Strengthening your Telehealth Program to Respond to COVID-19 Demand

COVID-19 has increased telehealth adoption at a rapid, unforeseen rate. Virtual visits turned from a point of convenience to a tool of necessity. As operations begin to return to normal, it’s clear that use of telehealth will remain high as more patients and providers alike have experienced its benefits.

During a May 28 webinar, Dr. Peter Fleischut, Chief Transformation Officer of NewYork-Presbyterian and Carina Edwards, CEO of Quil offered best practices for this unprecedented transformation. The entire webinar can be accessed at modernhealthcare.com/StrengthenTelehealthWebinar.

1 Health systems who are successfully making the shift to virtual are investing in people, processes and technology.

Scaling up virtual visits requires a significant investment in technology, including infrastructure and analytics. Providers must invest in hardware and bandwidth to ensure they can serve patients in this digital future. It is just as important that they create processes to ensure an efficient experience, and invest in people to ensure the same standard-of-care. This means training clinicians in the nuances of virtual care and ensuring that just like in a typical visit, wraparound services such as a nutrition or social work consult, can be readily dispatched.

2 Healthcare organizations can’t predict our uncertain future, but they can empower patients to take action for their health.

As more care goes virtual, providers need to give patients the tools to proactively assess their health—not just their physical health but also their overall wellbeing, promoting symptom checkers, wellness content and nurse advice lines. Healthcare organizations need to think holistically about the patient journey, especially for the chronically ill and those who require care at home. As more patients become comfortable with telehealth and remote patient monitoring, it may enable providers to more efficiently provide consistent care and keep patients of the hospital.

3 As healthcare organizations invest further in telehealth, they should keep connectivity and digital literacy in mind.

Healthcare leaders must consider obstacles to telehealth access, both among populations that may lack internet connectivity, as well as those who may have difficulty using technology. To overcome connectivity barriers, there are subsidized services from government and internet service providers for users who financially qualify. As leaders look to connect more patients online, they should also consider how they can connect a patient’s entire ecosystem—their personal caregivers as well as their medical care team—with their care plan and wellness content. When building technology platforms, providers should consider how they may extend “digital consent” to these additional individuals.

4 Cybersecurity is more important than ever in this new, virtual future.

Whether they’re providing care via telehealth or in-person, healthcare organizations must ensure patient data is as secure as possible, not just to reduce risk, but to ensure patient trust. If patients don’t trust healthcare organizations, they’ll be less likely to access care. As health systems expand their capacity and their reach, they should increase their investment in cybersecurity talent and ensure their chief information security officer has the tools needed to mitigate risk and safeguard these investments.

5 Transparency and flexibility are needed as we prepare for future public health crises.

Patients will continue to look to their health systems for stability during times of uncertainty. It is critical that healthcare institutions continue to be forthcoming with information, and are able to present it in a way that is comprehendible by all patients and ensures maximum reach. When health systems promote a transparent culture, integrity is demonstrated and patient trust is built. Health systems will also need to continue to be nimble—able to quickly adapt both their technology and their processes to the emerging needs of their community.

Watch the full webinar on-demand at modernhealthcare.com/StrengthenTelehealthWebinar