Telehealth IMplementation can be a seamless transition or start-up, as long as the correct processes are followed and maintained throughout the entire process. While it may seem like you can simply decide to start a Telehealth program and then do it, there are actually several phases and steps that need to be done before it can be fully operational.
Implementing Telehealth is not a simple task as there are 3 separate phases for Telehealth Implementation and these are broken down into 12 different steps that are important to follow. The three Phases for Telehealth implementation are:
- Engagement
- Implementation
- Production
Now, many of these steps may be done in different orders, in the same time frame, or even together in some instances. However, there are 12 steps, no matter how they get done. Following these 12 steps is a foolproof way to get what you need to fully and seamlessly implement your Telehealth Practice.
What Does It Mean To Do A Telehealth Implementation?
To implement Telehealth, you are essential to pulling together a team and creating a space where you can use video, phone, and email to have doctor’s appointments with people who can’t come into the office.
Implementing Telehealth also means having you and your team take classes or certification courses that allow you to learn how to effectively maintain patient confidentiality, trust, and a relationship over a digital communication line.
How Long Does It Take To Implement Telehealth?
While each individual step of telehealth implementation may not take a large amount of time, putting all the steps together and creating a plan can take a decent amount of time. From the beginning when you recognize a need for digital implementation, to applying the process and putting it into action you are looking at around 2 years to fully get Telehealth up and working.
What Are The 3 Phases Of Telehealth Implementation?
Due to the overwhelming demand for Telehealth and the large number of resources needed, you have to implement Telehealth in steps. Without implementing Telehealth in certain steps, you are likely to miss key resources and important processes that will make Telehealth work for your company.
Engagement
This phase consists of recognizing the need for Telehealth in your community and finding other specialists and trained healthcare professionals that are wanting to fill a need. This consists of surveys, analysis data, and interviews with many professionals. The specific steps involved in the engagement phase are:
- Define Needed Service
- Find Specialists
Implementation
This phase is all of the busywork. You will be doing quite a bit of paperwork, policy updating, equipment purchasing, and allocating. This is also the phase where you will nail down an opening date. You don’t have to choose a date until later on in the phase, but one needs to be announced so others know it is coming. The specific steps you need to take in the implementation stage are:
- Connect Hub And Spoke Site
- Program Start Date
- Equipment Allocation and Preparation
- Complete Paperwork
- Identify New Policies and Procedures
Production
This phase is the fruit of all your labor. You will schedule patients, do test runs and fully open your practice. From here on out, you will always be on the last step of improving anything that goes wrong. The specific steps that you need to take during the production phase are:
- Schedule Patients
- Test Process
- Commence Program
- Find Issues and Improve Upon Them
What Steps Are Needed For A Telehealth Implementation?
Based on the American Medical Association and the Health Institute, you need 12 steps for a complete functional Telehealth practice. While these steps are not big undertakings alone, together they fully create and implement your Telehealth program, so they are quite important.
Define Needed Service
You need to identify what is needed by doing a gap analysis of your practice’s current needs and expectations. You also need to do a survey of what your immediate community needs, this can help you identify where your needs should be, versus where they are.
Find Specialist And Form Your Team
In this step, you need to identify whether your practice with being a full Hub site or a spoke site. While your practice can be both, many places prefer to start off as one and then transition to maintaining both options.
Connect Hub And Spoke Site
In this step, you need to have a plan on how to connect from the provider’s location (hub site) to the patient’s location (spoke site). While many practitioners prefer to have everything in one building, some prefer it separated.
Program State Date Announcement
It’s time to announce when your telehealth program is starting. You want to get the opening date out in the public eye as soon as possible so your practice can start receiving requests for appointments. The sooner you get the info out there, the sooner you will watch your practice bloom.
Equipment Purchase, Allocation, And Preparation
Once you take note of everything you need, it’s time to purchase. Allocation is important to make sure everyone has what they need and preparation simple looks like setting everything up the way it needs to be on opening day.
Complete Paperwork
Make sure all paperwork is done and turned into wherever it needs to be, then you can move on to your policy and procedures.
Identify New Policies and Procedures
Due to the digital nature of Telehealth, you will need some new policies and procedures surrounding the video, phone, and email conversations.
Schedule Patients
Start scheduling patients and fill up your days. Once you get patients’ names and information in your books, you will feel confident that your program is going to work well.
Test Process
Offer a few patients the chance to engage in a test run a week or so before opening day. This helps you work out the kinks or confirm everything is how it should be.
Commence Program
Open up the practice and begin seeing patients full time. Congratulations, you have opened a Telehealth practice.
Find Issues And Improve Upon Them
This step is one you will always be in because with technology, things always go wrong and you will always need a process to fix it.
Final Thoughts
Implementing a Telehealth program isn’t hard, but it can be time-consuming, especially if you are doing it by yourself. Try to get a team together before working through the phases, but make sure you follow the steps for an easier time getting everything up and running.
