Telehealth is a proven tool for reaching rural physical therapy patients who cannot attend in-person appointments. Due to the pandemic, telehealth is a mainstream medium of treatment and communication between health care providers and patients. The pandemic is causing widespread adoption of telehealth and can benefit your PT practice.

Telehealth appointments are rapidly emerging as an alternative to in-person care for physical therapy. Real-time support of physical therapists enables patients to receive the care they need for recovery. Although telehealth exploded due to the pandemic, there is no reason it should not continue as an effective treatment tool.

Here are reasons to continue offering telehealth at your PT practice.

Telehealth Improves Patient Engagement Via Remote Monitoring

Due to increased consumerism and value-based reimbursement, hospitals and health systems work with patients to engage them in self-care. Clinicians must teach patients how to care for themselves between clinic visits to treat a patient proactively. Chronic health conditions are increasing, so telehealth provides remote monitoring for medical providers to improve patient outcomes while cutting costs. Patient metrics from the ease of the patient’s home with telehealth are possible.

Improves Clinical Workflows While Increasing Practice Efficiency

Telehealth increases clinical workflow efficiency. It is an effective tool for quick prioritization of care delivery. It also improves communication by capturing, storing, and using patient data for better medical decision-making. Telehealth is a part of many high-performing practices throughout the country. Performance improvement also increases patient satisfaction scores.

Telehealth Expands Access to Care

Currently, there is a shortage of physicians. Telehealth can help to stretch provider networks in new ways to expand access to care. It also effectively reaches patients in rural areas and those outside the standard care delivery systems. Telehealth is effective for patient education and physician diagnosis by contacting patients and improving patient care in new ways.

It Cuts Patient Costs

Patients spend money and time seeking health care. Health care professionals can engage with patients via a phone, laptop, or other digital device thanks to telehealth visits. Telehealth is highly attractive when you consider the costs of travel, parking,  and taking time off work. The expenses are particularly challenging for those patients in rural areas who often travel overnight to reach specialists in urban areas. It is not exceptional for these patients to skip treatment due to the excessive burden of travel to medical facilities.

Telehealth Reduces Patient No-Shows

No-shows are a problem throughout all areas of health care. Patients who live in rural areas and must drive many miles to receive care are frequently no-shows due to difficulty reaching the facility. The result significantly impacts revenue, which compromises the quality of care. However, treatment with telehealth significantly improves no-show rates.

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