Telehealth integration in healthcare software is changing how patients receive care. By combining virtual consultations, remote monitoring, and digital health records, telehealth offers a complete solution. It makes healthcare more accessible and convenient for patients. Additionally, it helps healthcare providers deliver more efficient care. Telehealth solutions manage chronic conditions and provide urgent care, breaking down geographical barriers. They also reduce the strain on traditional healthcare facilities. As technology advances, integrating telehealth into healthcare software becomes crucial. This shift improves health outcomes and ensures quality care is available to everyone, no matter where they are.
What Are Telehealth Platforms?
Telehealth is a system that extends healthcare services to a patient without necessarily having to visit the doctor’s office. Telemedicine platforms enable patients to interact with their care providers via video calls, telephone calls or through other means of technology. These platforms would allow patients to talk to physicians, get checked, get treated, and check on their health status without visiting clinics. Some of the components of telehealth app development are e-health records, online appointment scheduling, and secure messaging. Due to them, healthcare becomes more available to people in distant areas or who experience difficulty in the movement to the doctors, and it contributes to the decrease in the number of physical meetings.
A recent estimation conveys that 96% of small-sized (acute care) hospitals in the US utilize telehealth services, including the EHR, prominently. These technologies give away routine care, simplify patient data for the physician, decrease surcharge costs, and more. Technology has also overcome the problem of mortality rate due to the non-availability of proper treatment. Now, everybody can have the best treatment in any part of the world.
What Platforms Can Be Used for Telehealth?
Many decades ago, doctors conducted remote healthcare with simple forms of telecommunication technology i.e. telephone and radio. Now the whole process is looked out by some smart platforms like Remote patient monitoring. These platforms enable telehealth to achieve and provide more than expected. Thus, it becomes the need of the hour to study these platforms and make integration plans with presuming healthcare software.
1. VCDoctor
VCDoctor is a top Telehealth Application that connects you with doctors online. With VCDoctor, users can easily schedule virtual appointments and prescriptions and consult with healthcare professionals from home. It offers secure communication. Therefore, your information stays private. Whether you need urgent care or regular check-ups, VCDoctor makes healthcare accessible and convenient. No more long waits at the clinic to get the care you need quickly and efficiently with VCDoctor.
2. AmWell
This platform is one of the recommended software of all time. It is capable of delivering HIPAA compliance-based, secure telehealth solutions. The system gives round-the-clock healthcare support for emergency care, psychiatry, therapy, and other facilities at reasonable costs. The patient can get in touch with their respective physicians as per their availability. Simultaneously, the telehealth platform can pen down all the conversations of patients and healthcare providers, accessible for both at any point in time.
3. MDLive
Not only an economical app, has a platform popularly known for practising seamless and safe consultation from the physician. The telehealth platforms help the patient to get connected with psychiatrists or dermatologists, counsellors, etc. via this application only. It is the most economical, power-packed, flawless app to deliver the best healthcare at the doorstep.
4. Mend
This is the easier telehealth suite or platform for the physician as well as for the patient. It simplifies the work and majorly focuses on reducing missed appointments. It fulfills two targets i.e. Profitability and Efficiency by decreasing the number of missed appointments. It has several functions:
- Sending SMS appointment reminder
- Online forms
- Patient self-scheduling
- Voice & Video Calls, etc.
It is also integrated with the EHR, Telemedicine, and other prominent platforms. One can grow their business seamlessly using this platform.
5. Doxy.me
Doxy.me is the safest, simplest, and most secure telehealth solution that runs in any browser. There are no barriers to downloading or installing it. It is an easy-to-go telehealth platform that can be easily integrated with EHR or PM (Practice Management) software. Covering up the drawback then it has no mobile apps, which are generally easier to install from the respective platform i.e. Android or iOS. Besides this negative aspect, It is freely available for sending unlimited messages, voice and video communications, etc.
Moreover, the platform is available now with HIPAA Compliance, and both the professional and clinic tiers offer additional security and encryption above all. So this was all about the Doxy. me telehealth platform.
How Telehealth is Currently Integrated into Healthcare?
As much as the healthcare providers getting their eyes on telehealth services, they have grown their senses towards telehealth integration. For flawless and seamless integrations, healthcare centres can execute with an off-the-shelf or a custom EHR solution.
Usually, healthcare providers use Electronic Health Records (EHR) services as these have several facilities. Hence, integrating your telehealth service with EHR gives multiple options. This option then enables developers to seamlessly interfere with the third-party platforms.
What Parameters to Follow While Integration?
1. EHR Standards:
Integrating telehealth services always means we are jelling up the patient data. This sometimes seems a daunting task as most healthcare providers utilize the outdated version of the HL7 v2 standard.
So to integrate the telehealth platform into your healthcare software, you need to use the HL7 FHIR standard for medical device analysis and convert data into HL7 v2.x.
2. HIPAA Compliance:
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) is the must-have segment while integrating or developing any telehealth service for healthcare providers. It is as basic as you have to have HIPAA compliance if you are running a healthcare online business. Violating the law will make you suffer by paying a huge penalty of around $28 million.Â
3. User-Friendly Interface:
It is necessary to create a platform that is easy to use and has an engaging design. Both patients and healthcare providers should find it simple and clear. Moreover, it must include features like easy navigation, clear instructions, and accessible help. Accessibility for people with disabilities should also be considered.
4. Interoperability:
Make sure the telehealth platform works well with existing Electronic Health Records (EHR) and other systems. It allows smooth data sharing and avoids information silos. Use standard protocols and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to ensure accurate and efficient data exchange.
5. Scalability:
Build the platform to handle more users and data as it grows. Choose scalable infrastructure and technology that can expand without losing performance. Scalability keeps the platform responsive and reliable, even during busy times.
6. Reliability:
Ensure the platform has little downtime and runs smoothly. Use strong infrastructure, regular maintenance, and sound monitoring systems to fix issues quickly. Reliability is key to gaining user trust and making sure healthcare services are always available.
7. Technical Support:
Offer strong customer and technical support to help users with any problems or questions. Support should be easy to reach and ready to handle both technical issues and user questions. Good support helps users quickly solve problems and keep using the platform without interruptions.
8. Video & Audio Conferencing:
This is the most crucial part and without it, telehealth, telemedicine, mHealth app, and any other online healthcare parameter is just a waste. If you are operating an online healthcare session then these two features are the core of it. You cannot win it until you have these two segments i.e. Video & Audio Conferencing while you integrate the software.
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Conclusion
Incorporation of telehealth into healthcare software development requires careful consideration of the issues of security, efficiency and many more factors as described above. They must be more centred on vital constituents, such as targeting objectives that help healthcare professionals design smooth and unhampered patient/physician encounters. Through this integration, not only does the quality of the services provided improve, but medicine becomes more fitting and flexible to the requirements of modern society. Lastly, a telehealth platform with an appropriate layout benefits all aspects of the healthcare system and produces favourable outcomes.
FAQs
Q1 What is telehealth integration?
Telehealth integration means adding virtual care features to existing healthcare software. It allows patients to consult doctors online, access health records, and manage their care remotely.
Q2 Why is telehealth integration important?
It makes healthcare more accessible and convenient. Patients can get care from home, and providers can offer services more efficiently.
Q3 How does telehealth integration improve patient care?
It allows for remote consultations and monitoring, which helps in timely diagnosis and treatment. It can lead to better health outcomes and quicker responses.
Q4 What are the key features of a telehealth platform?
Key features include video calls, secure messaging, appointment scheduling, and integration with Electronic Health Records (EHR). These tools help in delivering comprehensive care.
Q5 How do you ensure privacy and security in telehealth integration?
To protect patient data, encryption should be used, and regulations like HIPAA should be followed. Secure login methods and regular system updates also help maintain privacy and security.
