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pediatrics associates of dallas :: Article Creator Pediatric Diagnostic Associates Will Continue Serving Families As A Practice Independent Of CHI Memorial Pediatric Diagnostic Associates, which was previously associated with CHI Memorial Hospital, announced Thursday it will again become an independent practice under newly formed Scenic City Pediatrics PLLC. Effective Feb. 1, the medical group will enter a new contract with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, including Networks P and S, among other insurers, according to a news release. The change follows a June decision on BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's behalf to terminate its contract with Memorial relating to its Network S customers. Managing Partner Dr. Tony Friddell said in a phone interview Pediatric Diagnostic Associates has been under the CHI Memorial umbrella as a managed practice within the hospital system for 28 years. In some shape or form, Pediatric Diagnostic Associates...

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9 Best Telemedicine Companies In 2024

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    Finding the time to get to a doctor's appointment can be challenging. With telemedicine, you can get healthcare consultations and some treatments right from home.

    For people with busy schedules or who have difficulty accessing medical care, in-person doctors' appointments can present challenges. Virtual doctors' appointments via telemedicine platforms can help.

    From the comfort of your home, you can discuss medical issues with a doctor, receive treatment for many common ailments, and more. These services can help make medical care more accessible.

    And in many cases, telemedicine platforms can be more affordable for people without insurance or those with insurance that does not cover certain costs.

    Read on to learn about different types of telemedicine platforms and what services they offer.

  • Specialties: comprehensive, mental health, dental (symptom assessment), skin care, sexual health, and others
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: no
  • Healthline's review

    Price: varies by specialty and healthcare professional; starts at $37

    Sesame Care offers the following services:

  • urgent care
  • skin care
  • dental care
  • mental health
  • wellness and disease prevention
  • chronic condition care
  • women's health
  • pediatrics
  • sexual health
  • In many states, Sesame's services also include referrals for labs, imaging, or specialists.

    You can book a same-day appointment for an initial health visit. Prices vary by location, and reviewers say prices are affordable overall.

    Sesame Care professionals are often less expensive than your health insurance copay. However, depending on your coverage, you might be eligible for reimbursement of healthcare fees for professionals not usually covered by your insurance network.

    If you have medication prescribed at a local pharmacy, you can use your insurance to pay for it, and you will owe only your copay or deductible costs for that medication.

    Sesame Care also offers a membership subscription called Sesame Plus. It has a $99 annual fee (or $10.99 per month) and may reduce costs for visits and other services.

    Pros & cons
  • option to book same-day appointments
  • affordable prices
  • potentially long wait times
  • documentation not provided
  • option to book same-day appointments
  • affordable prices
  • potentially long wait times
  • documentation not provided
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Specialties: nonurgent medical care, dermatology, therapy, and psychiatry
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: starts at $82 or less, depending on insurance

    MDLIVE gets our pick for the most variety in a telehealth service because it treats a wide range of conditions under the pillars of urgent care, primary care, dermatology, and mental health. Some of the top conditions are allergies, urinary tract infections, and rashes.

    In addition, MDLIVE is more transparent than other services about the conditions it cannot treat and medications it cannot prescribe. For example, it can treat COVID-19 but cannot prescribe antivirals.

    To use MDLIVE requires a three-step care procedure: First, you create a free account. Then, you choose from a network of board certified doctors. Finally, you speak with your doctor on the phone or online to set up a treatment plan, which may also include the ordering of prescriptions.

    Urgent care visits are $82 or possibly less, depending on your insurance. The same goes for dermatology at $95 and counseling at $108. An initial psychiatric visit is $284, with follow-up visits at $108.

    Insurance is accepted for all visits, including behavioral health, so the costs will depend on your insurance plan.

    Pros & cons
  • offers psychiatry or therapy appointments for children ages 10 years and older
  • appointments available 24/7, 365 days per year
  • potentially limited therapist availability
  • cannot prescribe certain medications
  • offers psychiatry or therapy appointments for children ages 10 years and older
  • appointments available 24/7, 365 days per year
  • potentially limited therapist availability
  • cannot prescribe certain medications
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: phone, video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: phone, video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Best for insurance coverage
  • Specialties: primary care needs, smoking cessation, dermatology, and mental health
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: general medical visits can be as low as $0 with insurance or $89 without insurance

    Teladoc can be used for:

  • pediatric services
  • nonemergency medical issues
  • dermatological conditions
  • mental health consultations for conditions such as depression and substance use disorders
  • sexual health consultations
  • Teladoc doctors can also send prescriptions to your pharmacy or analyze lab results. Your primary care doctor can order lab work, imaging studies, vaccinations, and referrals.

    It was one of the first telehealth companies in the United States, and it has maintained a highly favorable rating among doctors and patients, plus it's covered by most major insurers.

    The Teladoc team can connect you to your choice of in-network labs or facilities. Your results are uploaded to your account once they're ready, and a healthcare professional reviews them with you.

    General medical visit fees can be as low as $0 with insurance and cost $89 if you do not have insurance. Pricing varies based on your insurance plan and your medical care needs. Contact Teladoc for more details.

    Pros & cons
  • covers a wide range of health issues
  • can analyze lab results and send prescriptions to pharmacies
  • some reports of technical issues with the app
  • potentially time-consuming account setup process
  • covers a wide range of health issues
  • can analyze lab results and send prescriptions to pharmacies
  • some reports of technical issues with the app
  • potentially time-consuming account setup process
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: phone, video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: phone, video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Best for general medical care
  • Specialties: urgent care, general medical care, therapy, psychiatry, women's health, and pediatrics
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: varies; urgent care visits start at $69 before insurance

    In addition to urgent care and general medical questions, Amwell offers a variety of other video medical services, which is why it's great for general medical care.

    Available services include:

  • widely acclaimed therapy
  • psychiatry
  • breastfeeding support
  • nutrition counseling
  • pediatrics
  • women's health
  • second opinions
  • Two physician brothers founded Amwell. Their goal was to make basic healthcare more affordable and eliminate barriers such as distance, mobility, and time.

    In addition to the website, Amwell's mobile application, which is available on iOS and Android, can connect you with a doctor.

    When using the service, you're matched with doctors in your state. Amwell says it partners with new health plans every day and, depending on your insurance company and plan, urgent care virtual visits may be a fully covered benefit.

    Before you connect with your healthcare professional, you'll be asked to pay the cost of your insurance copay or $69.

    Pros & cons
  • easy enrollment
  • option to choose your doctor
  • covered by only certain insurers
  • possibility of technical issues
  • easy enrollment
  • option to choose your doctor
  • covered by only certain insurers
  • possibility of technical issues
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Specialties: urgent care, general medical care, and primary care relationship building
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: $44 per video appointment with a membership, which is as low as $15 per month with insurance

    HealthTap claims to have 90,000 U.S.-licensed physicians to answer your health questions and can fill prescriptions and treat conditions such as allergies, asthma, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. You can also chat with on-call urgent care doctors 24/7. Consistent access to medical care is a major plus for HealthTap.

    For a membership fee of $15 per month, you can access $44 video appointments and specialized telemedicine care, including primary care. Doctors can also order lab tests and write or refill prescriptions. The cost includes texting with your doctor for follow-up questions.

    You can speak with a doctor during nights, weekends, and holidays for $59 per visit.

    People with select insurance plans may not need to become members to use the service.

    Pros & cons
  • more affordable for people without insurance
  • option to have a free account
  • can use the same doctor for consistency
  • potentially slow response times
  • may provide only general, non-specialized consultations, depending on the issue
  • more affordable for people without insurance
  • option to have a free account
  • can use the same doctor for consistency
  • potentially slow response times
  • may provide only general, non-specialized consultations, depending on the issue
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: video, talk, and text message
  • Subscription required: yes
  • Service delivery: video, talk, and text message
  • Subscription required: yes
  • Specialties: primary care concerns
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: $16.99 monthly membership, plus either an insurance copay or $129

    PlushCare offers treatments from head to toe. This includes general health services for men, women, and children; preventive care; mental health services and online therapy; urgent care, and more.

    The company also offers a variety of sexual health services, such as screenings, testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), prescription medications for some STIs, and HIV preventive care and treatment.

    With PlushCare, you can book video appointments online or via an app. You can book ahead for when it's convenient or find a same-day appointment if you need one.

    PlushCare can also refill many common prescriptions and send them to your local pharmacy, although that list does not include controlled substances.

    PlushCare is in-network with many insurers. If your insurance is accepted, PlushCare will charge an estimated cost plus copay. Even without insurance, PlushCare offers a relatively budget-friendly appointment fee of $129. You do not need to have insurance to use PlushCare.

    Pros & cons
  • works with insurance plans
  • offers same-day appointments
  • option to see the same doctor again if they're available
  • some reports of communication issues
  • cannot prescribe some drugs
  • works with insurance plans
  • offers same-day appointments
  • option to see the same doctor again if they're available
  • some reports of communication issues
  • cannot prescribe some drugs
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: yes
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: yes
  • Best platform for choosing a doctor
  • Specialties: urgent care, preventive health, chronic care, therapy, and psychiatry
  • Prescriptions: no
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: from $89 per visit; varies by insurance provider

    Doctor on Demand, now part of the integrated virtual care company called Included Health, employs hundreds of board certified physicians and mental health professionals for urgent, preventive, and chronic care.

    Because it offers a wide range of professionals who are on-staff team members rather than hourly contractors, this service is the best on the list for choosing a doctor.

    In addition to primary care, urgent care, and behavioral health, Doctor on Demand offers chat-based coaching for issues such as healthy habits, sleep problems, and work stress.

    The cost depends on your insurance company.

    If you're using the service without insurance, connecting with a doctor for 15 minutes costs $89. For mental health services, the price scales up to $299 for an initial 45-minute psychiatric consultation. Follow up appointments are 15 minutes long and cost $129 per session. Video visits with this service can be covered by Medicare Part B.

    Pros & cons
  • option to choose a therapist or psychiatrist based on their specialty and qualifications
  • access to a full team of healthcare professionals (primary care, therapist, and psychiatrist)
  • potentially higher cost for a short teletherapy visit than for a longer, in-person therapy appointment if you don't have insurance
  • might take a few days to get an appointment
  • option to choose a therapist or psychiatrist based on their specialty and qualifications
  • access to a full team of healthcare professionals (primary care, therapist, and psychiatrist)
  • potentially higher cost for a short teletherapy visit than for a longer, in-person therapy appointment if you don't have insurance
  • might take a few days to get an appointment
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Best for custom treatment plans
  • Specialties: nonurgent medical care, allergy, therapy, and psychiatry
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: from $55; varies by insurance provider

    LiveHealth Online lets members select their doctors. Once you sign up, you can see who's available in your state and then request a video consultation.

    Doctors are available for appointments 24/7, covering such common issues such as the flu, minor rashes, pink eye, cold and fever, and skin infections. You'll have the opportunity to map out a treatment plan for these types of issues and get a prescription, if needed. LiveHealth's offerings also include allergy visits.

    Several major insurance companies cover LiveHealth visits, which start at $55 without insurance.

    Pros & cons
  • option to choose your own doctor
  • can refill prescriptions early
  • some reports of long wait times
  • possibility that appointments may be canceled or rescheduled
  • option to choose your own doctor
  • can refill prescriptions early
  • some reports of long wait times
  • possibility that appointments may be canceled or rescheduled
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: video
  • Subscription required: no
  • Best for quick response time
  • Specialties: nonurgent medical care, dermatology, sexual health, allergies, and more
  • Prescriptions: yes
  • Insurance coverage: yes
  • Healthline's review

    Price: starts from $79; varies by insurance provider

    Virtuwell handles the diagnostic part of telemedicine by asking you to describe your symptoms in an online interview.

    A board certified nurse practitioner will receive the report. They can then look at a visible symptom, if necessary, and create a treatment plan based on your diagnosis. This may require sending in a prescription.

    Conditions eligible for virtual consultations include:

  • sinus, cough, and allergy
  • women's health
  • eye and ear
  • kids' health
  • certain STIs
  • other basic nonemergency health issues
  • The company also submits the insurance claim on your behalf. The cost is $79 without insurance.

    Pros & cons
  • advice available for a variety of conditions
  • simple platform
  • staffed by board certified nurse practitioners who cannot offer as many services as doctors
  • need to answer a questionnaire before being connected with a nurse practitioner
  • advice available for a variety of conditions
  • simple platform
  • staffed by board certified nurse practitioners who cannot offer as many services as doctors
  • need to answer a questionnaire before being connected with a nurse practitioner
  • Product details
  • Service delivery: online form
  • Subscription required: no
  • Service delivery: online form
  • Subscription required: no
  • We chose these telemedicine options based on:

  • Ratings: We carefully considered customer reviews to find out what it's really like to use these telemedicine companies.
  • Types of services offered: We looked for companies that can help with a variety of medical issues. Many also offer lab testing and mental health services.
  • Pricing: We chose companies that offer payment options to suit a variety of budgets.
  • Accessibility: We considered how services and results are delivered — via phone call, video, apps, and more — and whether you'll have access to 24/7 care.
  • Vetting: The companies on our list have been vetted to ensure that they align with Healthline's brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. You can read more about our vetting process.
  • Telemedicine allows you to receive healthcare services online, using a computer or a smartphone app. It supports a range of communication methods, including audio or video calls, emails, and chat.

    It allows you to consult with clinicians for services that don't require a physical examination, including prescription refills, symptom checks, and initial health discussions.

    While not a replacement for in-person visits, telemedicine can effectively determine when such visits are necessary. It also plays a crucial role in providing mental health services and enhancing the accessibility of healthcare.

    Telemedicine offers several advantages:

  • Convenience: Fits easily into busy schedules, allowing appointments from home or work.
  • Accessibility: Opens up access to medical specialists you might not otherwise reach, and removes physical barriers for people with disabilities.
  • Safety: By reducing the need to visit medical facilities, telemedicine helps safeguard people with weakened immune systems or chronic health issues from potential infections.
  • However, telemedicine does require access to a reliable internet connection and a suitable device. Privacy can also be a concern if sessions are conducted in public places.

    You may also hear these services referred to as "telehealth." However, while often used interchangeably, "telemedicine" refers to the digital delivery of clinical healthcare services, while "telehealth" is a broader term encompassing both clinical and nonclinical services, such as medical education and healthcare professional training.

    Choosing the best telemedicine service can depend on several factors, including your specific health needs, budget, and how quickly you need to access care. Here are some steps to help you find the right service:

  • Identify key features: Which features are most important for your telemedicine experience? This could be the availability of specialists, the ease of scheduling, or the range of services offered.
  • Healthcare professionals: Some platforms offer a wide selection of clinicians, allowing you to choose someone who best fits your personal health needs or preferences.
  • Cost and accessibility: Evaluate your budget and prioritize cost-effective services. Additionally, consider how quickly you can access healthcare professionals to ensure prompt care.
  • Specialized care: If you have a specific health condition, look for telemedicine services with professionals experienced in that area. Also, consider your preferred style of communication and ensure the service can accommodate it.
  • Additional services: Check if you need lab work or prescriptions as part of your treatment, and ensure the service can handle these requirements.
  • Payment options: How do you prefer to pay for services? Whether you need documentation for insurance reimbursement or prefer using a debit card, make sure the service meets your payment needs.
  • What is the biggest telemedicine company?

    Teladoc Health is the largest telemedicine service, with $1.09 billion in revenue and more than 1,800 employees.

    Teladoc Health is the largest telemedicine service, with $1.09 billion in revenue and more than 1,800 employees.

    Which telemedicine company is best?

    There's no one-size-fits-all answer to which telemedicine company is the best. Choosing the best telemedicine company hinges on your preferences, healthcare requirements, and financial considerations.

    Each person's health needs are unique. What might be the ideal choice for one individual could be less suitable for another, depending on factors like the types of medical services required, the urgency of care, and budget constraints.

    Within this roundup, each telemedicine service has been highlighted for its distinctive strengths and areas of specialization. All the companies listed have been recognized for their quality of service and reliability, making them excellent choices depending on your specific criteria.

    There's no one-size-fits-all answer to which telemedicine company is the best. Choosing the best telemedicine company hinges on your preferences, healthcare requirements, and financial considerations.

    Each person's health needs are unique. What might be the ideal choice for one individual could be less suitable for another, depending on factors like the types of medical services required, the urgency of care, and budget constraints.

    Within this roundup, each telemedicine service has been highlighted for its distinctive strengths and areas of specialization. All the companies listed have been recognized for their quality of service and reliability, making them excellent choices depending on your specific criteria.

    What is the best telemedicine service without insurance?

    The best telemedicine service for people without insurance depends on specific healthcare needs, preferences, and budget constraints.

    However, if you're seeking affordability and comprehensive coverage, Sesame Care stands out with its Sesame Plus membership.

    Sesame Plus is a cost-effective way to receive care and manage healthcare expenses more predictably. Membership is $10.99 per month or $99 annually. You can then access medical visits from $29.

    The best telemedicine service for people without insurance depends on specific healthcare needs, preferences, and budget constraints.

    However, if you're seeking affordability and comprehensive coverage, Sesame Care stands out with its Sesame Plus membership.

    Sesame Plus is a cost-effective way to receive care and manage healthcare expenses more predictably. Membership is $10.99 per month or $99 annually. You can then access medical visits from $29.

    Telemedicine makes it easier than ever to get medical treatment and information. It can also be a more affordable alternative for people without insurance.


    PlushCare Mental Health Care Review: Tried And Tested In 2024

    Only two PlushCare therapists are licensed to practice in my state. Choosing the more experienced provider would have entailed a two-week wait, so I chose a provider with three years of experience. Selecting an appointment time was a simple one-click process, and I scheduled a time a few days out.

    Users are required to complete an online screening to ensure that they are not experiencing a mental health emergency. I was also asked to complete a questionnaire to determine if I needed to receive services or referrals from other PlushCare physicians.

    I accessed the PlushCare website 10 minutes before my appointment, using a link the platform provided via email. I was prompted to self-report my height, weight, blood pressure and heart rate.

    My therapist was friendly and soft-spoken. She began the session by letting me know it would be a 45-minute appointment and acknowledging that this is less time than other therapists typically schedule per session.

    My therapist explained that the purpose of our first session was to familiarize her with the issues that had brought me to therapy. I was seeking assistance in moving forward in my grief journey, as my husband passed away about nine months earlier.

    I let her know that I'd been in and out of therapy for 40 years and wasn't interested in revisiting my childhood trauma. She agreed to this, and I began sharing my story of caregiving for a spouse with dementia and the grief and confusion I'm still feeling at times.

    I rambled on for about 30 minutes. She validated my emotions throughout the session but didn't ask clarifying questions. She also didn't specify what therapy modality (or approach) she uses. Past therapists have let me know upfront that they employ cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Jungian theory or humanistic techniques.

    Thirty minutes in, as I was weeping at my computer, a loud fire alarm sounded in my therapist's apartment. She apologized and got up from her computer to investigate. She returned several minutes later and explained that her apartment complex had been testing the alarm system. She sighed and said she'd lost her train of thought. I tried to regain mine, but after about 10 minutes another fire alarm sounded in her building. She apologized again, but our time was coming to an end.

    My therapist ended the appointment without sharing any thoughts to help me process my grief. She didn't suggest how we should follow up, nor did she offer any "homework" for me to complete after our session. While she was kind and compassionate, I don't feel that I received any helpful information. The only actionable input she provided was in response to my letting her know I'd like to start dating, to which she suggested I might meet someone at church.

    While the fire alarms were not her fault, she knew they'd been going off recently, and I think it was ill-advised to schedule a session with that disruption as a possibility.

    When I downloaded a summary of my visit the next day, it included no details about our conversation, but a three-word diagnosis: adjustment disorder, unspecified.

    Trustpilot reviews of PlushCare are mixed, with an average rating of three out of five stars. While some users had good experiences with their providers, others are dissatisfied with the paid membership requirement and reported difficulties resolving disputes about fees.

    Based on my first experience with PlushCare, I will not pursue further mental health assistance on the platform.

    Get The Mental Health Help You Need From The Comfort Of Your Own Home

    With PlushCare's online mental health consultations and prescriptions find mental health treatments tailored to your needs and delivered right to your doorstep.


    Trends In Telehealth: Integrating Physicians Into Virtual Care

    Across the board, physicians are interested in working in telehealth — whether they're young, close to retirement, or simply feeling overloaded and looking for a less stressful alternative. Some providers are even willing to jump to organizations that offer telehealth opportunities, whether it's part-time, full-time or gig work. Patient access, lower cost of care, and physician burnout are key reasons why healthcare organizations are developing strategies to integrate physicians into their virtual care models. 

    A seismic shift in the telehealth landscape 

    Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, few physicians were enrolled to work in virtual care — in just a handful of specialties like emergency medicine or psychiatry. Consumers hadn't embraced it, and health systems weren't set up to support it, particularly for inpatient and specialty care. Because consumers weren't clamoring for it, healthcare facilities weren't eager to make the required investments in the hardware, software and providers required to support a broad telehealth program. 

    The pandemic caused a seismic shift that's forever changed the healthcare landscape. Telemedicine visits soared from .3% or less in 2019 to more than 30% of all visits (some estimate as high as 72%) at the peak of the pandemic. Healthcare organizations quickly scaled up their telehealth capabilities, and consumers and physicians rapidly adapted to virtual care. 

    Of course, things settled into a new normal as the pandemic waned. On average, telehealth visits now represent about 17% of all visits, and for some specialties, like psychiatry, telehealth visits have stabilized at 54% of all visits.  

    After the pandemic, virtual care has become a more natural, accepted way to practice medicine. Hospitals are using it more for inpatient care — even outsourcing whole departments to virtual care in some cases. Outpatient providers are also leaning on virtual care wherever it makes sense. The telehealth boom was especially beneficial to rural patients, who now have better access than ever to specialty care. 

    Where is telehealth going? Trends in telehealth: The future of virtual care 

    Best case for virtual physician care 

    The industry is still working through the best use cases for virtual physician care at the specialty level. Some specialties and some patient visits simply make more sense than others for virtual care. 

    Psychiatry has proved particularly well-suited to virtual care. According to a 2021 Advisory Board analysis on site-of-care shifts, up to 88% of psychiatry visits could be performed virtually. General surgery presents another opportunity where up to 53% of visits — such as pre-and post-operative visits — could be handled virtually. Cardiology is continuing to gain traction for virtual care as well, where an estimated 29% of visits could shift to virtual. 

    Over 40% of dermatology visits could be virtual, according to the Advisory Board. That's fairly straightforward — physicians could visually examine patients through video conferencing, or the patient can send photos of areas of concern. 

    Convenient care clinics, family physicians and other outpatient settings are other suitable fits for virtual care. 

    Challenges in integrating physicians into virtual care 

    While many specialties may be a natural fit for virtual care, integrating physicians into a virtual care model remains a challenge for most health systems. 

    The biggest obstacle is that most staff physicians are already working at full capacity with in-person visits. Hospitals don't typically under-leverage specialists to the extent that they can devote even 10 or 20 percent of their time to telehealth visits. On the other hand, the demand isn't always there to justify adding a full-time virtual physician either. Realistically, they may only need a .25 FTE — or less. So, the conundrum is that health systems want to do more virtual care, and they want to use their own physicians, but it's just not always feasible. 

    Along with patient access, another challenge is that during the pandemic many departments went out and purchased multiple-point solutions and technologies, leaving hospitals with a jumble of unconnected systems. This fragmentation makes it difficult for hospitals to come up with viable and consistent staffing solutions. Additionally, many telehealth technologies came with their own pool of physicians to staff the service, but this can create issues with consistency of process, care quality and patient experience. 

    Solutions for virtual physician care 

    Health systems are tackling these staffing challenges in a variety of ways. Primarily, they are approaching local specialty medical groups and contracting for a portion of their time. Some are banding with other health systems to create shared resource models, where three or four systems share the same virtual specialists. 

    Both these models are challenging for health systems that are used to employing their own physicians. Traditionally, they've wanted to maintain that competitive advantage and prevent their specialists from working for other healthcare organizations. Now, they may feel lucky to have .25 of an in-demand specialist and are more open to them obtaining privileges at multiple facilities. 

    One of the more innovative models is the creation of an in-house telehealth float pool, which lets the hospital optimize virtual care workloads in real-time. It's an on-demand virtual network that the hospital can tap into as needed. 

    As a result of these newer staffing models, we're seeing some movement away from the fully owned staffing model — full-time salaried employees — toward a triaged model that consists of full-time, virtual, variable staff and independent physicians, all coordinated to optimize gaps in care. Physicians are seeking the ability to moonlight doing virtual care or other additive work, and hospitals are more willing to let them do it. 

    Many physicians want independence, and they want to compete in an open market for their services. They also want the flexibility to work the hours and shifts that fit their lifestyle. 

    Integrating locum tenens physicians into virtual care 

    Locum tenens physicians are a good solution when an organization only needs a part-time telehealth resource, and they don't want to share that resource. Essentially, a locum physician works part-time or on-demand and serves as a white-label turnkey physician. 

    Health systems are also bringing in locum providers when staff physicians are stretched too thin to effectively support a virtual care program. Virtual locum physicians are a way to relieve the pressure and quickly scale clinical capacity.   

    One scenario that is becoming more prevalent is using fully virtual or hybrid locum physicians part-time to develop a line of business in a new specialty. This allows the organization to start quickly and either fail fast — without needing to reallocate staff physician resources — or succeed and gradually hire full-time, permanent physicians as the line of business grows. 

    Some virtual care situations aren't the best fit for locums. When the virtual patient volume is very low, it may not make sense to staff it with either a permanent employee or a locum physician. In those cases, the best, most affordable solution may be to tap into a shared service. For some specialties, like oncology, a long-term relationship with the patient may be critical, making using locums a less desirable option. 

    Virtual physician prognosis 

    Physicians are the biggest piece of the telehealth puzzle, and many healthcare systems are still struggling to fit them into their virtual care models. But physicians are eager to participate in telehealth, and they are certainly fielding recruitment inquiries. That's why health systems need to quickly solidify their virtual care strategies and create new opportunities for more flexibility and balance to keep their physicians happy and engaged. 

    Download: Telehealth strategies: Physician models for virtual care 

    Interested in learning more about staffing your telehealth program with locum tenens providers? Contact CHG Healthcare at 866.588.5996 or email [email protected] for a consultation. 






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