Patient Technical Support for Telehealth Appointments

With a diverse background in executing strategic visions and goals for telehealth services across major health systems, Lisa Stofko brings extensive experience from various sectors, including local government, private and not-for-profit industries, academia, and healthcare. She has a proven track record in guiding the development and expansion of telehealth programs, with expertise in aligning these initiatives with organizational objectives while upholding high standards of care and operational efficiency.

Through this article, Lisa Stofko focuses on how the COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of telehealth, many health organizations were unprepared for the technical challenges faced by patients during video visits.

Despite the early use of telemedicine by NASA in 1960 to monitor astronauts in flight by physicians and medical teams, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that brought terms like telemedicine, telehealth, virtual care, or video visits into the mainstream. When I began my telehealth career in 2008, video visits were seen as an innovative means to deliver healthcare. At that time, the technical means for a patient to connect with their provider via video were limited. Patients had to visit a clinic equipped to facilitate their video visits, as smartphones and relevant apps were not yet widely available. Additionally, prioritizing patient telehealth technical support was not part of the implementation checklist. As smartphones revolutionized how consumers and patients use technology, advancements in telehealth followed, enabling video visits from the comfort and privacy of patients' homes. This shift empowered patients to take charge of their video visits, putting them in the driver's seat.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated the use of video visits, bringing them into widespread prominence and fully realizing their potential. However, were health systems prepared to manage the influx of patients—many of whom had never used video visits before—who were now relying on technology for virtual consultations with their providers? The pandemic highlighted that dedicated patient telehealth technical support is crucial for telehealth success, yet this remains a shortfall in many health organizations.

Health organizations excel at training their providers and clinical staff to facilitate patient interactions once connected, but many patients still face technical challenges when launching their video visits. These challenges can stem from various issues, such as but not limited to, language barriers, less tech-savvy, telehealth apps not supported by certain browsers or operating systems, or having too many apps open simultaneously, speaker and/or camera not enabled. The list goes on. If patients are not provided education or support on proper telehealth practices, it creates a disconnect that impedes the full implementation of telehealth programs across the continuum. As a result, patients may end up as no-shows, or providers may spend valuable care time troubleshooting issues. Such challenges undoubtedly impact patient and provider satisfaction negatively. Importantly, a video visit cannot take place without both the provider and the patient being present.

Here are several ways to improve technical support for patients using telehealth:

1. Implement dedicated clinical staff to manage telehealth visits: A clinical staff member acts as the coordinator for telehealth visits, overseeing patient arrivals in the virtual waiting room. If a patient has not arrived in the virtual waiting room, staff can call the patient to address technical issues or reissue a connection invitation. Meeting the patient in the virtual room allows staff to handle intake, provide updates on the provider’s status, and perform a warm hand-off. This workflow ensures that patients are not left in an empty virtual waiting room wondering if the provider will join. This workflow relies on available resources and the telehealth solution used, as not all solutions offer full access to connect with patients for several reasons.

2. Implement a Telehealth Patient Navigator: This involves having a dedicated person overseeing all telehealth technical patient-related matters. This role is multi-faceted, involving collaboration with clinics to support patients before their video visits and reaching out to patients who rated their visits poorly. Connecting with patients after video visits offers valuable insights into any difficulties they experience and provides a chance to discuss how the organization can improve the telehealth program and their future experiences. This interaction is a great opportunity to run a mock visit familiarizing them with the technology before their upcoming or future visit. Additionally, if your organization has a robust telehealth program, this role can be valuable in supporting other virtual programs, such as Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM).

3. Implement Automated Telehealth Support via Text Messaging: This is a self-supporting solution for technical support that also functions as an appointment reminder. Text messages are sent to the patient before their appointment. The content, languages, timing, and number of these messages can be configured with the vendor to align with the organization’s existing text messaging solutions and practices. The messages focus on preparing the patient for their video visit by asking them questions that they respond with pre-populated answers. There may be conditional logic built in to direct the patient to a live support person and/or further information. This opportunity aligns well with a busy demographic that is challenging to reach by phone.

These strategies can help reduce technical issues, increase patient engagement, and enhance the quality of care. You may choose to adopt one or more of these solutions based on your organization's needs and resources. Whichever option you select, be sure to monitor and evaluate the impact of these interventions on your telehealth program and patient outcomes.