Adding telehealth to your medical services can seem like a big plunge.
Sure, telehealth seems to have a ton of benefits, but are you sure your patients will use it? Will it really deliver on it's promise of a better patient care experience?
We get this question a lot from physicians considering telehealth. One of the top hesitations is always some version of, I'm not sure my patients will actually use telehealth. So, we did a quick survey of the research out to show how patients feel about telemedicine. How many patients are interested in doing virtual visits with their doctors? How much time and money would telehealth save them? Do they have any concerns about online care?
Our infographic below on the patient experience of telehealth answers these questions and many more. For example, a study conducted by Software Advice, a company that reviews electronic medical records, revealed that 75% of surveyed patients are interested in doing virtual visits, especially if it means avoiding a trip to the ER or urgent care. And, did you know a patient spends an average of $43 just in lost time for a typical doctor's appointment - a cost they could avoid with telehealth?
We found many interesting stats like these that show the incredible benefit of telehealth to patients, beyond just getting convenient care. One study demonstrated a 14% reduction in hospital readmissions for cardiac patients who enrolled in a telehealth program. Another found that telemedicine patients required less follow-up care than patients who only received in-person care.
The list goes on. Overall, although patients did report some minor concerns with handling the technology and verifying their insurance coverage, the answer seems to be - yes! Yes, your patients want to use telehealth. As long as they know how to sign up and get started with virtual care, they're likely to get online and keep coming back for more.
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