Virtual care is here to stay

In 2019, virtual care only accounted for about 0.3% of all medical visits — primarily in emergency and psychiatric settings. Just one year later, COVID-19 triggered a massive surge in telemedicine visits, propelling its use to over 30% of medical visits (with some estimates even reaching 72%) at the pandemic's peak. This dramatic increase pushed healthcare providers to rapidly expand their telehealth capabilities to meet consumer needs.

As the pandemic's urgency subsided, telehealth found a new equilibrium, stabilizing at around 17% of medical consultations. Hospitals have increasingly relied on telemedicine for inpatient services, and some have even started to outsource entire departments to virtual platforms. Outpatient services have also embraced this technology, significantly improving access to specialized care for patients in rural areas.

Looking to the future, the healthcare industry is keen on enhancing the efficiency of telehealth across various medical specialties. Psychiatry is leading the charge, with the potential for nearly 88% of its consultations to be held virtually, according to Advisory Board. Other specialties, such as general surgery and cardiology, are exploring the benefits of telemedicine for pre- and post-operative care and routine follow-ups. Advisory Board also reports that dermatology may rely more on virtual consultations, as over 40% of assessments can be conducted via video or photo evaluation.

4 strategies for integrating physicians into virtual care

The increased demand for telehealth services has placed immense pressure on health systems to quickly expand and adapt their services. Integrating physicians into virtual care models poses significant challenges for health systems. The primary issue is the already heavy workload of physicians, whose packed schedules leave little room for additional telehealth responsibilities. This often leads to provider burnout, which complicates the adoption of virtual care duties.

Technological fragmentation within hospitals also presents a major hurdle. The swift adoption of various telehealth technologies during the pandemic has created a mix of systems and platforms across different departments. This inconsistency can make it difficult for physicians to navigate different interfaces and protocols, reduces efficiency, and increases the likelihood of errors. On top of that, providers are often not fully integrated into the patient's primary healthcare team, which can adversely affect the quality of care.

To address these challenges, health systems can:

1.       Contract with local specialty groups. By engaging local specialists on a part-time basis, health systems can expand virtual care capabilities without the need for full-time employment, thus optimizing resource allocation.

2.       Establish shared resource models. This strategy involves multiple health systems collaborating to share virtual specialists. Such partnerships not only enhance resource utilization but also improve service efficiency across organizations.

3.       Develop in-house telehealth float pools. Creating a pool of on-demand virtual care providers allows for a dynamic adjustment of staffing levels, meeting the fluctuating demands of telehealth services without compromising care quality.

4.       Integrate locum tenens physicians. Incorporating locum tenens physicians into the virtual care framework offers a scalable and flexible staffing solution. These temporary physicians can quickly adapt to the system's needs, ensuring continuous and efficient patient care during peak times or when piloting new services.

(Brown, CHG Healthcare, 11/29/23)

• Virtual-first health plans
• What you need to know about virtualists
• How to advance telehealth with evidence — not assumptions
• Telehealth Resource Library

Since founding the locum tenens industry in 1979, CHG Healthcare has been powerfully serving the healthcare workforce to make a difference in human lives.  Through their dynamic partnerships, CHG Healthcare provides temporary and permanent placement of healthcare providers and helps clients build a more sustainable healthcare workforce. Learn more here.