3 keys to drive patient volume, revenue with asynchronous telehealth

*This is part three of a three-part series focusing on strategies for increasing revenue using asynchronous technology. You can find part one here, and part two here.

Competition for healthcare consumers is growing, but according to one recent study covered in Fierce Healthcare, health systems’ quest for consumer-centric solutions has waned since the start of the pandemic.

The study found many systems have implemented new care delivery capabilities that are considered “incremental”—think telehealth, walk-in clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. However, fewer organizations have embraced more “advanced” modes of care, like in-home patient monitoring, home-based primary care, and AI-driven primary care.

“Today’s healthcare consumer is digitally savvy, and new competitors are offering innovative alternatives to hospitals and health systems, especially in primary care,” said Paul Crnkovich, Kaufman Hall Managing Director. “Winning over consumers requires regaining momentum—and pushing beyond virtual visits [while] truly prioritizing digital capabilities that enhance the consumer experience.”

At Bright.md, we prioritize the entire care journey for patients and providers alike. Looking to stay competitive this year, while driving volumes and ultimately revenue? Check out these three keys below and discover how asynchronous telehealth can do just that.

1. Tech developed for your staff can negate critical losses and turnover due to capacity constraints. According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), 19 percent of U.S. hospitals are understaffed, and 21 percent are anticipating critical shortages during the first half of this year. At the same time, patients continue to flood emergency departments or urgent care centers where staff is already strained, often as a result of Covid-19.However, by using a solution that integrates into providers’ existing workflows, health execs set up their staff for success. With asynchronous care, for example, patients with common conditions—like a urinary tract infection, ear infection, or the flu—can stay home, avoid sitting in a waiting room, and receive quality care from a doctor within minutes. In fact, 33 percent of patients who have used Bright.md in the past 12 months said they would have sought care in the ER or an urgent care center if Bright.md wasn’t available to them.

   As for clinicians, they’re relieved of administrative burden, thanks to Bright.md’s ability to automate SOAP notes and integrate with their EHR. As a result, doctors have flexibility to treat low-acuity patients faster and can better focus on patients who need them most, leading to less turnover due to clinician burnout.

   “This service is great. I am a nurse in the middle of a 3-day, 12-hour shift stretch. This was fast and easy!” — Nurse

2. Your solution of choice should focus on bettering the patient experience. Asynchronous telehealth done right ultimately drives patient volumes. At Bright.md, every part of a patient’s care journey is designed with them in mind, leading to happy consumers who opt to use the technology again—and who are more likely to come back to your health system for other care needs.For instance, improving access to quality care is at the core of what we’re building at Bright.md. We’ve designed our platform to address some of the key barriers to access, including transportation, language, literacy, cost, wait times, inclusivity and more. Bright.md is on-demand and fully virtual through a mobile phone, computer, or tablet, while the platform operates on any device with an Internet connection—no broadband required.

   According to one study conducted by the Annals of Internal Medicine, it costs about $150 to be treated for three of the most common illnesses in an urgent care setting. For patients, Bright.md customers charge between $0 and $40 per visit. Patients receive care for these and other complaints without an expensive trip to the ED while health systems gain significant cost savings.

   Lastly, a solution like Bright.md ultimately drives patient loyalty. By accessing care for low-acuity conditions quickly, easily, and from the comfort of their own home, patients who use Bright.md are likely to return to your system. How do we know this? When surveyed, 90 percent of patients who have used Bright.md said they’d like to use it again.

3. Creating a system to assess potential partners is key. There are many benefits to an asynchronous telehealth solution, but not all are designed the same. Bright.md’s proprietary clinical content, for starters, covers all conditions it helps to treat, which make up more than 50 percent of all primary and urgent care visits. With more than 130 diagnoses, Bright.md’s clinical content is evidence-based and updated regularly based on the latest clinical guidelines—something unique to the Bright.md platform.Integrations with an EHR and delivering patient notes in a SOAP-ready format is another example of how Bright.md considers the full clinician experience; we understand clinical workflows and interoperability reduce administrative strain on providers, which is why they’re critical to our success. With that in mind, it’s important to choose an asynchronous telehealth solution that truly is designed to support both patient and provider.

   Check out this list of key questions to ask when considering an asynchronous telehealth solution:

1. Does your telehealth partner know what it’s like to be on the front lines of delivering care? Understanding clinical workflows and the pain points of providers and healthcare systems is foundational to maintain patient volumes and revenue.
2. What resources will be available to you post-product implementation? Your partner’s business model should align with your business goals.
3. Do they play well with others? This includes your EHR and other vendors within your digital health ecosystem. Interoperability is critical for success and top-line growth.
4. Do they have quality clinical content resources? Your vendor of choice should have expertise in evidence-based clinical content as well as a method to evaluate, revise, and enhance content.
5. Can they deliver a “wow” moment for your patients and clinicians? Your platform of choice should be a premier experience for healthcare consumers in today’s competitive climate, while truly streamlining care processes for doctors who use it.
6. How will you know if the telehealth solution is working? Do you have access to meaningful analytics, reports, and benchmarks so you have new and continual insights into how your asynchronous telehealth program is helping to support your overall business goals?