Most of the hospitals in the United States have embraced the hybrid care model. The Hybrid healthcare model combines in-person and virtual care, ensuring that the best care is delivered to patients. Hybrid care aims to provide convenience, accessibility, and personalized care.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Virtual Care
The global pandemic propelled telehealth visits; their adaptation rates had risen 78 times in two months from April 2020. Telemedicine and virtual care solutions were the best way to offer prompt and safe care to patients remotely. Technology can play a critical part in delivering safe and effective care to patients. However, it is important to note that remote care technology cannot completely replace in-person visits. Therefore, for optimal care, there needs to be a combination of both virtual care and face-to-face consultations depending upon a patient’s needs, preferences, and healthcare conditions.
5 Main Benefits of the Hybrid Care Model
Both patients and healthcare professionals can benefit from the hybrid care model in several ways. Here are a few benefits worth taking a read:
- Increased access to care: Hybrid care encourages the use of telemedicine sessions where possible. This helps to improve care access as patients can receive remote care despite their geographical location, and mobility issues.
- Convenience and flexibility: Virtual care appointments can be scheduled easily online. A person can select between visiting the clinic or booking virtual sessions based on preferences, and health conditions giving flexibility to patients.
- Enhanced patient engagement levels: Active patient participation is promoted in hybrid care. Patients may easily manage their health parameters, obtain instructional materials, and contact their healthcare providers thanks to remote monitoring, wearable devices, and internet resources. Individuals are more empowered to take charge of their health and make informed decisions about their well-being as a result of this greater participation.
- Cost savings: The care delivery model has the potential to save money for both patients and healthcare systems. When compared to in-person visits, virtual consultations frequently offer lower consultation fees, and patients save money on transportation, parking, and lost workdays. Furthermore, healthcare facilities can maximize their resources and lessen the load on physical infrastructure, resulting in cost savings.
- Reduced wait times: With Telemedicine EMR Software sessions, patients can easily avoid lengthy wait times in the hospital’s waiting room. This can greatly improve the patient experience.
The necessary workflows required to make hybrid care a success
A hospital must establish a comprehensive patient workflow that can seamlessly support both virtual and in-person consultations. These include:
- Easy online appointment scheduling facility
- Automated or digital patient registration and check-in process
- Utilize the appointment reminder feature in the PM software to combat the issue of no-shows.
- 2-way text messaging platform
- Effective follow-up after appointments to receive patient feedback, and identify any issues immediately.
The Future of hybrid care
The hybrid care model has gained popularity in recent years, owing to technological improvements and rising demand for distant healthcare services. It seeks to bridge the gap between traditional healthcare delivery and the benefits of virtual care, thereby providing a more flexible and patient-centered approach to healthcare.
