Regular readers of JUCM and JUCM News know that telehealth seems ideally suited for urgent care, but that relatively few operators have seen great success with it—or even tried it at all. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced some to give it another look, however, as many patients were hesitant to leave the house for relatively minor healthcare complaints early on. If you’re still on the fence, it might be helpful to know what Intermountain Healthcare CEO Marc Harrison, MD says his company has learned since they committed to offering virtual care options to patients. Harrison penned an article on the subject for the Harvard Business Review recently, distilling their experience into seven “lessons” from which we might all be able to learn:
1. Telehealth has expanded access to better and faster care
2. Digital care is safer during the pandemic
3. Telehealth’s clinical quality is excellent
4. Digital tools support the direction healthcare is headed
5. Many doctors tried telehealth and liked it
6. Security, privacy, and fixing technical flaws are ongoing priorities
7. Technology should be kept simple, but should be comprehensive
What has your experience been with telemedicine? If you have anything to add to Harrison’s list from your own experience, let us know in an email to [email protected].