Is There a Difference Between Telehealth and Telemedicine?

Telehealth continues to grow because it offers many advantages for clinicians and their patients. Here are some reasons to consider providing telehealth as a behavioral health professional:

• Offer convenience: Telehealth is convenient for the patient and practitioner. With telehealth, patients receive medical or mental health care without needing to leave their homes. They don't have to worry about driving, dealing with traffic or finding a ride if they don't have a car. They also don't have to waste time sitting in a waiting room before appointments. Likewise, clinicians may also work from their chosen location and may not have to deal with a commute.
• Enable flexibility: Telehealth allows clinicians to work outside of regular office hours. Therefore, they can enjoy a better work-life balance and offer services at times that better suit their patients.
• Be effective: In many cases, telehealth is just as effective as in-person services. For example, a review from 2017 looked at various research articles to determine whether telehealth is an effective alternative for mental health services. Researchers concluded that telehealth is just as effective as in-person services when caring for patients with mental illnesses. It offers many advantages, such as reaching isolated communities and providing more affordable care for patients.
• Increase patient satisfaction: Many patients appreciate the convenience of telehealth and find the services just as satisfactory as in-person appointments. For example, according to a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, 79% of patients found virtual visits convenient, and 62% said the visit was of the same quality as an in-person appointment. Mental health services, in particular, are well-suited for telehealth.
• Stay safe: Since you will not see clients in person when you provide telehealth services, you do not have to worry about infection control. This also allows you to work confidently with clients who are at high risk of developing complications resulting from an infection. You and your clients can also avoid weather-related hazards like icy roads because you won't have to drive anywhere to deliver services.
• Reduce expenses: Even if you decide to offer both telehealth services and in-person sessions, you can still save on costs such as utilities and office supplies, because you won't need to use your office as much.
• Simplify communication: If you use an electronic health record (EHR) system with a telehealth feature, such as ICANotes, you can communicate with patients more easily and help them manage their appointments. For example, with ICANotes, you can send automatic appointment reminders via text or email and remove the need to call clients.
• Enjoy a comfortable setting: Telehealth allows you to work from home. That means you can make your environment as comfortable as you wish, and you'll always have access to your own food and bathroom. During breaks, you can fit in a quick workout or take your dog for a walk. Overall, you can improve your well-being when you work from home, and give your best self to your clients.
• Improve access to care: With telehealth, you're not limited by space or time. You can serve clients who live in remote communities, are incarcerated or can't leave their homes due to a physical disability. By accepting more patients, you can grow your practice and help your region at the same time.
• Enhance privacy: Almost a third of Americans have worried they'll be judged by others if they receive mental health services. Since telehealth allows clients to stay at home, they can obtain services in private and avoid worrying about being seen by neighbors or other clients.

If you're considering starting a virtual practice, you'll also want to think about some of the challenges you might face. Here are a few disadvantages:

• May not be covered: Although most insurance companies offer some sort of telehealth coverage, some insurers may not provide benefits for virtual care.
• Could experience technological issues: Health care providers may experience technical difficulties when providing telehealth services, either on their or the patient's end. For example, a patient may not have the right internet speed to produce a quality video, or they may get disconnected due to a power outage. You'll need to have a backup plan to get through technical issues.
• May require an in-person visit: Depending on the situation, a patient may need to come into the office to receive a proper diagnosis. For example, they may not be able to take their own vital signs if they don't have the right instruments. Also, if the lighting is poor, a doctor can't see a client's complexion. Nor can they assess their ears, nose and throat. A physician must consider if telehealth is right for the patient, depending on their symptoms or medical history.
• Does not suit all patients: Although telehealth is an excellent choice to help patients with depression or anxiety, it may not be the best option for clients in need of intensive care.
• Can raise privacy concerns: As a health care provider, you need to ensure you use telehealth software that complies with privacy laws. Patients should also keep their confidentiality in mind and avoid attending telehealth appointments in public places.