The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how we live, work, and socialize. With social distancing as the new norm, healthcare workers and entire practices have turned to telehealth/virtual consultations to carry on with business as usual. 

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Jen Owen, Integrative Medicine Nurse Practitioner and founder of The Flourish Center. While Jen prefers in-person consultations, the pandemic has brought about a shift in how she conducts business, leading to an increase in virtual health consulting–this is true for many healthcare practices! 

But as businesses reopen their doors the question remains, are virtual consultations still relevant post-pandemic? 

Virtual health consultations can be carried out in a number of ways including phone calls, online videos, and other forms of virtual communication. If you’re considering making virtual health consulting a foundation of your business, then check out these pros and cons of virtual health consulting: 

Pros 

• Increased Patient Intake– Hosting virtual health consultations in an online space opens up the door to a larger patient population. This can even mean reaching patients from out-of-state or even out-of-country–increasing your overall inflow of patients and revenue. 
• Improved Patient/Practitioner Safety– Through virtual health consultations, both patients and practitioners are safeguarded from the spread of contagious diseases and illnesses, such as flu, colds, and COVID-19. 
• Cost-Effectiveness– Did you know that virtual health consulting can cost up to 4 times less than in-person consultations? Virtual consulting eliminates the need for brick and mortar facilities, cutting down your practice expenses. 

Cons 

• Limited Patient Access– Virtual consultations can limit patient access and visibility. Therefore, it’s not alway possible to make definitive patient diagnoses during virtual health consults. 
• Regulatory Constraints– If you’re dealing with out-of-country or out-of-state patients, regulatory constraints can prevent you from accessing important patient data, limiting your ability to provide optimal treatment. 
• Unavailability– If your patients don’t have the proper technology or reliable internet connectivity, it can limit your ability to provide them with proper care. 

Contact us today for tips and tricks on how to offer successful virtual health consulting services. You can also check out my call with Jen Own, here.