Telehealth has emerged as a crucial method of health care for patients across the world. The pandemic forced many people to their homes, with no access to medical care due to social isolation.
With the advancement of the field of telemedicine, more patients and doctors are turning to virtual healthcare to offer and receive treatments. According to a McKinsey survey, most patients are using Telehealth for certain appointments, compared to 11% in 2019.
This trend will not slow down any time shortly. Telehealth companies are experiencing a considerable increase in venture capital, and experts claim that the U.S. telehealth market is predicted to grow by 30% per year in five years. It is a great opportunity for those who want to boost their income or work schedule by offering the convenience of virtual care.
Working with a telehealth provider is an exciting new option for many physicians. However, knowing how the work environment and possibilities differ from the latest technologies and regulations you need to be familiar with will give you the confidence to take the initial step to find a suitable job.
Who Can be Employed in Telehealth?
Today, telehealth providers are looking for clinicians in almost every field. No matter if you’ve got a license in primary care or behavioral healthcare, there are opportunities open for you to offer virtual healthcare.
They are highly sought-after:
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physicians
- Physician Assistants
- Psychologists (PsyD and Ph.D.)
- The psychiatric doctors (MD AND DO)
- Therapists (LPC, LPCC, LMFT, LCSW, PsyD, Ph.D.)
Typically, providers have to be board-certified or board-eligible and meet the requirements for both the state and the employer in the position to provide virtual services.
What are the Benefits of Working in Virtual Healthcare?
Telehealth holds many benefits for clinicians that ultimately can result in a better quality of life and more control over your schedule.
Virtual care allows clinicians to see more patients in more diverse clinical settings while facilitating access for underserved populations across the country.
Many people are drawn to work in Telehealth because of the flexibility it provides — with schedules that can support better work-life balance.
In the wake of the pandemic, we’ve seen parents struggle to manage clinical shifts while balancing daycare closures and home-schooling. Healthcare providers shouldn’t have to sacrifice the needs of their families and personal well-being to maintain their careers.
Telehealth can allow providers to augment their schedules while cutting back on hours in brick-and-mortar facilities without sacrificing financial gains. Simultaneously, access to virtual care will enable patients to receive suitable, timely clinical care when and where they need it.
Whether you want to see more patients, gain freedom and flexibility, or increase your income, virtual care may be a good option for you.
How Do You Begin Your Job Search Via Telehealth
If you’re the first time looking into jobs in Telehealth, you may need to be made aware of how to locate the most suitable choices.
Telehealth companies typically post open jobs on job-search websites like Indeed, Zip Recruiter, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. The job postings usually include:
- General information regarding the position
- A description of the company that includes what is the type of patient and what areas of treatment they treat
- State and licensing conditions
- The hours of operation, as well as the requirements for shifts
- Modalities (synchronous and Asynchronous)
- Information on compensation (hourly rate or per consultation rate)
12 Criteria to Evaluate Job Opportunities Via Telehealth
Before you join a telehealth firm, look into the possibility by using these guidelines to make sure it is in line with your requirements:
1. What is the way that the company behind Telehealth operates?
When considering an investment, make sure you learn more about how the business operates and determine if its principles align with yours. If, for instance, you’re looking to broaden the scope of your care to accommodate more patients, Find a firm with a business model centered on patients and discover how they bill patients.
Telehealth businesses charge their patients in different ways. Some charge monthly fees, while others charge per consultation. Examine whether the company is partnered with specific health insurance companies or can accept a variety of insurance companies.
Conducting a thorough review of potential telehealth providers will help you avoid getting into a relationship that is not reputable or being pressured into giving up some of your autonomy as a clinician. If you need more clarification on what you can expect, talk to the company for the details you require to make an educated choice. Clinician reviews help understand the nature of the experience.
2. What are the requirements for telehealth shifts?
Many healthcare professionals offer virtual services alongside working in brick-and-mortar settings. Review the work schedule requirements for the possibility you’re considering to determine if it is compatible or conflicts with your existing duties.
Find out the hours of operation and any minimum hours that could prevent you from carrying out the responsibilities of the job. New telehealth providers could benefit from temporary, seasonal jobs to try out the waters and become familiar with providing care via virtual channels.
3. What are the terms of service levels of agreements?
In addition to shifting needs, examining the company’s or the client’s Service Level Agreements or SLAs is essential. It is the amount of time it takes to respond to a particular consultation type.
For instance, asynchronous SLAs could range from a few seconds to the 24-hour mark or more. If you have a 24-hour SLA, you have up to 24 hours to examine a consultation with a patient and then respond to the demand. You can be on shift for a certain amount of time at work at the hospital. Or in the clinic or even conducting synchronous virtual care consultations for as long as you can answer your asynchronous consultations within your SLA timeframe.
4. What is the structure of compensation in Telehealth?
The pay structure for virtual care differs from one company to the next. Some companies that offer Telehealth pay their consultants per appointment, while others offer an hourly rate. It is important to know this before you know the exact time and manner in which you’ll be compensated.
Based on the requirements of the job and your own experience, pick one that has the most appropriate pay structure for your requirements.
5. What are the volumes of patients?
The volume of patients will determine whether you’ll have an ongoing queue or if you are waiting in line to schedule consultations. It will affect the amount you earn if you’re paid for the consultation; therefore, it is essential to determine the volume of patients in the event you’re considering an opportunity to Telehealth using this kind of structure.
Learn more about how your patients will be assigned and how scheduling is controlled. Check out the typical encounters with a clinical professional you’ll receive per shift to ensure you’re making the most of your earnings working online.
6. What are the expectations of the patient?
Beyond learning about the business and understanding the patient’s experience. What prompted patients to seek treatment from the business?
Find out the level of service patients can expect when they receive treatment from the business. What types of patients and treatment areas you’ll collaborate with? What will the protocols for clinical care appear like? Check if you’re comfortable with these areas or if further training is offered.
7. What are the modalities of virtual care?
Telehealth services can be offered asynchronously or synchronously. The patient determines the role. Patient care synchronously is performed in real-time, and consultations tend to last longer than synchronous consults. Asynchronous consultations are conducted by collecting data that the patient has submitted. This information is later evaluated offline, and generally, the information is reviewed in just a few minutes.
Learn the specific type of service you’ll be offering because some companies require both synchronous and asynchronous availability.
8. What’s the telehealth platform’s useability?
Telehealth companies offer platforms for Telehealth that patients and clinicians use to deliver and receive virtual medical care. Learn more about this “virtual clinic” by taking a tour through the platform. It will let you observe how it can support video consultations, asynchronous consultations, EHRs, e-prescriptions, and much more. Get a better understanding of how patients interact through the platform, and get the entire picture of how the treatment of patients is delivered from start to finish.
Is this a platform you are comfortable with? Does the company provide adequate tech support should you encounter any difficulties? These are important questions before deciding to work with a telehealth provider.
9. What legal and insurance protections do companies offering Telehealth have?
It takes work to keep up-to-date with the current guidelines for clinical practice and the constantly changing state-by-state regulations and laws governing telecommuting. Some clinicians are in precarious situations due to telehealth firms that were either unaware of the regulations in force or completely disregarded them.
When evaluating a new possibility of Telehealth, it’s crucial to consider the legal protections and regulatory compliance to ensure that the company will be in the best interests of your license throughout the time.
Legally important issues to be aware of when using Telehealth:
- At a minimum, the business should provide a minimum of professional liability insurance through medical malpractice insurance that covers the entire range of each consultation. Certain states require insurance coverage to cover a particular amount of damage.
- Always work within your area of practice.
- You must uphold the same standard of care you would in a personal setting.
- Make sure your judgment as a clinician is the most important thing. Even if protocols for clinical use are available, it’s your decision at the end of the day, and you must have the final say on clinical issues.
10. What are the lab results and prescriptions used in Telehealth?
A crucial aspect of virtual healthcare is prescribing medications or ordering tests and distributing the findings to clients. Telehealth protocols determine what lab tests you can have and the medicines you prescribe.
Telehealth professionals must be able to communicate the information to patients; therefore, it is important to know about the various virtual health companies and their policies in the areas of concern.
11. What are the state-specific regulations regarding Telehealth?
Clinical licenses are subject to different rules for every state. For instance, certain states require nurse practitioners to sign agreements of collaboration with a supervisory physician.
The most reputable telehealth firms are aware of these laws and can provide assistance and direction to ensure that you comply with the laws of the location you provide services.
12. What are the licensing requirements for the field of Telehealth?
Virtual care jobs typically require that the clinician has the appropriate license. The job advertisement should explain the minimum licensure requirements and the number of state-issued licenses required to meet a reasonable amount of consultation. Acquiring additional licenses and credentials could allow you to provide care virtually.
