How can employers promote telehealth and virtual care to their employees?
To minimize the spread of COVID-19 within workplaces/communities and reduce the need to visit healthcare facilities for workplace-related injuries and conditions, employers can encourage their employees to use virtual care or telehealth services as much as possible. Employers can try to make sure that the app developers and telehealth service providers offer recurring and familiar healthcare providers to their employees. Also, communicating about telemedicine service benefits through emails and conducting internal training can help create awareness about how virtual care and telemedicine work within the context of their workspace.
How can telehealth and virtual care benefit your employees?
Virtual care and telehealth services can benefit employees in multiple ways. Employees can get access to world-class medical care without even having to step out of their homes. Depending on the plan, employees can avail 24/7 access to one-on-one medical care, medical information services, patient education and individualized self-care advice from healthcare providers. Employees can use the app or online portal to view their medical records, connect virtually via video calls or chat with the relevant physician, request prescriptions, etc. Employees can also choose to virtually connect with their doctor at a time that suits them and get answers to their health queries even when the physical healthcare center is closed.
How can telehealth and virtual care benefit your employer?
By offering telehealth services to the employees as a part of the company healthcare offering, employers can show that they not only care about the performance but also about the long-term wellbeing of the employees. Telehealth and virtual care offer a quick, convenient way for employees to connect with their medical care team and help them get their queries answered, thereby reducing sickness in the employee population, and enabling employees to have a better quality of life.
What are virtual care and telehealth services?
The advancement in technology has brought people closer and made communication easier. Gone are the days when people had to physically visit clinics and medical centers to book an appointment with a doctor. Now, you can do the same and more within minutes from any digital device like a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. One can book an appointment and even consult a doctor online via video or audio call. So, no matter where the person is located, with a stable internet connection and a smart device, he/she can easily seek medical care without having to travel for hours to reach a clinic or search for a medical facility.
Though virtual healthcare has been around for quite some time, its use has reached a peak during the last few years, and especially after the onset of the novel coronavirus in 2019. The pandemic wreaked havoc across the length and breadth of the world, affecting billions of people. Now, following covid protocols, such as social distancing, quarantining, etc., have become part and parcel of everyday life. The new normal also brought changes in every aspect of life. It also saw a drastic drop in the number of in-person visits to clinics, as people were either in their houses due to a lockdown or in quarantine. Though covid patients received medical help, it was a challenging time for patients with other ailments. To ensure the availability of timely treatment and help for non-covid patients, telehealth services were widely encouraged. Telehealth or telemedicine systems now include healthcare services such as check-ups and telemedicine consultation with doctors, screening for COVID-19, counseling for mental health, therapy sessions, support for chronic ailments, follow-up care, and much more. Using telehealth online services, patients can now set up appointments with doctors and healthcare providers on dedicated sites and easily connect to them to receive virtual care. Nowadays, hospitals and medical centers have dedicated sections on their websites where patients can check their test results, prescriptions, and other related information. Telehealth services have made it easier for people to receive virtual care and treatment, especially when the world is still reeling under the effects of COVID-19. With such services, one can now easily get help from the comfort of their house. Though most telehealth services, especially the basic ones are provided for a nominal fee, some can cost more depending on the type of ailment. To reduce your costs for such treatments, you can opt for a health insurance policy that includes virtual healthcare services. You can check out Cigna health insurance that comes with comprehensive plans and benefits. With such a health insurance policy, you can always have access to medical help without stepping out of your home.
How can telehealth and virtual care improve employee well-being?
Many organizations provide virtual care and telemedicine services to employees. This can help boost the productivity and efficiency of the employees. For example, in the current times, most people are working from home. So, if an employee wants guidance on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, then instead of visiting a medical center, he/she can consult a dietician or a weight management expert from his/her home. After getting the correct guidance, the employee can implement it and work for his/her betterment to stay healthy. One can even consult yoga and fitness experts to learn how to stay fit. Even if a work-from-home situation is not prevalent, employers must still invest in health insurance policies for employees that provide telehealth services. As already mentioned, telehealth online services can help employees stay healthy and thus, let them increase their efficiency and productivity.
If you are an employer and you are planning to introduce an online telehealth services portal for your employees, then you must ensure to do so effectively. After selecting a health insurance policy, you must strive to educate your employees about it and the benefits related to it. It is also your responsibility to check whether your employees are aware of the portal and are comfortable using it. Promoting it should not just be a one-time task, as you must do so frequently so that employees can take advantage of it to enhance their health.
If you are looking out for an ideal health insurance policy, then you can opt for one from Cigna. Check out the benefits and do the needful for your company’s and employees’ betterment.
