Telehealth and COVID-19: The Alternative Treatment Model We Need to Embrace - Hartman Executive Advisors

The entire healthcare system is struggling to manage the growing Coronavirus crisis and the increasing number of COVID-19 infections. As we put measures in place to reduce unnecessary exposure, healthcare organizations are required to meet the existing needs of chronic and urgent care in different ways.

The combination of factors to address this crisis have led to the urgent need to adopt alternative treatment models, including telehealth. Telehealth services provide significant benefits, including:

• Flexibility for patients and providers in terms of location and timing of appointments
• Safety for both the patient and the provider from potential cross-infection
• No need for PPE, preserving resources for in-person needs
• Quality, remote interactions and examinations
• Reliable, scalable and secure systems to meet expanding care needs

We are now faced with a shifting regulatory landscape and growing payer acceptance of and reimbursement for telehealth services, including by CMS. This urgent need requires immediate action. It’s important to make the right decision now to avoid challenges and headaches later. Before selecting a telehealth system, providers need to answer these questions:

• Does it integrate with my EHR platform and billing system?
• How is it connected to my web portal for making patient appointments?
• Can it handle online private payment including copays and deductibles?
• Can my network systems, internet connection, computers/tablets/laptops meet the requirements without costly upgrades?
• Will it scale and flex to support secure remote work for my care providers?
• Does it meet my changing compliance needs for patient privacy and information security?

Most health and senior living providers lack the independent technology leadership they need to understand these important questions and identify the best solutions. Relying on vendors calls, websites and brochures to make this important decision introduces incredible risk and cost.

At Hartman Executive Advisors, our independent and scalable IT leadership and advisory service has helped health and senior living leaders make these types of critical decisions for more than 15 years.

We make recommendations based on our team’s decades of knowledge in healthcare and senior living. Not only can we help implement new technologies, but we can do so in a way that aligns with current systems and meets clinical requirements.

Please reach out today to discuss your current situation and view our telehealth consulting services.