Time to think long-term with your telehealth investments
Will organizations take the next step and fully integrate their telehealth programs? That’s the magic question. Telehealth has been at the top of discussion; however, some organizations are hesitating to integrate Telehealth. This is in large part due to the lack of transparency and uncertainty around the future of reimbursement.
The onset of the pandemic caused providers to rush implementing a virtual health option in order to continue providing services to their patients while mitigating the spread. Patients all over the country have now had an experience, or are familiar with, telehealth and its benefits. The public health emergency also activated a number of temporary reimbursement and regulatory relief options to support the expansion of telehealth. Some private payers made their telehealth changes permanent supporting the expansion of telehealth.
Is this just a moment, or is it a turning point in how we deliver care? Recent investments coupled with the vital role it has played during these unprecedented times, would lead me to say telehealth is here to stay. Now that the initial urgency to establish virtual options has passed, it is time to think about a long-term solution ensuring your organization has a strong and lasting virtual presence. It is important you evaluate your current infrastructure and technology to determine readiness for integration. In other words, it is time to assess your technical systems, as well as your operational and clinical processes, to get a clear idea of your current state. This will help as you start to develop your strategy and make decisions. There are funding options such as grants, to supplement some of the cost associated with adopting these necessary new technologies.
Outside of the technology, you also have to take in consideration the new competition. As some of the biggest retail giants start to eye healthcare, and across-state licensure continues to grow, how will your organization remain competitive? Implementing a new technology can be challenging, but remember: it is easier to do it right the first time and telehealth implementation is not new to everyone. There are subject matter experts who have done this for years–prior to COVID-19–and they have the knowledge and experience to help guide your telehealth journey!
If you need help with establishing your program, tools, templates, or other technical assistance questions, please reach out to us at info@learntelehealth.org.
The SCTRC team can offer assistance with virtual telehealth training sessions as well as provide support for other telehealth education opportunities. Call us to talk more about how the South Central Telehealth Resource Center can support your organization’s telehealth program. Call 1.888.664.3450 or email us at info@learntelehealth.org.
About the author
Josh Scales is passionate about helping providers and communities obtain better healthcare solutions especially by adopting telehealth solutions. Josh is a long-standing member of the SCTRC Advisory Council, the owner and founder of Uniti Health, and a frequent contributor to the South Central Telehealth Resource Center subject-matter expert team. Josh was recently featured in the recorded webinars, “SCTRC Telehealth Roundup with Josh Scales” and the “Focus Tennessee” Telehealth workshop series.
