How to Hire the BEST Telehealth Provider

Dawn Pascale

The utilization of telehealth skyrocketed during the pandemic.  Patients and their clinicians were asked to socially distance and look for alternatives to in-person visits.  Hospital administrators hustled to implement telehealth platforms that met privacy and security standards and needed to reassign clinicians and duties.

Things have normalized since then, giving administrators time to breathe and reconsider tele-health delivery.  With systems in place, we will look at a few key traits that healthcare providers seek out when deciding to add telehealth professionals.

Here are 3 Tips to Help Select the Best Telemedicine Provider

Are they good communicators and active listeners?

It is of course essential to find a telehealth physician that has a deep understanding of his or her specialty, however, it is equally important to find someone who can translate their knowledge in a clear and concise manner over a video call.  Whether it be technology that doesn’t always work as it should or an inability to use body language to the fullest, these physicians need to be master communicators to exchange pertinent information.

Telehealth doctors also must be active listeners, letting the patient take the time to ask questions, asking follow-up questions if necessary, and letting the patient know they have been heard and understood. They should have the ability both verbally and with a nod or a smile, show they care.

Do they know how to find technology-inclined physicians?

Let’s face it, if the telehealth physician that you’re hiring isn’t completely comfortable with the technology they’re using, the patient won’t be either. When the physician isn’t having to constantly fidget with their camera, speakers or internet connection, it goes a long way in retaining patients for the future. Anyone you are considering hiring needs to demonstrate a clear ability to handle whatever basic technical issues with expediency and grace.

Finding a telemedicine physician that knows how to properly operate all types of telehealth platforms will go miles in making it a more enjoyable and informative call for your patients. With 500+ vendors selling EMR and EHR systems, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the varying requirements of each system. Order sets and workflow differ, and some are more intuitive than others.  A quick learner can navigate any system. 

Do you the employer understand what it takes to be a telehealth provider?

A critical factor to consider when choosing a telehealth provider is their years of experience and knowledge in the field of telehealth.  Telehealth is more than just Skyping with your patients.  The provider must understand how to handle cultural differences, between a small rural hospital in Iowa to a large suburban hospital outside Chicago.   Can they teach their patient how to do a pulse check with verbal instruction? Do they know how to assess a patients’ functional performance through a camera? As a telehealth provider, how will they combat isolation and loneliness?  

If you are a hiring entity for telehealth providers, you have your work cut out for you!  Not only do you need to know what to look for, but you need to be able to spot red flags during the hiring process and quickly weed out those physicians that are probably not the best fit for a telehealth position.  

At MedSource Consultants, we have years of experience finding quality telehealth physicians, we know what to look for during the vetting process, and will be able to find healthcare professionals that will hit the ground running.  We invite you to contact our recruiting experts today to learn about how we can help your telehealth team grow successfully.