How to Run an Online Clinic

One of the most exciting developments for healthcare in recent years has been the emergence of online clinics. Telemedicine, of course, has been on the rise for several years, and this was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. But an entire online clinic is new. And, if you’re used to running a bricks and mortar clinic, you may be wondering how you run an online clinic.

This doesn’t, however, need to be a problem. Instead, you need to approach it as a challenge. And, as with all challenges, it’s always easier if you get a little help. Therefore, Hello Rache is here to show you how to run an online clinic. Best of all, we’ll be sharing our secret weapon to help you run an online clinic to a world-class level.

What is an Online Clinic?

An online clinic is much the same as a standard clinic, one where patients attend to visit physicians. However, there’s one major difference: it’s virtual. This means that all your patients and physicians need to do is log onto their PC to take part in consultations. There’s no need for anyone to travel and multiple services can be run from a single platform. Modern, high-speed internet connections allow crystal clear video calls and ensure that face-to-face communication remains in place, a must have for patients to engage with physicians.

But why would you run an online clinic? It’s a good question, and one which has an even better answer. The main benefit of an online clinic is the cost savings on offer, not only does it save costs for the business, but also the patients. You also have to consider the ease of access that an online clinic offers. For example, patients with reduced mobility will struggle to attend a physical clinic, but a virtual option eliminates the need to travel. Finally, if you run an online clinic, you can set your own clinic rates, rather than having to pay for a subscription service through a telemed provider.

The Principles of How to Run an Online Clinic

Running an online clinic is very different to running a traditional ‘real world’ clinic, so it’s crucial you do your homework. And this is where Hello Rache is going to give you a helping hand. If you want to run an online clinic, then make sure you follow these steps:

Legal Compliance:

Regardless of whether you want to run an online clinic or a physical clinic, you still need to ensure you comply with all the relevant legal and regulatory requirements. These can vary between different states, so it’s vital that you fully investigate all the license requirements, understand how to handle the digital data of patients and abide by telemedicine laws.

Invest in Technology:

The telehealth service that you provide will only be as good as the technology infrastructure used to deliver it. Accordingly, to run an online clinic successfully, you need to work with technology which provides a robust and secure service. First of all, your platform needs to be user friendly and highly reliable when it comes to internet connectivity. Secondly, and most importantly, you need to invest in security solutions which guarantee the safety of the data contained with the electronic health records you use.

Train Your Staff:

It’s essential that your staff know how to work with your online clinic. In fact, they need to know it inside out in order to maximize its potential and help patients use it. Therefore, designing a comprehensive training program on the use of telemedicine tools should be a major priority. This will ensure that, in the future, technical issues are minimized and patient confidentiality is preserved.

Appointment Scheduling:

Without an appointment scheduling system, your online clinic will be chaos. This means that investing in a suitable scheduling system is paramount. It needs to be one which is both easy for patients to interact with and capable of communicating directly with the electronic health record. Working with a powerful appointment scheduling system will minimize the number of missed appointments and allow all details to be logged on your system.

Patient Education:

online clinics are a relatively new phenomena, and this means that patients are wary of interacting with them. This is particularly true for seniors, so it’s critical that your patients are educated and supported in the use of your online clinic. Clear instructions need to be drawn up and distributed to assist patients with tasks such as attending appointments, requesting prescriptions, and accessing their records. Setting up either a helpline or live chat support are your best options here.