How Providers Can Optimize Telehealth Workflows and Improve Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic is directly responsible for the dramatic rise of telehealth. But as providers quickly established new or expanded existing virtual care programs, they may not have addressed certain workflow hurdles and human factors challenges that could result in poor patient outcomes and provider burnout.

"There are providers who are now feeling the strain because of these rapidly implemented [telehealth] programs," said Priyanka Shah, senior project officer at ECRI, in a phone interview. "These potentially can lead to poor outcomes, not just for the patients, but also for the providers."

On the patient end, inefficient workflows could take the form of misdiagnoses, while on the provider end, it could result in cognitive overload and clinician burnout, she added.

But steps can be taken to prevent these poor outcomes, including creating a workflow that does not overwhelm providers and ensuring patients have the support they need before, during, and after a virtual visit.