how to build a successful telemedicine program
TRANSCRIPT
Teresa IafollaDirector of Content, eVisit
How to Build a Successful Telemedicine Program
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1. Define Your Telemedicine Use Case
How will you be using telemedicine? Here are some factors to consider:
• Type of telemedicine• Live video• Store-and-forward• Remote patient monitoring
• Target patient population for telemedicine• Rural or far away?• Chronic conditions?• Medicaid or Medicare?
• Medical Services• Lab results review?• Urgent issues• Simple follow-ups or check-ins?• Off-hours coverage?
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2. Choosing the right telemedicine solution for your practice
Key things to consider:
• Design• Features & Workflow• Cost• Support & Implementation
15 questions to ask your telemedicine vendor
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2. Choosing the right telemedicine solution for your practice
Design & Customizations• User-friendly• Customizations• Equipment needed• Security
Features & Workflow• ePrescribe• Built-in billing• Insurance• Tool integration
• DocumentationCost• Pricing• Equipment & set-up needed
Support & Implementation• Tech support• Customer implementation• Patient marketing
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2. Choosing the right telemedicine solution for your practice
Good support & implementation is key!
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3. Order equipment & get set-up
What equipment do you need?• Webcamera• Microphone• Tablet/computer• Additional computer monitor• Telemedicine cart• Peripheral medical devices
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3. Order equipment & get set-up
• Is the platform cloud-based or does the software need to be installed?
• Help with installation• Secure data server space
• Is your internet connection good enough?• 3 mbps is minimum for good video quality• Speedtest.net
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4. Get your staff on the same page
• Consider including your staff in purchase process• At least, inform them once you buy• Include practice managers & providers in workflow
discussions and billing/policy discussions• Include any staff who will be involved in your
telemedicine program so you get team buy-in• Call a meeting and share the use case and your goal
for the program, plus steps needed
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5. Learn the telemedicine policy in your state.
What does your state law say about telemedicine?
• Telemedicine parity laws• Patient informed consent (telemedicine specific)
• How to do informed consent• Prescriptions based on telemedicine appts• Using telemedicine with established vs. new patients• Location of the patient during the telemedicine visit, and
interstate licensing
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5. Learn the telemedicine policy in your state.
How to research this for your state?
• Center for Connected Health Policy State Map
• American Telemedicine Association State Policy Center
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6. Decide on your billing policy.Questions to ask yourself:• Will you charge patients for telemedicine appts?• Will you be doing a self-pay model or billing
insurance?• How will you bill (in platform, in EMR, standard
paper)?• How much will you charge patients?
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6. Decide on your billing policy.
Will you charge patients for telemedicine appts?
• Some doctors offer telemedicine as an added service• Way to attract new patients• Adds value to an annual fee for concierge model
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6. Decide on your billing policy.Self-Pay
• For self-pay, have patients sign a waiver form saying they will not use insurance
• Or put that condition into your practice policy/terms
Billing insurance
• Every payer has different telemedicine guidelines• Review our telemedicine reimbursement guide• Research private, Medicaid, and Medicare guidelines • Start with one payer and test• Check you have proper documentation to submit to insurance
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6. Decide on your billing policy.How much will you charge patients?
Insurance
• You’ll need to follow your payer’s guidelines• Verify the patient’s insurance policy covers telemedicine• Charge their co-pay upfront and bill
Self-pay
• What is the price going to be compared to in-office visits?• Prices we see:
• Average: $60 - 75 per visit, 5-15 minute primary care• $400 per hour for certain specialties (psychiatrists charge higher than PC, for instance)• $45 per visit, online clinic
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7. Create your telemedicine program workflows.
You need a workflow just like with in-person appts.• Collecting patient medical history• Scheduling & requests• Confirming appts with patients• Verifying insurance• Patient access to the platform• Provider availability• Notifying providers about appts• Prescribing & follow-up• Billing
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7. Create your telemedicine program workflows.Here are just a few example questions to guide your workflow discussion:• What information do you need to gather from the patient to start this visit (i.e., health record
questions)?• When do you want to offer telemedicine visits (i.e., on-demand, after-hours, a specific time
during the day, provider’s office hours, etc.)?• Who will be doing the remote visit (i.e., provider, extender, etc.)? • Where will the provider initiate the visit (i.e., in his personal office, in a community space,
etc.)?• Do you have a computer with working speakers, microphone and camera in that space?• Who will schedule the appointment?• How will you remind patients of their scheduled virtual appointments? How will patients
access the platform?• Will you have a staff member verify all needed information before starting a visit (check the
patient is enrolled, that they have all needed equipment, verify insurance)?• Will you transfer visit documentation into your EMR?• Who will take care of billing each visit?
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7. Create your telemedicine program workflows.
You may want to diagram the process.
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8. Set-up your workspace• Use one of your exam rooms or your office
• If at home, set-up everything you need in a private space
• Space should be:• Private• Neat & organized, no clutter• Well-lit• Quiet• Have all the equipment you need
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9. Figure out how you’ll provide tech support.
• Does the vendor provide patient tech support?• Will your staff provide support?• Phone, email, chat?• What hours?• Policy for off-hours support?• How to inform patients?
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9. Figure out how you’ll provide tech support.
• Have a technical troubleshooting/tip sheet for patients• We have a step-by-step checklist for patients
• Train staff to field basic technical questions• Ask if your vendor has an online support resource
database (so pts can look for answers to problems themselves)
• Have a back-up plan in case you get disconnected (pick-up phone if audio isn’t working)
• Have vendor support team contact info handy• Have system in place to handle any off-hours issues
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10. Create any materials needed for your program.
• Informed patient consent form• Telemedicine waiver or billing policy form• Tip or workflow sheets for staff• Patient visit documentation
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11. Get trained on the technology
• So important!!• Involve all staff• Block off time in your calendar, and commit• Always do a dry-run• Do a “family & friends” test run, from very first
step to billing• Have staff review technical tips
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12. Build and launch your patient marketing plan.
Now you need to get patients onboard!
There are 2 parts here:
1. Letting patients know about telemedicine visits2. Getting them set-up to do a visit
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12. Build and launch your patient marketing plan.
Tell your patients about your new telemedicine visit option.
Decide on your strategies:• In-office brochures, posters, cards• Update your practice website• Phone message and staff scripts• Email marketing• Social Media Campaign• Direct mail campaign• Open House event
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12. Build and launch your patient marketing plan.
• In-office materials & staff prompts are the minimum!
• Updating your website will help marketing and give patients an easy portal to the telemed platform
• Email campaigns are a great affordable option for letting all your patients know
• Social media is easy and cheap too, if you have profiles!
• Direct mail can be very effective too, if you have the budget and staff to manage• Basic tactic: send a simple letter to patients sharing the news and telling them how to
get started with their first telemed appointment
• Consider offering an incentive for their first telemed appoint (first appointment free, or $ off)
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12. Build and launch your patient marketing plan.
Points to include• Benefits of telemedicine appointments to
patients• What conditions/services appointments are for• Availability• Cost• Instructions on how to get started!
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Welcome to your newTelemedicine Program!
Teresa Iafolla, eVisit
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