The 3 Biggest Hurdles of Telehealth
Telehealth has become a requirement rather than a luxury. Most medical practices now have experience with telehealth due to COVID-19. However, many of these practices scrambled to implement telehealth, leaving a trail of hasty decisions in its wake. Many practices are still struggling to implement a more useful, permanent solution going forward. The primary goals are screening patients before seeing them in person, avoiding contagious situations and saving the doctors and nurses precious time. There are three primary issues which arise when trying to achieve these goals: cost, access to technology, and resistance to change.
Cost is a factor of both money and time. Training staff to use new technology, and then having that same staff maintain it, is a significant time investment. There is also the cost of the hardware and software required for a useful telehealth solution. Staff will need personal computers, laptops, tablets, and phones to operate both in and out of the office. All of these add up but thankfully there may be hope on the way in the form of insurance rebates and extended telehealth benefits from the federal government. Many solution providers are also making efforts to reduce the amount of training required recognizing this issue.
Access to adequate technology is needed by both staff and patients to maximize the benefit of telehealth services. It's not just a matter of having a computer or phone, but also having reliable access to high-speed internet, which continues to be an issue in many rural communities. Additionally, many patients who could benefit most from telehealth services may not have experience using computers or smart devices. This lack of experience can lead to frustration and a poor user experience which ultimately means they are less likely to use the service again. Minimizing the barriers to entry for patients should be a primary focus when considering a telehealth solution. While practices cannot necessarily provide hardware to remote patients, making telehealth solutions easy to access and use should be a primary focus.
Resistance to change is always a challenge to implement something new even though it is a significant improvement. When thinking about the above factors, if your patients have a poor experience they will be less likely to use your service again. If your staff find the solution difficult to use, they are less likely to recommend it to patients. There needs to be a delicate balance of features, functionality, and user-friendliness for both staff and patients. Find solutions which are simple and easy. Telehealth should not require a new set of skills, it should be an extension of the care you already provide.
There are many solutions in the market which can help with the implementation of Telehealth in your practice. The three most important factors to consider are cost, ease of access, and education and marketing. By taking these into account when making your decision you can reduce cost, ease your staff’s workload, and increase quality of care.
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