Michael Morgan
Four tips for implementing a successful virtual care strategy
January 11, 2021
By Michael Morgan
For years, the healthcare sector lagged behind other industries with regard to digital transformation. File cabinets full of patient records, use of telephone and traditional fax for communications and information sharing, and paper prescriptions and referrals were long the norm. At the same time, banks, retailers, government agencies, and others increasingly relied on websites, apps, and chat and text communications to deliver a higher level of customer care.
The ease and convenience of using technology to get the information they need, comparison shop, or make purchases whenever they want has resulted in consumers demanding those same conveniences in healthcare. Despite consumer desires, change has been slow to come to the healthcare industry --until March 2020, when the coronavirus was designated as a worldwide pandemic.
COVID-19 sparks a digital transformation
It took COVID-19 to spark an explosion of telehealth demand. Quickly these virtual services became the new norm as both providers and patients tried to minimize infection rates while not putting off regular or non-emergent care.
If providers truly want to increase patient engagement and satisfaction, however, choosing a telehealth technology provider is only the first step. Today’s providers must implement a full virtual care strategy that addresses the patient experience both in-person and outside the four walls of the practice.
Many healthcare practices had already begun to adopt digital communications solutions to improve efficiency and patient engagement. But these represent only a small fraction of the equation. And, in the cases where practices are early adopters, they may not yet have figured out how to connect the pieces to realize the true benefits of a comprehensive virtual platform that can address the entire patient journey.
As practices seek to innovate and transform their operations to catch up to the expectations of healthcare consumerism, there are a number of virtual care solutions that can improve patient satisfaction and outcomes, while helping the practice be more efficient and effective. These include video chat, secure text, broadcast messaging, patient reminders, electronic fax, electronic forms, and contactless check-in. It may seem daunting to implement a full virtual care strategy at the outset, but it needn’t be overwhelming. Most virtual care strategies start with just one solution - but you can kickstart your journey by leveraging a platform that can grow with you and considering the best practices below before you get started.
Best practices for implementing virtual care
In the aftermath of COVID-19, virtual care will become a more integrated part of our healthcare system. But to make it really work for your practice, you need more than a patchwork of single-use solutions. Even if you implement one solution at a time - as most practices do - it’s important to approach deployment strategically, considering platforms that support a full suite of solutions that can be tailored to create the ideal experience for patients while streamlining practice workflow. The platform should also be flexible so you can customize them to your practice's unique needs, integrate with your electronic health records (EHRs), comply with HIPAA regulations, and manage all of your practice's work and communications from a single convenient place.
To set your practice up for virtual care success, here are four tips to keep in mind:
1. Identify the next right-fit solution
A majority of providers started with the launch of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now it's time to determine the next step in the virtual care journey. Consider feedback from patients and staff, and your practice's goals, when figuring out what solutions to implement next. Maybe you could benefit most from a broadcast or text messaging tool to combat a large number of no-shows or cancellations. Or perhaps your staff is drowning in paper, so electronic fax and form solutions could enhance efficiency and save costs on office supplies. Whatever you choose, consider how it will impact the entire patient journey, and optimize processes that improve their overall experience.
2. Train patients and staff
When you add a virtual care solution, it should fit seamlessly into existing workflows and be intuitive and user-friendly for both your staff and patients. As you consider new technologies, identify a practice champion who can evaluate and pilot it, develop the workflow, lead staff training, and implement a patient communication plan.
3. Set goals and measure
To understand the value of each new technology you implement, set goals to define what you want to achieve. Building on earlier examples, maybe you would like to reduce patient no-shows by 30% by adopting a secure text tool. Or maybe you want to cut paper and printing expenses in half by using electronic forms and faxes. Before implementing these technologies, determine your baseline - such as the number of no-shows or how much you spend on paper and toner each month. Then regularly measure the results of using these solutions, so you can see if you're able to meet your desired goals and can determine your return on investment.
4. Evaluate and iterate
As you have more experience with the virtual care process, you can evaluate what is working well and build off those. For example, if your patients are pleased with your video telehealth appointments, you may be ready to implement text and email appointment reminders. Once those are working well, you can determine if there is other information - such as test results or links to educational material - that you can also deliver via these secure electronic means. But, if a new virtual care solution doesn't work well, there's no need to scrap it altogether. You can iterate and make adjustments so that the process ultimately delivers your desired results.
Implementing new technology and undergoing a significant digital transformation may seem like an overwhelming process, particularly at a time when COVID-19 is placing so many new demands on your practice and your staff. However, you don't need to launch a full virtual care strategy all at once.
The key is to have a strong foundation on which to build, then add solutions in a strategic way - considering those that will have the most positive impact on your patients or practice workflow. Once a solution is implemented, measure it - then iterate and adjust if needed - to ensure it is having a meaningful impact and meeting your goals. By taking this approach, you can significantly improve patient engagement and satisfaction, and achieve long-term success at your practice through continued innovation.
About the author: Michael Morgan is the president of Updox. With a successful track record in helping organizations use technology to transform the way healthcare is delivered, Mike has more than 25 years of healthcare leadership within software, behavioral health, and HIT organizations. Updox, an EverCommerce company, was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America for the past six consecutive years.
For years, the healthcare sector lagged behind other industries with regard to digital transformation. File cabinets full of patient records, use of telephone and traditional fax for communications and information sharing, and paper prescriptions and referrals were long the norm. At the same time, banks, retailers, government agencies, and others increasingly relied on websites, apps, and chat and text communications to deliver a higher level of customer care.
The ease and convenience of using technology to get the information they need, comparison shop, or make purchases whenever they want has resulted in consumers demanding those same conveniences in healthcare. Despite consumer desires, change has been slow to come to the healthcare industry --until March 2020, when the coronavirus was designated as a worldwide pandemic.
COVID-19 sparks a digital transformation
It took COVID-19 to spark an explosion of telehealth demand. Quickly these virtual services became the new norm as both providers and patients tried to minimize infection rates while not putting off regular or non-emergent care.
If providers truly want to increase patient engagement and satisfaction, however, choosing a telehealth technology provider is only the first step. Today’s providers must implement a full virtual care strategy that addresses the patient experience both in-person and outside the four walls of the practice.
Many healthcare practices had already begun to adopt digital communications solutions to improve efficiency and patient engagement. But these represent only a small fraction of the equation. And, in the cases where practices are early adopters, they may not yet have figured out how to connect the pieces to realize the true benefits of a comprehensive virtual platform that can address the entire patient journey.
As practices seek to innovate and transform their operations to catch up to the expectations of healthcare consumerism, there are a number of virtual care solutions that can improve patient satisfaction and outcomes, while helping the practice be more efficient and effective. These include video chat, secure text, broadcast messaging, patient reminders, electronic fax, electronic forms, and contactless check-in. It may seem daunting to implement a full virtual care strategy at the outset, but it needn’t be overwhelming. Most virtual care strategies start with just one solution - but you can kickstart your journey by leveraging a platform that can grow with you and considering the best practices below before you get started.
Best practices for implementing virtual care
In the aftermath of COVID-19, virtual care will become a more integrated part of our healthcare system. But to make it really work for your practice, you need more than a patchwork of single-use solutions. Even if you implement one solution at a time - as most practices do - it’s important to approach deployment strategically, considering platforms that support a full suite of solutions that can be tailored to create the ideal experience for patients while streamlining practice workflow. The platform should also be flexible so you can customize them to your practice's unique needs, integrate with your electronic health records (EHRs), comply with HIPAA regulations, and manage all of your practice's work and communications from a single convenient place.
To set your practice up for virtual care success, here are four tips to keep in mind:
1. Identify the next right-fit solution
A majority of providers started with the launch of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now it's time to determine the next step in the virtual care journey. Consider feedback from patients and staff, and your practice's goals, when figuring out what solutions to implement next. Maybe you could benefit most from a broadcast or text messaging tool to combat a large number of no-shows or cancellations. Or perhaps your staff is drowning in paper, so electronic fax and form solutions could enhance efficiency and save costs on office supplies. Whatever you choose, consider how it will impact the entire patient journey, and optimize processes that improve their overall experience.
2. Train patients and staff
When you add a virtual care solution, it should fit seamlessly into existing workflows and be intuitive and user-friendly for both your staff and patients. As you consider new technologies, identify a practice champion who can evaluate and pilot it, develop the workflow, lead staff training, and implement a patient communication plan.
3. Set goals and measure
To understand the value of each new technology you implement, set goals to define what you want to achieve. Building on earlier examples, maybe you would like to reduce patient no-shows by 30% by adopting a secure text tool. Or maybe you want to cut paper and printing expenses in half by using electronic forms and faxes. Before implementing these technologies, determine your baseline - such as the number of no-shows or how much you spend on paper and toner each month. Then regularly measure the results of using these solutions, so you can see if you're able to meet your desired goals and can determine your return on investment.
4. Evaluate and iterate
As you have more experience with the virtual care process, you can evaluate what is working well and build off those. For example, if your patients are pleased with your video telehealth appointments, you may be ready to implement text and email appointment reminders. Once those are working well, you can determine if there is other information - such as test results or links to educational material - that you can also deliver via these secure electronic means. But, if a new virtual care solution doesn't work well, there's no need to scrap it altogether. You can iterate and make adjustments so that the process ultimately delivers your desired results.
Implementing new technology and undergoing a significant digital transformation may seem like an overwhelming process, particularly at a time when COVID-19 is placing so many new demands on your practice and your staff. However, you don't need to launch a full virtual care strategy all at once.
The key is to have a strong foundation on which to build, then add solutions in a strategic way - considering those that will have the most positive impact on your patients or practice workflow. Once a solution is implemented, measure it - then iterate and adjust if needed - to ensure it is having a meaningful impact and meeting your goals. By taking this approach, you can significantly improve patient engagement and satisfaction, and achieve long-term success at your practice through continued innovation.
About the author: Michael Morgan is the president of Updox. With a successful track record in helping organizations use technology to transform the way healthcare is delivered, Mike has more than 25 years of healthcare leadership within software, behavioral health, and HIT organizations. Updox, an EverCommerce company, was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America for the past six consecutive years.