To help you decide whether you should offer online services on a regular basis, we’ve presented seven ways in which telemedicine implementation can benefit you and your patients.
1. Greater Accessibility for Patients
According to a McKinsey survey, there are significant shortages of clinicians in some parts of the United States, making it difficult for patients living in rural areas to access necessary care. The risk for heart failure, coronary heart disease, and diabetes is 1.3 times greater in remote communities. The use of telemedicine is a game-changer for people living in rural communities, allowing those who need remote healthcare services to connect with physicians not only during the pandemic but regularly.
2. Lower Costs for Patients & More Revenue for Specialists
With telemedicine, there are no hidden expenses for patients, such as the need to drive to the clinic or pay for childcare. At the same time, providing telehealth-based care cuts expenses from the specialist’s side, allowing specialists to lower the price of the visit. Naturally, this leads to patients preferring telehealth-based services over their traditional counterparts for non-urgent care.
3. Better Patient Outcomes
During online visits, it’s difficult to diagnose patients and thus provide proper diagnoses. However, data suggest the general impact of telemedicine-based services to be positive, resulting in better patient outcomes. In fact, 91% of patients in a recent survey said it has become easier for them to manage prescriptions and visit their specialists regularly thanks to telehealth-based services.
4. Improved Patient Satisfaction
According to a PatientPop survey, most patients who have used telehealth-based services report high (42%) or moderate (36%) satisfaction, appreciating shorter waiting times and effective online communication.
5. Limited Infection Exposure
The COVID-19 pandemic caused clinicians to prioritize remote healthcare services over in-person visits to reduce exposure to disease.
6. Ability to Meet Changing Demands
Though embracing technology might seem difficult at first because of the need to change the workflow and adopt new methods, you’ll have the ability to connect with patients in more ways, monitor their health, and get more insights based on their input. Telemedicine implementation broadens the range and quality of services you can provide.
7. Less Burnout
More than 55% of healthcare specialists say their work satisfaction improved with telemedicine implementation because it allowed them to replace administrative burdens with paperless solutions.
Since the start of the pandemic, 84% of practitioners have tried implementing online healthcare services at least once, and 54% of physicians indicate they want to continue offering virtual care after the pandemic. Make sure to give telehealth solutions a try and see how they can help you in your everyday work.
