, where the average cost of an in-person visit is about $146. The affordability of telehealth can encourage even those without benefits to seek care for any concerns as a first step to determine if an in-person visit and any associated procedures may be necessary—especially considering more than 20 percent of Americans skip care due to cost. This creates a less intimidating way, both in terms of cost and comfort, for individuals to receive a professional medical opinion with no strings or ‘surprise bills’ attached.

Lastly is safety. Even after there’s a widely accessible coronavirus vaccine, safety will remain a top priority, especially for the immunocompromised and the elderly. While coronavirus may no longer be a risk at that time if they’ve received the vaccine, exposure to any sick person in a doctor’s office or hospital still poses a danger to these individuals. For the elderly who have difficulty moving around, being able to discuss medications, symptoms or any issues with medical equipment over the phone will provide a big relief. Having telehealth as a first line of defense for these individuals makes all the difference in their healthcare experience.

How to create a successful telehealth experience
While offering telehealth services is a great start, it’s just as important to ensure your telehealth program is thorough and easy to use. You’ll want to eliminate any barriers that could compromise patient’s perception of receiving adequate care at home. A first step in this, is using a telehealth platform with a user-friendly interface, and that you have solid processes in place that eliminate the paint points of in-person visits. Also, it’s important to ensure providers are setting aside ample time for the telehealth appointment to avoid rushing and make sure patients feel well cared for.

To better complement telehealth delivery, it’s also encouraged that providers continue to enhance existing digital capabilities, such as online scheduling and electronic health records, to guarantee the patient’s health experience is as seamless as possible. In addition to improving patient experience, it will also offload administrative duties from providers and allow them to focus on front-line care. Digital efficiency is not only more cost-effective for providers, but it will also improve patient retention and engagement as we continue adapting to a virtual care model.

Telehealth will be a core competency of providers moving forward, with an emphasis placed on the quality of care delivered virtually and the overall patient experience from start to finish. Virtual health initiatives create a better way for patients to receive care, can reduce costs for both providers and patients and most importantly, help control surges in visits to hospitals and doctor’s offices in the immediate future.

About the author: Ryan Bullock is the chief operating officer at Aeroflow Healthcare