10 Ways a Therapy Clinic Can Benefit From Teletherapy Certification

Therapy clinics have a lot to gain from embracing teletherapy, and teletherapy certification can help them to learn all they need and show that to their peers and the parents of their patients. The healthcare industry is changing quicker than ever with the prevalence of COVID-19, forcing many therapists and patients alike to try out teletherapy for extended periods whether they wanted to or not.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic having already set the stage for a massive increase in telehealth consults, the research firm sees an even bigger future – as demand for one-stop virtual visits and remote patient monitoring grows as much as seven-fold.”- Healthcare IT News

Another survey found that two-thirds of patients are more willing to do virtual care since the start of the pandemic. 

A number of stakeholders and healthcare practitioners alike may not understand the differences between administering telehealth and regular in-person visits:

  • “Victor Camlek, healthcare principal analyst at Frost & Sullivan, noted that more education regarding telehealth is still necessary. “Many people use the terms ‘telehealth’ or ‘telemedicine’ without understanding the ecosystem that is involved.“- Victor Camlek, healthcare principal analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

The reality is that being forced to exclusively offer virtual therapy services is just an outbreak away in this new reality we live in. Whether you are an individual therapist wanting to make sure that you can maintain continuity of services with your clients or the owner of a practice looking to ensure that all of your therapists can continue to provide therapy, having a solid foundation in telepractice is a must moving forward.

In these increasingly uncertain times, this will help both therapists to maintain their caseloads and employment, maintain consistent revenue for the clinic, and maintain the gains and outcomes for all the patients who would otherwise quickly fall behind.

Therapists are well aware how quickly therapy gains are lost, so maintaining services despite what the future brings is going to be essential for the development of many of these children.

TeleHealth Industry at $6 Billion – May Reach $20+ billion by 2025

As of 2018, telehealth was a $6 billion dollar industry, and a 2018 estimate is that it will reach $20 billion dollars by 2025

Technological advancements are encouraging SLPs and OTs to look at how they provide their services in a new way and with COVID-19, virtual care has become an essential model to incorporate in order to continue reaching clients.

Due to COVID-19, less than 27 percent of therapists’ services are able to be delivered. However, a significant 78 percent of patients embrace virtual services. Currently, there is a large gap between patients who are looking for virtual care options and therapists who are providing these services. 

What is Telepractice Certification?

Receiving a telepractice certification is useful for SLPs and OTs who wish to provide teletherapy services. While providing virtual services is definitely doable, there are learning curves and constantly evolving technology that SLPs and OTs need to have experience with to achieve optimal outcomes for their clients.

A telepractice certification ensures that healthcare professionals will understand best practices and have the ability to provide high-quality care via teletherapy. They will be prepared to face obstacles and be able to utilize online materials so that clients may experience treatment that is just as effective as in-person care, if not more. 

Telepractice Certification Benefits for Therapy Clinics

Mother-helping-son-at-home-during-teletherapy-with-speech-language-pathologists-during-telepracticeThose who are proactive in the telepractice space are not only standing out as leaders in the healthcare industry, but they are also getting a leg up on competition. The future of healthcare rests heavily on technology. With packed schedules and fast-paced lives, patients are seeking the most convenient ways to receive quality care. It is up to healthcare professionals to adapt to the current climate in order to meet the demand of the market.

Here are 11 reasons telepractice certification is highly beneficial for therapy clinics.

1. A Confident, Capable Staff

Learning how to use new technology and connecting with clients virtually can seem intimidating at first. For many established and experienced therapists, this might be what is holding them back from incorporating teletherapy into their clinic. Undergoing a telepractice certification ensures that you and your staff will feel confident conducting teletherapy sessions and will know exactly how to operate the necessary equipment and technology. Telepractice certification can also be platform agnostic, so the skills and techniques your staff learns can be applied to any teletherapy or conferencing platform.

2. Attract New Clientele

Being certified in telepractice opens many opportunities when it comes to building up new clientele. Since so many people are looking for the quickest, most convenient way to receive care, having a telepractice option within your clinic is essential when it comes to meeting this demand. 

3. Increase the Credibility of Your Clinic

Teletherapy has been around since the 1990s, but many are just now understanding the importance of incorporating it into their clinics. Having the ability to show current and potential patients that your clinic is certified will communicate to them that your staff is well-equipped and knows how to get the best outcomes using teletherapy. This increases credibility and trust, positively impacting your clinic’s reputation and business growth.

4. Differentiate Yourself – Enhance Your USP

Your USP, or Unique Selling Proposition, is an important component of your business that defines what makes you different from your competitors. In other words, why should a patient choose your clinic or services over another one?

If you haven’t thought much about your USP, now is the time – and a telepractice certification can help. Not only does this certification give your clinic more credibility and expertise in teletherapy, but it also signifies your additional expertise and commitment to quality service. It can be communicated to your clients that having an efficient telepractice allows clinicians to accommodate parents who have busy schedules and need to reduce their travel time or who are only available after 5pm, or other unique needs.  

5. Get More Out of Parent & Facilitator Relationships 

For OTs and SLPs, having a strong relationship with parents and facilitators can be extremely important and play a big role in the patient’s success. Teletherapy is a great way to involve parents and facilitators in the patient’s progress in a hands-on way. A telepractice certification will allow your clinic to know exactly how to support parents and facilitators and how to make the most out of your sessions.

6. Remain HIPAA Compliant

Venturing out into teletherapy can feel daunting because you want to make sure you are remaining compliant and doing it the right way. A telepractice certification will give you peace of mind and ensure your practice is HIPAA compliant, along with staying compliant with IDEA, Section 504, and ADA requirements. There’s no need to stress and wonder if you are following regulations and protocols. A certification takes the guesswork out of the process so you can solely focus on providing the most optimal care possible. 

7. Reduce Your Clinic’s Overhead

Having a physical office space is expensive enough. Filling that office space with clinicians adds to expenses and any goal regarding team expansion also comes with new expenses to accommodate more staff in your clinic. Having a telepractice enables clinicians to work even when they are not physically there. This gives clinics the opportunity to grow their staff and offer more flexible operating hours to patients without needing to have each clinician in office during those times. This can drastically reduce overhead costs and can also encourage staff development with lower costs. 

8. Serve New Populations

When your clinic is certified in telepractice, it gives you the ability to serve populations you wouldn’t otherwise have access to. This can include serving individuals who are located in rural, underserved areas and patients who have disabilities or are unable to travel. Being able to connect with these populations not only increases your clientele, but it expands the awareness of your clinic and enables you and your team to have a greater impact on more lives.

9. Access to New Materials & Resources

Telepractice certification provides the latest training in teletherapy and gives access to effective, interactive materials and internet resources to be used during sessions. With so many available materials online, it can feel overwhelming to plan sessions and know which materials to use. The certification ensures that you will feel confident of your materials and will be able to easily identify which ones will be most effective for your patients. 

10. Improve Communication & Outcomes

Overall, telepractice certification ensures each staff member will improve their communication skills when it comes to interactions with their patients, colleagues, and facilitators. The ease of communication helps to result in better outcomes and the most efficient virtual service possible.

Meet the Demands of Patients

The teletherapy model isn’t going anywhere and with virtual care becoming more and more sought after by patients, therapy clinics that wish to stay competitive should take it seriously. A telepractice certification allows the transition into providing virtual care to be simplified and done properly. 

If you are interested in receiving a telepractice certification, click here to find out more.

Take advantage of the opportunity that will allow your clinic to stand out in a competitive market and expand your reach to have the greatest possible impact.

Learn More About Telepractice Certification



Share:
0
  Related Posts
  • No related posts found.