Telehealth optimization tips for family physicians
Practical hacks: Telehealth overview and tips
This article draws from the telehealth episode of AAFP’s Family Medicine Practice Hacks video series.
As telehealth continues to grow, it demands steady refinement for patients and clinicians.
Telehealth has been part of many practices since the 2020 public health emergency. It’s a valuable tool when you shape it to fit your patients, clinicians and goals. Learn tips to help you refine your telehealth program, along with a few practical steps to keep it sustainable.
Tip 1
Understand preferences before you set the schedule
Patient and clinician preferences change. You should reassess your program at least twice a year to ensure you are on target. Decide what fits your practice—dedicated telehealth days, short blocks within clinic sessions or limiting telehealth to specific visit types such as chronic care follow-ups or acute issues. Ask patients about their preferences with a one-question survey at checkout or through your portal. If most prefer in-person care, scale virtual offerings rather than forcing every service into telehealth.
Preparing for a successful virtual visit
Set patients up for success by pairing the right platform with simple prep and clear expectations.
Tip 2
Choose technology your patients can actually use
At scheduling, ask which platform patients prefer and note it in the chart. If someone is new to the platform, have front office staff call beforehand to walk through the log-in process and fix common issues so clinicians can focus on care. Keep a backup plan ready, such as an alternate link or a phone call, in case the video fails.
Technology setup and troubleshooting
Following a few tech setup and troubleshooting steps can help avoid technical hiccups during exams:
Provide a set of basic steps when a patient books a telehealth appointment.
Share a short “test your tech” message when sending a patient their telehealth link.
Run an audio-video check.
Open each visit with a quick rhythm, confirming the patient’s identity, location and consent.
Maintain a simple tip sheet for the problems your patients see most.
Patient preparation and communication
To keep things smooth and clear, here are a few quick steps to set the stage for a virtual visit:
Explain why the visit is virtual, what can and can’t be done and when an in-person visit is needed.
Ask patients to choose a quiet, well-lit space and to have any medications, devices and recent readings handy.
Encourage patients to upload photos or forms through the patient portal before their visit, when helpful.
Enhancing clinical quality in telehealth
Quality in telehealth comes from repeatable habits, including how you observe, what you document and how you follow up. Some key practices include:
Standardize complaint-based checklists and red-flag prompts for remote exams.
Plan each visit by confirming goals, needed data and clear thresholds for escalation.
Use clinical decision support, order sets and templates to reduce variation.
Track and review measures like connection failures, no-shows, conversions to in-person and timely follow-up.
Close the loop on labs, imaging and referrals with assigned owners and due dates.
Conducting effective remote exams
Successful remote exams rely on good visuals, patient-led checks and clear criteria for in-person care. These steps will help you conduct an effective exam:
Coach patients on framing, lighting and camera angles so you can see what you need.
Use simple patient-performed maneuvers when appropriate and incorporate home readings when available.
Set clear thresholds for when to convert to in-person or urgent care.
Documentation and follow-up
To keep documentation complete and follow-up dependable, here are a few quick steps:
Document modality, patient location, consent and exam limits.
Capture history, observable findings, reasoning and the plan.
Close with specific next steps, how to escalate and how to reach your team.
Use quick-texts and templates to keep notes and instructions consistent.
Engaging patients in virtual care
People won’t use what they don’t know about or don’t see as useful.
Tip 3
Market your telehealth services
Let patients know what’s available and when telehealth is a good fit. Add details to your website and portal, include reminders in appointment messages, and post updates on your practice social accounts. Remind patients telehealth helps when they can’t get to the clinic or need to stay home for health reasons.
Improving workflow and team coordination
Smooth virtual sessions come from your team having clear roles and simple, standard steps.
Tip 4
Review and tune your workflow together
For many offices, rapid rollout of telehealth created workarounds that may no longer serve you. Meet as a team to list what works and what needs to change. For virtual-only blocks, pair a medical assistant with the physician to handle check-in, intake, inbox work and close-the-loop calls. Standardize scheduling rules, pre-visit calls, handoffs and post-visit routing. Track a few basics each month, such as no-show rate, failed connections and average visit time, and adjust.
Tip 5
Know your coverage and costs
Whichever way you go—fully virtual blocks, hybrid days or limited visit types—review the costs of your telehealth program to be sure it’s sustainable. Stay current on payer policies for audio-video and audio-only encounters and incorporate these rules into your scheduling and billing processes.