A new report from EY provides the following four steps for healthcare organizations to take in creating a sustainable telehealth program:
1. Know the market. Healthcare organizations should consider macro, technology and customer external trends to understand telehealth growth opportunities, return on investment and risks associated with telehealth implementation. This requires organizations to classify patient and clinician needs based on factors, such as demographic and geographic location, to determine telehealth opportunities as well as analyzing current telehealth technologies available.
2. Set strategic intent. Healthcare organizations should look to healthcare services challenges being faced by their communities to identify how their telehealth programs will help solve those challenges. A telehealth program should also align with the healthcare organization's overall mission and values.
3. Develop the telehealth program. In designing telehealth programs, healthcare organizations should get input from stakeholders from multiple disciplines, including human resources, technology and governance, to ensure the all details and dimensions of the program are covered.
4. Implement and refine. Telehealth programs should be introduced in multiple phases and once programs are fully implemented they should be measured for patient and provider satisfaction and continuously improved based on patient and provider feedback.
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