Looking to operate a more streamlined telehealth practice?
You’re not alone. Every telehealth provider has the same issue.
Trying to manage patient appointments, process payments, and organize records across dozens of platforms sucks the life out of you.
The reality is that most telehealth providers operate in siloed systems. Silos that create bottlenecks, billing mistakes, and angry patients.
Without proper integrations, telehealth practices become a logistical nightmare.
Herein lies your guide to the software integrations that actually matter.
Meaningful connections that can eliminate redundant work and keep your revenue flowing.
Ready?
What you’ll learn:
- Why Software Integrations Matter for Telehealth Practices
- Integrations Every Telehealth Practice Needs
- How to Select the Best Telemedicine Payment Solutions
- Connect Your Software Systems Together
Why Software Integrations Matter for Telehealth Practices
Telehealth is here to stay.
That’s right. Remote medicine is growing faster than ever before.
According to recent studies by the American Medical Association, 71.4% of doctors said they used telehealth weekly as of 2024. Compared to just 26% pre-pandemic.
But…
Don’t let growth statistics fool you.
If your operations can’t scale with your patient load then it doesn’t matter how many new patients you see.
Telehealth providers who rely on outdated manual processes are drowning in wasted time and resources.
Don’t fall victim to the same trap.
Upgrade your software integrations to handle tedious tasks automatically.
The real winners in telehealth will be the providers that can manage the highest volume of patients without sacrificing quality or profitability. Simplifying operations with the right integrations is how you get there.
Integrations Every Telehealth Practice Needs
Yes. Software integrations are important.
But wait… there’s more.
Not all integrations are created equal.
While some software connections can be considered ‘nice to have,’ others will make or break your practice.
Below we highlight the essential systems that must connect for your telehealth business to function:
EHR Integration
Maintaining accurate patient records isn’t just best practice. It’s the law.
That’s why your Electronic Health Record (EHR) system should act as the foundation of your entire telehealth practice.
Patient visits, symptoms, medication changes. You name it. Everything should be integrated with your EHR solution.
Ideally your provider will be able to pull up patient history in real-time during video visits. Add notes that automatically save. No more manually entering the same information twice.
Staff will also want quick access to the EHR during virtual visits. Without EHR integration, your employees will waste valuable time retyping notes from one screen to the other.
Schedule and Calendar Syncing
Did you know missed appointments can cost your telehealth business thousands each year?
Pretty crazy when you consider all it takes to fix the problem is a solid scheduling software integration.
Your system should automate appointment reminders via text and email.
Give your patients the ability to reschedule appointments with one click. Don’t make them call your office just to push their appointment forward one hour.
The scheduling software your practice uses should sync with provider calendars as well. Not to mention prevent double bookings.
Payment Processing Integration
Okay. This one may come as a surprise.
If you aren’t using a telemedicine-specific payment solution then you’re making payments way more difficult than they have to be.
Telehealth transactions are considered ‘high risk’ by most payment processors. That means accounts will get flagged and payments delayed.
Specialized telemedicine payment processing can accept:
- Insurance feeds
- Patient copays
- Subscription payments
Learn more about finding a telemedicine merchant account directly from telehealth experts like 2accept.
By working with processors who understand the industry, you’ll save time and avoid the hidden pitfalls of traditional payment processing companies.
A good payment integration will allow you to:
- Process payments during/after visits
- Automate recurring payments for subscriptions services
- Connect to insurance verification tools
- Have transparent reporting for all transactions
Sending patients the wrong bill or taking days to process payments isn’t just bad for your bottom line. Habitual payment issues damage your relationship with patients.
Not to mention put your practice at risk for compliance violations.
How to Select the Best Telemedicine Payment Solutions
As noted above, payment collection deserves its own section. The reason? Telehealth providers face unique challenges when attempting to process patient payments.
Recent studies by Patient Care Online show telemedicine will make up 25% to 30% of all US medical visits by 2026.
Patient payments are about to skyrocket.
When reviewing your payment options, consider the following features:
HIPAA Compliance
Any solution that stores patient payment information is considered healthcare data.
As such, you’ll need to verify the payment processor is HIPAA compliant.
That means everything from encrypting stored data, to securing networks, to restricting system access.
Integrations that don’t follow HIPAA best practices put your practice at risk for liability.
Multi-Channel Acceptance
Patients should be able to pay you however they want.
Some will swipe their credit card during the virtual appointment. Others may not have their information on file and will pay via your patient portal afterwards.
Make sure your payment integration can accept transactions through multiple channels.
Transparent Pricing
Don’t fall into the hidden fees trap.
Every processor will throw around a catchy monthly rate that hooks you right in. Then, when it’s time to get paid you discover they charge a PCI fee. Statement fees. Monthly minimums.
None of these fees should come as a surprise.
Telemedicine Software Systems That Must Integrate
You’ve got the right idea.
But now it’s time to get down to business.
How do you actually connect all your software solutions together?
Like before, we’ll walk you through each step.
Map Out Your Ideal Workflow
Take a moment to visualize how you want information to flow through your practice.
Where do data handoffs occur? Can software integrations help streamline those processes?
By outlining your current state workflow, you’ll better understand where you want to improve with new software integrations.
Prioritize Integrations That Give You the Biggest Win
Sticking with our workflow example. Not every part of your practice needs immediate attention.
If your goal is to reduce the number of missed appointments, then your top priority should be your scheduling software.
Get that integration up and running so your team can enjoy automatic reminders and calendar syncing.
Everything else can wait.
Test Integrations With Sample Data First
Don’t go live right away.
Everything software related can feel urgent. But trust us when we tell you… take a breath.
Thoroughly test your new integrations with fake data. Ensure all information is flowing through each system as expected.
Then go live.
Train your Team on the New Processes
Documentation is great. But when it comes time to implement new software integrations your team is going to have questions.
Make sure they know who to contact should any issues arise. Schedule training sessions to walk key employees through each new process.
Monitor your systems and adjust when necessary
Once you’ve gone live, set calendar reminders to audit your software integrations.
Things change. Features are added and removed. Ensure every integration is still providing your business value.
Mistakes to Avoid When Integrating Software Systems
Believe it or not, some telemedicine providers actually hurt their own cause when looking for software integrations.
Here are some of the most common mistakes we see:
- Thinking cheap is always better
- Failing to plan for growth
- Not conducting proper security assessments
- Integrating for the sake of integrating
Wrapping Things Up
Streamlining your telehealth practice comes down to two things:
Selecting the right software integrations
…and properly implementing those integrations.
Instead of getting lost in the weeds trying to connect your entire ecosystem all at once, focus on the systems that will drive the most value.
If missed appointments are killing you, connect your scheduling software.
Billing is taking too long? Focus on your EHR and payment processing software first.
You’ll be amazed at how much more efficient your telehealth practice runs once a few strategic software integrations are in place.
Go forth and integrate.
