{"id":33227,"date":"2021-10-06T07:05:40","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T11:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/?p=33227"},"modified":"2021-12-16T10:33:11","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T15:33:11","slug":"virtual-healthcare-is-the-future-if-organizations-can-clear-these-hurdles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/blog\/virtual-healthcare-is-the-future-if-organizations-can-clear-these-hurdles\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Healthcare Is the Future \u2013 If Organizations Can Clear These Hurdles"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this segment of \u201cOffice Optional with Larry English<\/a>,\u201d Larry and Marcie Stoshak-Chavez share three hurdles the healthcare industry needs to overcome before it can fully embrace going virtual and hybrid.<\/h2>\n
\n

Many healthcare<\/a> organizations are working on advancing virtual care options. That said, the path to digital healthcare transformation is bumpy.<\/p>\n

Covid-19 forced healthcare organizations to make a huge leap forward in their digital transformation<\/a> roadmaps. Although many companies had plans on the books to advance telemedicine, the crisis revealed that virtual care<\/a> is not only possible but in many cases is also preferred by patients<\/a>. Virtual care also offers an opportunity to enhance patient experience, improve population health, reduce costs and improve the work life of health care providers \u2014 the quadruple aim of healthcare.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTo improve patient outcomes, we have to involve a patient\u2019s family and significant others in their care, because it must extend beyond the four walls of the hospital,\u201d says Dr. Reetu Singh, senior medical director, clinical documentation integrity at AdventHealth<\/a>. \u201cWith virtual care, you are providing that care continuum, and therefore providing better outcomes. And that\u2019s the future \u2013 this is what patients want. Our future is technology. We have to be at the forefront and provide care where our patients are; we need to go to patients instead of patients coming to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many healthcare organizations are working on advancing virtual care options. That said, the path to digital healthcare transformation is bumpy \u2013 more so than for other sectors.<\/strong> Healthcare was already lagging in adopting virtual models, and the realities of patient care, reimbursement and privacy concerns add significant complexity.<\/p>\n

The Case for Permanent Hybrid Healthcare<\/h2>\n

The future of healthcare is most likely a hybrid model<\/a>, where patients receive a mix of virtual and in-person care. This shift to hybrid care could ameliorate some of the major problems in the U.S. healthcare system. For instance, the U.S. has a shortage of primary care clinicians, which means it can be difficult to get an appointment. The shortage is especially acute in rural and impoverished urban communities. Many patients end up turning to urgent care or emergency departments, far costlier than a standard office visit.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The good news is that many signs point to the future of healthcare being hybrid, with patients receiving a mix of virtual and in-person care:<\/p>\n