Doctors have been providing telehealth for years by offering after-hours care in the form of “cross-coverage”, but there were limitations:

• Consultations often performed by a nurse or nurse practitioner
• The patient’s medical history not available remotely
• A lack of software to guide and document the consultation
• Reimbursement issues associated with after-hours care
• The patient’s medical issue often not resolved and instead, referred to an office appointment or ER
• Response times varied dramatically

Providing a complete telehealth solution

A handful of telehealth companies have arrived on the scene but provide an incomplete product. In order to be effective, telehealth must be a fully integrated solution. Here’s what you should ask when considering a telehealth solution:

Clinical quality and health

• How far does the physician network reach?
• How experienced are their physicians and how often are they credentialed?
• What kind of quality assurance is in place?
• Do they offer flexible network structures?

Integrated technology platform

• What technological options do they provide members to reach physicians?
• What is their solution for continuity of care?

Consumer engagement

• What communication options are available to spread the word about telehealth to your employees?
• Do they target your employees with specific and personalized messaging?

The benefits of offering telehealth

Access

Provide 24/7/365 access to quality medical care to all employees regardless of their work location or travel schedule.

Convenience

Telehealth is a high-quality alternative for rural employees who have long commutes to see their primary care physician.

Cost

Telehealth is an affordable alternative to costly urgent care and ER visits for non-emergency medical needs.

Productivity

Employees can talk to a doctor from anywhere, even while at work. This reduces absenteeism and increases presenteeism.

Satisfaction

Employees will enjoy knowing an experienced physician is only a call or click away. You will love the money that will be saved by offering a telehealth solution.