Healthcare providers and consumers had been slow to embrace virtual care and telehealth, but COVID changed all that. Even beyond the initial COVID surge of mid-2020, telehealth use increased 38 times from the pre-COVID-19 baseline. From necessity, consumers and providers became more willing to embrace the technology and regulatory changes improved both access to and reimbursement for the services. Additional studies found that telemedicine and virtual care proved as good as in-person care, providing comparable health outcomes.

As this type of care becomes more familiar and patients and providers learn to trust it more, virtual care may actually deliver some advantages.

Better customer experience (CX)

Virtual visits are often easier to schedule and manage than in-person visits. Patients don’t have to contend with traffic or parking issues while trying to visit a doctor’s office. They don’t need to add in drive-time when scheduling time off work for an appointment. As much of the workforce transitioned to video calls during the pandemic, patients are also more at ease with the video format.

Improved patient comfort and convenience

Virtual care can take place from anywhere, for both the provider and the patient. For many patients, these calls can happen in the comfort of their own homes. Sitting in front of a computer for a scheduled visit can be easier for many than trying to transport themselves to a provider’s office. This is especially true for patients with mobility issues. Wheelchair users typically must add extra time to make it to appointments because they need to find either a driver or, if they drive themselves, must add time for getting into and out of their own vehicle. People with walking issues don’t have to expend the energy or experience pain walking from a parking lot into their doctor’s office. Those with hearing and vision impairments may also find the video environment easier to navigate with tools that overcome sight and hearing limitations.

Containment of infectious diseases

Virtual care can help stop the spread of infectious diseases by limiting social contact. This was obviously true of COVID, but could also mitigate the seasonal spread of flu and colds as well.

Greater patient choice in where to spend their healthcare dollars

Virtual care may allow patients more choice of providers since geography and provider proximity don't dictate whom patients may see. This may give patients in underserved areas wider access to specialists, bound only by the limits on their insurance network. It also may make it easier for consumers to engage mental health services. Access to online psychologists and therapists may remove some of the stigma and worry sometimes attached to mental healthcare.

More informed and supportive caregivers

Virtual visits can help caregivers stay informed and provide better support to the people in their care. For patients with cognitive decline or sensory or mobility impairments, it may be easier for family members to attend appointments and provide support. They may either be with the patient on their end of the call or join a call from another location. It also opens the possibility of caregivers meeting one-on-one with providers to receive more information about their loved one’s care or to get advice and education about providing care at home. Patients with more support are likely to experience improved outcomes over those that have in-office visits as their only option.   

It’s a positive for providers

Virtual care provides some obvious benefits to patients, but it can benefit health providers too. As shown during COVID, virtual visits helped health practices remain open and solvent even when patients could not come to in-person appointments. This benefits the practice but also benefits the larger community served by those providers. Keeping a healthcare business solvent means that providers remain open and able to provide care to their patient base.

And, just as for patients, virtual visits provide comfort and convenience to healthcare workers as well. Health workers can visit patients from anywhere, potentially see patients faster, and also make themselves less vulnerable to contracting an illness, which keeps them healthy and working even in times when healthcare is in high demand. It also reduces the demand for protective gear, which can be in short supply because of pandemics or supply chain issues.   

Health providers and hospitals focus on outcomes because their goal is to provide care. Their mission is to add value and life-affirming support to patients. Better, more accessible care results in better outcomes. That, in turn, drives improved health across the wider population. The end result is lower costs for hospitals and better health for patients.