Today’s healthcare consumers have high expectations regarding their patient experience. They want care to be more convenient, accessible, and affordable.
For providers looking to meet those expectations, telehealth partnerships are the answer. These partnerships provide value-added solutions that empower patients to overcome their chief healthcare challenges.
Telehealth partnerships remove hurdles that discourage patient engagement
During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote access made healthcare — and many other business operations — possible. It allowed consumers to connect with providers without risking exposure to Covid, and providers facilitated the connections because it kept their businesses afloat.
Once the pandemic had passed, many people realized they preferred the convenience of remote access provided. From grocery shopping to healthcare appointments to work, the post-Covid culture expected remote-access options.
Telehealth gives healthcare providers a tool for delivering that option. It addresses the inconvenience patients feel when adjusting their schedules, traveling to appointments, and lingering in waiting rooms. Telehealth brings the appointment to the patient, which is especially valuable for caregivers and others who face challenges associated with pulling away from their regular routine for an appointment.
Additionally, telehealth makes pre- and post-appointment interactions more convenient. The secure exchange of patient information streamlines the patient onboarding process and allows patients to have all the information they need to complete pre-visit questionnaires on hand. Telehealth also allows for virtual check-ins, which can shorten the time spent in waiting rooms when patients require in-office appointments.
By empowering remote monitoring, telehealth makes follow-up care more convenient. Patient progress can be tracked, and potential issues can be identified through virtual visits. Patients can also get more convenient access to medical records through telehealth platforms, increasing convenience when specialist care is required.
Telehealth partnerships open doors for underserved communities
The factors that make in-office visits inconvenient for some patients make them virtually impossible for others, especially for those in underserved communities where a lack of healthcare options can force patients to opt out of the care they need. Through telehealth partnerships, however, providers can make care accessible to those patients.
A recent report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlighted telehealth as an option for addressing limited provider accessibility in rural areas. The report noted that rural residents tend to have more significant healthcare needs than their urban counterparts due to their increased age and worse health conditions. Yet rural residents typically have fewer local providers, which means they must overcome the challenges associated with traveling longer distances for care. The report also cited rural hospital closures as a trend that makes accessing healthcare even less accessible for rural residents.
Telehealth makes care more affordable for providers and their patients
Healthcare affordability has become a major problem in the US. A 2023 study found that 27 percent of American adults skipped some form of medical treatment because of its cost. Numbers gathered in 2024 reported that 45 percent of patients skipped treatment or medicine because it was too costly or challenging to access.
Telehealth partnerships provide a solution to the affordability problem. They make services available in a way that reduces costs for both patients and providers.
For providers, telehealth can lower the overhead costs associated with opening, staffing, and maintaining in-person facilities. Telehealth makes physical exam spaces and waiting rooms less necessary, which in turn reduces utility costs. Shifting to telehealth also has the potential to lower administrative costs by automating many of the tasks traditionally handled manually by healthcare staff.
For patients, telehealth lowers the costs associated with attending in-office appointments, including travel costs and loss of income from time spent away from work. By facilitating better care coordination, telehealth can also save patients out-of-pocket expenses related to unnecessary tests and appointments.
Telehealth can be leveraged for a wide range of care needs
The telehealthcare model can be adapted to serve a virtually endless number of healthcare needs. From primary care to mental health to pharmacy services, telehealth provides a secure connection that can be used to diagnose, guide, and reassure patients.
In some cases, telehealth improves upon the service that can be provided with traditional methods. Patients experiencing limited mobility, such as those recovering from a stroke, can engage in rehabilitation via telehealth without facing the risk of falling that can accompany traveling to onsite appointments. When used for mental health counseling, telehealth removes the stigma that patients can often feel when forced to attend appointments at a mental health facility or psychologist’s office.
While telehealth can significantly enhance the value of healthcare services, the steps providers must take to facilitate it can be challenging. With telehealth partnerships, however, those challenges are much easier to overcome. Telehealth partnerships are a bridge providers can use to connect their patients with services that are secure and effective as well as more convenient, accessible, and affordable.
About Lindsay Dymowski Constantino
Lindsay Dymowski Constantino is the President of Centennial Pharmacy Services, a leading LTC-at-home pharmacy, and co-founder & president of the LTC@Home Pharmacy Companies, emphasizing the provision of long-term care pharmacy services in the home setting. With over 15 years of experience in the pharmacy field and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Lindsay has a deep understanding of what drives successful pharmacies beyond medication dispensing—focusing on supporting organizational goals toward better health outcomes through patient-centric care.
She is passionate about the future of pharmacy in healthcare, has been featured in national media such as U.S. News & World Report, and actively contributes to the field through national conference presentations, media appearances, continuing education programs, and board memberships dedicated to advancing the practice of pharmacy.
