{"id":197551,"date":"2020-05-13T07:51:30","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T14:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/?p=197551"},"modified":"2021-09-15T16:22:33","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T23:22:33","slug":"how-medical-practices-benefit-offering-telemedicine-covid19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/how-medical-practices-benefit-offering-telemedicine-covid19\/","title":{"rendered":"How Medical Practices Can Benefit from Offering Telemedicine"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the wake of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, doctors, nurses, mental health services, and other healthcare practitioners are taking their practices online. Telehealth platform Doctor on Demand<\/a> saw a 50% increase in demand in just one week, according to STAT<\/a>, and virtual doctor visits could top 1 billion in 2020, CNBC<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n

As you decide if this approach is right for your practice, keep the telemedicine benefits in mind. It can help you offer higher levels of patient care, while protecting patient confidentiality, staying compliant, and keeping your practice active<\/a> during difficult times.<\/p>\n

What is Telemedicine and How Does Telemedicine Work?<\/h2>\n

Until recently, many practices had never implemented telemedicine software or did so only on a limited basis. Meanwhile, many insurance companies only covered a fraction of digital visit costs. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically increased the need for virtual visits, and Medicare and other insurers have updated their policies to reimburse doctors appropriately, according to the Center for Connected Health Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The way telemedicine visits work is simple. Providers and patients are connected via a secure online video portal. Discussions can be conducted remotely, and if patients require follow-up services such as prescriptions or blood tests, providers can order them.<\/p>\n

Telemedicine lets you safely engage with patients, provide adequate care (especially to those in vulnerable populations), and see even more patients during the workday, in some cases.<\/p>\n

\"Doctor<\/p>\n

How to Choose the Right Telemedicine Software<\/h2>\n

With so many tools available on the market, you may want to jump right in and get started. But it’s important to ask the right questions early, to ensure a seamless transition to offering telemedicine services.<\/p>\n

On top of serving patients during the COVID-19 crisis, what else do you hope to accomplish with telemedicine? Do you want to increase the number of patients you’re able to see during the day, or make it easier to offer emergency care online? Different platforms offer services that support unique medical models.<\/p>\n

Consider your patient demographic. If you work primarily with tech-savvy young patients, a mobile-friendly platform is essential. If your patients are less technically adept, choosing a platform with good customer service becomes vital.<\/p>\n

Here are some additional questions to consider:<\/strong><\/p>\n