Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1273559
30 Executive Briefing experience, hesitant prospective patients searching for care online are naturally more encouraged and motivated to book a telemedicine appointment. Health organizations can garner a higher volume of feedback and automate this virtuous cycle by choosing a telehealth platform that captures and syndicates reviews within the app itself. Collecting reviews from the first wave of post-lockdown hospital visits, and publishing these reviews online, will also be critical to gradually returning to pre-pandemic volumes of in-person visits and procedures. "When patients leave comments about their recent in-person visits, and the fact that they felt safe and comfortable — this is by far a more effective marketing campaign than messaging coming from the hospital," said Noel Coleman, President of Enterprise Revenue at Doctor.com. Exploring new telemedicine models to differentiate and drive growth The pandemic has surfaced telehealth's undeniable benefits. Remote care delivery not only gives patients more control over their health and safety, but the convenience and flexibility of telemedicine means patients can potentially access more physicians in the course of care. Thanks to the proliferation of online information and patient reviews, patients can decide on their physicians and care providers based on technical skill, reputation, and ease of access. Geography and distance are also less of a barrier as regulations have been relaxed during the pandemic, creating new opportunities for health systems to reach patients that might not otherwise have sought to engage. While most organizations' telehealth strategies have been primarily focused on delivering care to existing patients, cutting-edge hospitals are uncovering growth opportunities that tap into newfound demand from patients for virtual care. They are realizing that telemedicine can be a powerful tool to attract new patients, especially those who are anxious to pursue care canceled during the pandemic but still nervous about visiting a facility in person. "A great example of how telemedicine can be used to drive new growth is around second opinions: A world-class specialist at a top hospital in a major city can leverage their brand and credentials to attract patients who'd normally be too far away to easily come in for an in-person consultation. We are seeing orthopedic surgeons, cardiologists, and others doing this quite effectively. They are using virtual visits for initial consultations with patients outside their geographic area. After they've established a relationship, they are finding that many patients are willing to travel to see them for a surgery or other significant procedure. With the right patient acquisition strategy, hospitals can leverage virtual visits to reach patients outside of their geographic area and 'intercept' them when they are shopping for care online," said Mr. Coleman. In another use case, clinicians can use telemedicine to see patients for initial consultations, and when the time comes for surgery they can give patients a virtual tour of the office and operating room so the patients know what to expect before their in-person visit. They can also share policies and protocols virtually and show them what the hospital is doing to keep patients safe. "This is another example of how telemedicine can be a powerful and innovative way for health systems to communicate with patients during a time of uncertainty — it can be such a valuable tool when it comes to getting patients comfortable with future in-person visits and procedures," said Mr. Zimiles. Hospitals focusing on growth, both in the short and long term, should begin to think more holistically about their virtual care delivery, the virtual patient experience, and how their brand is represented throughout. While choosing the right telemedicine platform is an important first step, healthcare organizations should consider investing in quality video equipment and lighting, and provide guidance on physician telemedicine etiquette (e.g., on- camera demeanor, dress code, office setting, etc.) in order to ensure a consistently smooth and impressive patient experience. In the near future, the quality of a patient's virtual interaction with a hospital will become critical to retention, referrals, and acquisition. "There is no reason that your virtual experience can't be world class. This is a chance to make a 'new' first impression, and that should not be taken lightly," Mr. Zimiles said. Planning for the future According to Doctor.com's telehealth survey, more than 80% of patients said they were likely to continue using telemedicine even if they didn't use it before the pandemic. Health systems need to secure and scale their initiatives, and there's no time to waste as a potential second wave of COVID-19 looms over much of the country. Over the next several months, there will likely be a hybrid period focused on both in-person and telehealth visits that will put patients more at ease. "When there is pressure to evolve, there is potential to speed up the usual bureaucratic machinery," Mr. Zimiles said. "Any hospital that implemented suboptimal solutions under duress should feel a similar urgency to choose a scalable platform that will meet their needs for the future. If anyone is looking for a strong reason to accelerate the transition to a better solution, it is the potential leakage of patients who are going to a different health system that offers a more convenient and higher-quality telemedicine experience." When considering which telehealth vendors and digital tools to rely on for maximum growth during the reopening phase, health systems should consider whether the platform: • Is fully HIPAA compliant • Functions without requiring users to download an app or log into a patient portal • Has a built-in solution to capture patient reviews • Can integrate with third-party websites and applications • Includes advanced features relevant for healthcare such as front and rear camera support, screen sharing, annotation, text chat, and integrated patient intake forms Finally, transitioning to telemedicine is also an opportunity for providers to change their reputation within the community. Hospitals that may have struggled with their image in the past due to negative PR, staff issues, long wait times, or dated facilities have an opportunity to reinvent their brand with a thoughtful virtual care strategy. Telemedicine has become a revelation for both physicians and patients across demographics. As the industry shifts more permanently in this direction, health systems have realized it will have a powerful impact beyond sheer care delivery. When folded in with communication and reputation-building tools, as well as a patient-centric mindset and focus on the user experience, a successful telehealth platform can be used as a critical marketing differentiator as well as an essential strategy for long-term growth. Thinking past the reopening phase will allow health systems to establish the necessary framework now to meet current patient demands, and realize significant ROI in the future. For hospitals that have not yet begun this exercise and identified technology solutions to support such an effort, now is the time. n Doctor.com empowers healthcare organizations to deliver a better customer experience at every step of the patient journey. Doctor.com has helped over 200 leading hospitals and 30,000+ private practices engage patients at key digital touchpoints through award-winning physician directories, web-wide reputation management, seamless online scheduling, and best-in-class telemedicine — all from one unified platform.