Seven Steps to start offering Telemedicine into Your Practice Workflow

Step 1: Select Technology 

What do you need your technology to do? 

Here are the things to look for: 

• Integrations with existing scheduling applications, such as EHR and PM 
• Software that mimics the in-office experience, such as virtual waiting rooms with patients entering call prior to doctor joining 
• Ease of use for patients and staff 
• Simple and fast reimbursements guaranteed 

Step 2: Set Goals and Timeline 

As with any business venture, set specific goals with measurement and timelines. Here are some examples of common goals: 

• Telemedicine platform will be implemented by certain date 
• Staff will be trained on platform by certain date 
• Go-live will be on certain date 
• Marketing materials will be displayed and mailed on certain date 
• Set a minimum number of 15-minute calls/week 

Step 3: Train 

Any staff member who will interact with patients and/or the telemedicine solution should be well-trained and understand when, how and who will use the software. 

1. Choose a staff lead for project implementation, training, marketing and ongoing patient education 
2. Define staff roles and train by role: 
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Step 4: Define Protocols 

Not all clinical evaluations and diagnoses lend themselves to telemedicine, but many do. Depending on your specialty and practice, define the following: 

1. Which patients are best suited for telemedicine? 
2. Which medical conditions are best suited for telemedicine? 
3.  Which appointment types are best suited for telemedicine? 
4. Which telemedicine appointments will get reimbursed? 

Step 5: Block Scheduling 

Telemedicine often works best when practices block off certain days and/or times of day to dedicate to telemedicine appointments.

Here’s how many practices choose to schedule telemedicine appointments: 

• During lunch hour 
• From 4:00-6:00 pm, after the clinic closes 
• Saturdays from 9:00-12:00 pm 
• Sundays from 1:00-3:00 pm 
• During times office staff are not in the office or catching up on paperwork 

Step 6: Market to Patients 

The key to making telemedicine work is to ensure your patients understand what it is, its benefits and how they can sign up.

 Be ready to answer: 

1.  “Will I get the same quality of care?”
2.  “Will my insurance pay for a telemedicine visit?”
3. “What technology would I have to get and can I just download an app?” 

Here are some marketing ideas to get them on board: 

1. Ensure all nurses and doctors mention the service every time they interact with patient and offer a quick demo if possible 
2.  Display brochures in waiting room and patient rooms, insert them in any mailings and with invoices 
3. Include detailed information in mass emails and newsletters 
4.  Invite patients to call office “experts” with questions 

Step 7: Get Paid 

The #1 question practitioners want to know when it comes to telemedicine is, “will I get paid?” When evaluating telemedicine software, be sure you fully understand how reimbursement works. Look for: 

1. Software with built-in eligibility verification 
2. Software that is HIPAA-compliant 
3.  A telemedicine provider with a dedicated team to quickly resolve claim denials 
4. A telemedicine provider willing to reimburse any claims it verified as eligible 

Allow Zapclnica Telemedicine to power your practice. 

The essential steps to successfully implement telemedicine may seem daunting, but Zapclinca will partner with you to make it a seam- less process customized to the specific needs of your practice. 

Let our experts customize a plan for you that considers your telemedicine goals and timelines, and provide a detailed roadmap for training, clinical protocols, marketing, and reimbursement services. 

Contact Zapclinca at contact@zapclinica for a demo personalized for your practice and see how simple telemedicine can be.