Telehealth is a popular buzzword these days. And there’s no shortage of telehealth platforms available on the market to facilitate virtual care. But what are the actual telehealth benefits you can expect from implementing these services and software?
In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of telehealth for medical providers and patients.
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Advantages
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, more and more people are using virtual care. It’s estimated that the telehealth and telemedicine market will be worth a whopping $285.7 billion by 2028. In fact, a 2023 Doximity survey showed that most patients think virtual care makes it easier to get the help they need and is more convenient than going to the doctor’s office.
Telehealth is a win-win for both patients and medical professionals. Clinics can provide better care with services like live video calls (synchronous telemedicine), secure messaging (asynchronous telemedicine), mobile health apps (mHealth) and remote monitoring of patient health.
Let’s take a closer look at the advantages of telehealth for everyone involved.
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For Medical Providers
Telehealth offers many advantages to medical providers. If you’re not sure how telehealth services and software can help your practice, check out these benefits.
Expand Clientele
Having a steady stream of patients is important for any medical practice. Nowadays, with easier appointment scheduling and virtual doctor visits, clinics need to find new ways to attract patients. Many turn to marketing, referrals and online strategies to reach new people.
Telehealth is making a big difference in helping clinics grow their patient base. It lets doctors and patients connect from anywhere using telemedicine technology. This means healthcare providers can even help people in remote areas without having to travel there.
Enhance Patient Engagement and Loyalty
Telehealth also makes it easier for patients to stay connected and loyal to their providers. Patients can easily reach out to their doctors through messages and video calls, which encourages more regular check-ins. Telehealth solutions can also connect with EHR or EMR software, making it easier for everyone to keep track of important information.
Send texts and emails to different groups of patients by choosing from existing criteria. Source
Patients can easily schedule or change appointments online, order medication and pay bills, all on a user-friendly platform. This means they’re more involved in — and, as a result, satisfied with — their care. They’re also more likely to stick with their treatment plans and stay loyal to their healthcare providers.
Improve Patient Outcomes
In traditional healthcare, patients risk catching infections when they visit the doctor in person. One advantage of telehealth is that doctors can see patients over video calls, reducing physical contact and the spread of germs.
Telehealth also lets doctors easily share educational materials and medical images with patients. Patients can download these files online without worrying about losing paper copies.
Plus, telehealth can help improve outcomes for both regular checkups and long-term care. Video calls work well for treating minor problems like nausea, diarrhea or flu. For chronic conditions like those needing minor surgery or regular check-ups, telehealth makes it easy to stay on top of things.
Reduce No-Show Rates
When patients don’t show up for appointments, clinics lose money and time slots on often-packed clinicians’ schedules frustratingly go to waste.
Telehealth software helps patients easily schedule and cancel appointments online. They can choose a time that works for them and talk to their doctor from their computer or phone. The convenience of telehealth means patients are less likely to miss appointments.
Ensure Care Continuity
As the number of patients grows, it’s important to ensure consistent care, whether in person or at home. Telehealth helps doctors, nurses and patients stay connected through virtual calls. This makes follow-ups and second opinions easier, bridging the gap between in-person visits and care at home.
Send appointment reminders to patients to increase follow-up visits. Source
In addition, clinics can easily contact patients, discuss lab reports and refill prescriptions through telehealth to ensure care continuity.
Telehealth can even be used to manage wound care. Doctors can use live video calls or stored images of the wound to check how a patient is healing. This helps them decide if the patient is getting better as expected or needs another in-person checkup.
Boost Revenue
Telehealth can also help healthcare providers make more money. It opens up their services to people who couldn’t easily get to a doctor’s office before. This means more appointments and more income without needing extra office space or staff.
Doctors also have more flexibility with their schedules. They can take appointments after hours or outside of regular work days, increasing their earnings even more.
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For Patients
Telehealth isn’t just about helping doctors and clinics — it has plenty of advantages for patients, too. We’ll talk about the challenges later, but for now, let’s focus on the benefits for both sides.
Gain Flexibility
Scheduling doctor’s appointments can be a hassle, what with travel time, work and taking care of kids. Telehealth makes life easier by offering much-needed flexibility. Patients can squeeze in an appointment on their laptop during a work break, saving valuable time.
If something unexpected comes up, they can quickly reschedule online instead of missing their appointment altogether. Telehealth also gives healthcare providers the freedom to set their own hours and choose assignments, improving their work-life balance.
Reduce Stress
Telemedicine means no more traveling or sitting in waiting rooms. Patients can get care from the comfort of home, which is especially helpful for people with limited mobility or chronic conditions. It also means family members can easily join appointments, help manage medications and track symptoms through video calls.
Patients and doctors can meet virtually using video conferencing tools. Source
Besides, patients no longer have to worry about being alone in sickness as family members can easily participate in doctor appointments, manage medication, monitor symptoms and more via video calls.
Overcome Rural Barriers
People in rural areas often struggle to get the healthcare they need. Transportation problems and long distances to specialist clinics make it challenging to get the proper care. But telehealth is changing that. A 2023 WIPFLI survey found that 77% of rural healthcare organizations have started using telehealth to improve patient care.
With laptops and smartphones so common, rural patients can now access the same care as those in cities, right from home.
Reduce Costs
One of the most significant benefits for patients is saving money. Since appointments are online, there’s no need to spend money on gas or travel.
Telehealth also helps prevent costly hospital readmissions. Patients can easily follow up with their doctors for concerns, medication refills and more, which helps them stay healthy and avoid complications.
Telehealth can also help clinics save money. For example, small clinics in rural areas can use “store-and-forward” telehealth to store information for specialists. This way, specialists only need to see patients in-office once or twice a week, saving the clinic money.
Improve Access to Care
Virtual appointments help everyone. Patients can fit appointments into their busy schedules, and clinics can see more patients each day, boosting revenue.
People in underserved rural areas also greatly benefit from telemedicine. They can get the care they need without traveling far. Overall, telehealth helps close the care gap between urban and rural areas.
Receive Quality Assessments
Telehealth ensures that patients get thorough and accurate care. Doctors can do complete evaluations, give medical advice and create treatment plans remotely. This means faster help, better health outcomes and high-quality care for everyone, no matter where they live.
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Disadvantages
The downsides of telehealth don’t outweigh the benefits, but doctors and patients do face some challenges. Sometimes, it’s hard to make a diagnosis or understand the issue fully during a video call.
Let’s take a closer look at some telehealth disadvantages.
Costly Equipment
The software and hardware needed for video calls and file sharing can be pricey. On-site systems can cost a lot upfront, while cloud-based options are cheaper but still require a monthly fee. Plus, staff might need extra training to use the new technology.
Scarce Physical Interaction
Sometimes, you just can’t replace a hands-on exam. Some tests and procedures need to be done in person.
For example, a swollen hand would be difficult to inspect without a physical examination of the affected area. So limited face-to-face time can result in an incorrect diagnosis on the doctor’s part. A carefully planned mix of face-to-face and virtual meetings closes the gap.
Imminent Security Concerns
Clinics share sensitive information like prescriptions and test results online. This can be risky if files aren’t transferred securely or security measures aren’t strong enough.
Dr. Haleema Yezdani, vice president at HIMSS, talks about the security concerns of Telemedicine practices:
Video chats with your doctor are safe when they’re conducted over a dashboard which has a well-encrypted EHR and EMR of its own. These websites keep your health records private. But if you use apps like Facebook or WhatsApp for doctor visits, your information might leak.”
Although most telehealth software comes with embedded security protocols, it’s not a bad idea to test them and look for new ones to ensure safety.
Limited Access
Not everyone has access to the technology needed for telehealth. Some people, especially older adults, might not be comfortable with computers or smartphones. In rural areas, slow or unreliable internet can make video calls difficult.
Reimbursement and Regulatory Challenges
Getting paid for telehealth services can be complicated. Rules vary a lot depending on where you live and your insurance. Doctors might struggle to get reimbursed for their work, and patients might end up paying more than they expected. Also, rules about practicing across state lines can make things difficult for doctors who want to offer telehealth.
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What Types of Care Can You Receive Using Telehealth?
Telehealth is a handy tool for many health issues. Some examples include:
- Everyday illnesses: Telehealth can help with colds, flu, allergies, sinus infections and minor injuries.
- Long-term conditions: People with diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and heart disease can use telehealth for ongoing care, including medication management and tracking symptoms.
- Mental health: Telehealth can be used for issues like anxiety, depression and stress. Therapists and counselors can provide support remotely.
- Skin problems: Some skin conditions, like rashes, acne and eczema, can be checked out and treated through telehealth with video calls.
- Healthy living: Telehealth can offer advice on nutrition, weight loss, exercise and other lifestyle changes.
- Kids’ health: Parents can use telehealth for their children’s everyday illnesses, development questions and behavior concerns.
Uses of Telehealth
Telehealth does a lot more than just video calls. Here are some ways it can be used:
- Checkups: Patients can talk to doctors about non-urgent problems, ask for advice or get a second opinion.
- Diagnosis: Some conditions can be diagnosed remotely through video calls or other tools, especially if they can be seen or described easily.
- Monitoring: Telehealth can track vital signs, symptoms and if you’re following your treatment plan, especially for long-term conditions.
- Prescriptions: Doctors can send prescriptions and adjust doses or refill medications online.
- Follow-up Care: No need to travel back to the office for every check-in after an in-person visit.
- Staying Healthy: Telehealth can help with preventive care like vaccinations, screenings and lifestyle changes.
- Learning About Health: Get info on how to manage your health, understand your condition and make smart choices.
Telehealth Delivery
Telehealth encompasses various technologies and strategies, including synchronous (live) telehealth, asynchronous (store and forward) telehealth, remote patient monitoring (RPM) and mobile health (mHealth). It lets patients talk to doctors in three ways:
- Live chat: You and the doctor talk on the computer or phone right then and there.
- Recorded messages: You send notes, pictures or messages to the doctor to look at later.
- Monitoring: Your weight, blood pressure or other measurements are sent to the doctor.
Tips To Schedule Effective Appointments
Here are some tips to make sure you make the most of your telehealth appointments:
- Schedule in Advance: Book your telehealth appointment well in advance to ensure availability and minimize last-minute cancellations.
- Check Insurance Coverage: Confirm your insurance coverage for telehealth services and any necessary copays or out-of-pocket expenses.
- Prepare Your Device: Ensure your device is fully charged, has a stable internet connection, and is equipped with a good camera and microphone.
- Find a Quiet Space: Choose a quiet, well-lit area with minimal distractions for your telehealth appointment.
- Test Your Technology: Test your camera, microphone and internet connection before the appointment to avoid technical issues.
- Be Ready to Communicate: Prepare a list of symptoms, medications and questions to discuss with your healthcare provider during the appointment.
- Use a Reliable Platform: Use a reliable telehealth platform or app that is easy to use and provides clear video and audio quality.
- Be Prepared for Follow-up: Follow up on any instructions or recommendations provided by your healthcare provider during the appointment.
FAQ
To schedule a telehealth appointment, download the telehealth app, request an appointment through the portal, fill out necessary forms and follow the link in your calendar invite to open your video chat.
To use telehealth, you typically need a device (tablet, computer or smartphone), telehealth software or app, a camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection.
Telehealth appointments often involve electronic prescriptions, secure online payment and insurance coverage. Check with your insurance provider for coverage and any necessary co-payments.
Before your telehealth visit, prepare your device, gather necessary medical information and be ready to communicate clearly about your symptoms and medical history.
If you encounter issues with telehealth, contact your provider for technical support, check your internet connection and consult the platform’s support resources or customer service.
After your telehealth visit, follow-up care will be provided, electronic prescriptions will be sent to your pharmacy and payment will be processed securely online. Your healthcare provider will continue to monitor your progress remotely.
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Next Steps
In the end, discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of telehealth might never end. However, we can safely say both patients and providers enjoy its benefits. Telehealth plays a critical role in virtual care settings, providing clinicians with the flexibility to deliver treatments remotely.
As you’re purchasing telehealth software, keep in mind the pros and cons of telehealth.
For more information, check out our free comparison report to find out key details about telehealth vendors and software, and compare individual products and their features.
Which benefits do you think should be on the list? Which ones did we miss? Leave a comment below.
SME Contributors
Dr. Haleema Yezdani is an accomplished general physician and diabetologist with 20 years of experience, including a decade leading in telemedicine. Recognized as a global clinical leader in telehealth by HIMSS, she is also an ambassador for Telemedicine Today and the Global Telehealth Exchange.
Her dedication to expanding healthcare access is evident through her work with BENFA Health Care, providing free telemedicine services, and her tireless volunteerism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Haleema has received numerous awards for her contributions to digital health, including recognition as one of the Top 100 Women of the Future in digital spaces worldwide.