How Hospitals Can Prepare for Telemedicine

Future of Telemedicine
What is the Future of Telehealth?
August 8, 2019

How Hospitals Can Prepare for Telemedicine

Hospitals prepare for telehealth

If you have been keeping up with the healthcare news, then you probably know that telemedicine is becoming more popular. Hospitals are dealing with shortages of neurologists and increases in stroke cases. That is why every facility needs something to address these issues. Many people think that telehealth can address this issue.

Culture readiness was one of the main concerns that people had about telemedicine. If your staff members are concerned about this, then it is important to note that there are benefits that you can reap. There was a study done by the Medical Journal of Critical Care. The study showed that 75 percent of nurses believed that telemedicine helped increased a patient’s chance of surviving a stroke.

If a neurologist is not available, then Telestroke can help. Dr. Adam Heller is the VP and partner of Clinical Operations at Telespecialists. He stated that Telestroke can accurately diagnose a stroke and help the patient get the proper treatment.

One of the concerns that people have about telehealth is that it may lack the human factor. There are times when physicians have to tell patients difficult news. Physicians typically request a nurse, social worker or chaplain to give the patient the news. If the physician is on the screen and someone else is in the room, then it can be easier for the patient to process this information.

It is essential for hospitals to make sure that the staff members are properly prepared. However, this is not as difficult as you may think. Studies have shown that cultural readiness is not the main issue. The lack of preparedness is what makes it difficult for people to implement telehealth practices.

There is one important question that comes to mind after you get everyone on board. How does the hospital make the transition to telehealth? The key is to get the leaders to focus on the goals.

It is a good idea to get telespecialists to help you implement this service. Everyone in the facility will also have to work together in order to ensure that this process goes smoothly. Additionally, you will need to have quality program specialists who can monitor to metrics. They will make recommendations that will help you improve the service. This will ensure that you will be able to get the most out of telehealth.

Telehealth can help you improve patient care. This can also help you increase your hospital revenue.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *