The pandemic made telemedicine and virtual healthcare a necessity while everyone was taking steps to avoid contracting COVID-19. Healthcare was moving towards a virtual component even before the pandemic, and the crisis merely accelerated the adoption of technology in healthcare communication and treatment.
As a result, telemedicine and virtual healthcare insurance products are being offered by a multitude of providers for a number of reasons. This article is designed to help independent insurance agents gain a better understanding of telemedicine and virtual healthcare and the insurance products they may be marketing to clients.
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What is telemedicine and virtual healthcare, exactly?
Virtual healthcare is often referred to as “telemedicine,” but in reality, telemedicine is just one component of virtual healthcare. Virtual healthcare refers to the delivery of health services with technology. While traditional healthcare occurs in person in an office, hospital, outpatient clinic, and other places, virtual healthcare utilizes smartphones, video, mobile apps, text messaging, and other digital communication platforms to deliver healthcare.
Telemedicine is a component of virtual healthcare and refers to the connection between patient and healthcare provider, often on the telephone, video conferencing, or another communication platform.
Studies suggest that direct-to-consumer pediatric telemedicine has prevented 28% of parents from visiting the ER with their children. This is just one example of how telemedicine has saved patients, providers, and insurance companies money in the past few years.
Virtual healthcare insurance products are becoming more popular
The projected amount of money that telemedicine and virtual healthcare are projected to save is in the billions of dollars per year. The reasons are better management of chronic illnesses, fewer or shorter hospital visits, and stays, and reduced travel times.
Insurance companies are taking notice of these potential cost savings in a big way by offering a wide range of virtual healthcare insurance products. These products require virtual doctor visits first for non-emergency primary care. Private employers are also including virtual healthcare in their employee-based insurance plans.
How independent insurance agents can benefit from the telemedicine boom
Even before the pandemic, 96% of hospitals said they were going to expand their virtual care services in the coming months. Today, Medicare patients can receive authorized telemedicine services at their homes without geographic restrictions. Independent insurance agents need to take note of these changes and incorporate virtual healthcare insurance products into their offerings.
Independent insurance agents should take advantage of the exploding interest in virtual healthcare and create content around the insurance products they offer. Explain to current and potential new clients what telemedicine and virtual healthcare is, the benefits, and the cost-saving opportunity they provide.
An informative website will draw customers to your insurance agency, build credibility for your brand, and establish your business as an authority. Establishing a visible presence online around the topics of telemedicine and virtual healthcare will serve as an effective insurance lead-generation technique. The more comprehensive your approach to marketing, the more opportunities to schedule appointments with people who are interested in the virtual healthcare insurance products you offer.
Conclusion
Telemedicine and virtual healthcare are the future of healthcare in the United States and other countries. The ability for patients to connect with doctors and nurses in the comfort of their own homes has not only improved access to healthcare, but it has improved the effectiveness of healthcare itself.
Insurance agents should take advantage of the interest in virtual healthcare insurance products by adopting a marketing strategy around the topic. Easy Insurance Pro has the tools to help you with content creation and marketing to potential clients. Contact us at 800-327-6623 to set up your free demo today!
