Directors of Telehealth

A telehealth system is often introduced to address a problem such as too many hospital readmissions, limited availability of medical services in a rural area, staffing shortages, or the need to reduce business costs. The telehealth coordinator, chief medical officer, director of nursing, information technology (IT) manager, and others establish parameters of how the system will be used to best solve the problem(s). They also establish workflows that define when telehealth should be used, goals to be achieved that show that the new system is addressing the problem(s), and clear assignments of who is responsible for each aspect of the system (such as security, customer service, and software updates). The telehealth coordinator and team meet with telehealth vendors to learn about various systems, then select the best fit for their company’s needs. Then the system is installed, and the director oversees the process and works with the vendor to address technical performance, user experience, and other issues. He or she serves as the subject-matter expert regarding telehealth technology, laws and regulations pertaining to telehealth, and training.

Once the system is installed, the director oversees its daily operation and regular maintenance; works with the IT department to address technical problems, security concerns, or other issues; develops metrics to measure and report progress made toward achieving telehealth goals; prepares weekly or monthly reports on telehealth utilization and other topics; develops or revises telehealth best practices that are used by clinical teams; creates new training programs or improves existing ones; identifies new opportunities for the use of their employer’s telehealth system in local, regional, and national markets; and stays abreast of changes in government regulations on telehealth.