Bridging the Telehealth Digital Divide

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced industries across the spectrum to quickly alter their business models, which meant that the need for accelerated digital transformations was higher than ever before. The healthcare industry was no exception, but how we access medical care has been undergoing a transformation for years thanks to the evolution of telehealth. Heather Cox is the Chief Digital Health and Analytics Officer at Humana, and on this episode of IT Visionaries, she touches on how health care providers across the industry have adapted to an altered landscape, and she dives into the benefits telehealth is providing patients in the midst of a pandemic.

Key Takeaways

Response Matters: When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Healthcare providers were forced to shift basic visits with their primary care physician’s online. Overnight, Humana went from seeing less than 1% of its visits occur via telehealth to nearly 32% at its peak. To meet that demand, it was critical to have a working full-stack relationship in order to respond when unforeseen issues arose. Customers Come First: Regardless of whether you are in healthcare or fintech, one basic principle still applies: the customer always comes first. To meet this guiding principle you must follow a few main pillars, including making sure the process is as seamless for the consumer as possible and making sure the experience is enjoyable. Minding the Gap: One of the biggest areas of concern when it comes to telehealth is that a massive portion of the population still does not have access to broadband internet or connected devices. In order for telehealth to continue to see substantial growth, that gap needs to be closed.

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