The use of telehealth platforms has skyrocketed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing that: “Strong continued uptake, favorable consumer perception, and tangible investment into this space are all contributing to the growth of telehealth.”
The research institute went on to share that recent analysis shows this in no uncertain terms. In fact, the use of telehealth apps for healthcare services has increased 38 times compared to the pre-COVID-19 baseline figures.
Healthcare providers and patients alike may be new to the idea of using a virtual care manager app or a telehealth service, but the reality is that this kind of digital platform is being used more and more, patients are increasingly comfortable with the idea, and healthcare providers are finding this new avenue a smart way to grow their practice, expand their personal brand, establish credibility, and bring in additional income. Here’s a look at how a virtual care manager tool can open up a whole range of possibilities for physicians.
For quite some time, a significant barrier to telehealth was the concern over compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. The HIPAA Journal shared that all channels of communication have to be compliant with HIPAA’s stipulations, including telehealth.
HIPAA’s Security Rule outlines that:
This meant that for many physicians, the hurdles to expanding their practice with a virtual care manager service were just too great. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed all of this. The Brookings Institution reported that before the pandemic, “State and federal barriers in the use of telehealth and AI have served as hindrances to the launch of its full capabilities.”
In response to the many patients who needed care but could not go to a clinic to see a physician, many barriers to telehealth services were removed in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. This made it easier for healthcare providers to care for their patients while slowing the spread, and further opened the door for future telehealth service moving forward.
Since the early months of the pandemic when telehealth appointments between physicians and patients skyrocketed, telehealth usage appears to have leveled off, and while doctors may not be interacting with patients online at the same numbers they were in April or May of 2020, telehealth usage has still increased by 38 times compared to pre-pandemic levels. Physicians who have been hesitant to use such platforms before now have much more access, making it easier to grow their practice and treat more patients via telehealth appointments.
ViClinic is a brand new telehealth app and virtual platform that is revolutionizing not just the way that physicians interact with patients, but how they manage their entire practice via a virtual framework.
With ViClinic, physicians can jumpstart their professional careers and use the platform to build their personal branding. Plus, it’s a great way to bring in new patients and earn extra income. ViClinic gives the power to physicians to practice the way they want to practice, using the platform for both in-person and virtual appointments without being tied to any kind of contract.
New physicians and those working in smaller clinics love that ViClinic provides a secure medical record system—completely for free. ViClinic gives physicians access to a scheduling calendar, appointment portal, and patient record system all under one tool.
Because ViClinic can be used for both in-person and virtual appointments in a hybrid model, physicians who call small practices home can use it to manage all of their patients in one place. This new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution is not only helping physicians manage more patients, but it can also help smaller practices compete with large healthcare networks.
What’s more, ViClinic physicians can use this SaaS solution as a marketing tool. By uploading their professional information, they can let patients know why they are the best option out there, serving as free advertising. Multilingual physicians can also use ViClinic to serve and connect with their communities, expanding their reach and providing access to healthcare in a patient’s native language, no matter where they are.
To learn more about how ViClinic can broaden your horizons as a physician, connect with new patients, and manage your clinic or practice, sign up today!