Following the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth implementation has become a standard part of health care. In 2019, only 16% of primary care physicians used telemedicine, but by 2021, that number jumped up to over 80% (National Health Statistics Report, 2024).
This transformation in health care delivery has helped providers reach underserved and rural patient populations, as well as make their practices more accessible to disabled patients. Along with this, telehealth services also make it more affordable for providers to begin their own practices. In this article, we’ll explore the best strategies for effective telehealth implementation for cognitive and mental health care.
Why Implement Telehealth into Your Practice?
Before the COVID-19 pandemic even began, one analysis of a behavioral health program delivered via telemedicine demonstrated wider reach, high patient satisfaction, and significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (Dent et al., 2018).
Telehealth isn’t a “good enough” method of delivering healthcare, it has its own unique benefits for patients and providers. It provides comparable health outcomes to traditional healthcare methods, improves access to care, increases patient engagement, saves costs, and reduces administrative burden on providers.
Even more importantly, telemedicine isn’t going away. One Canadian study of primary care doctors found that 96% of respondents offered some sort of virtual care as of 2020 (Patterson et. al, 2022). Delivering telehealth services keeps your clinic up to date with what patients expect out of primary care providers.
8 Proven Benefits of Delivering Telehealth Services
While COVID-19 was a key factor in the rise of telemedicine, that doesn’t mean it’s going away any time soon. Here are 8 benefits of continuing to include telemedicine services in primary care.
1. Better Quality Patient Care
In the first half of 2020, 67% of patients at Penn Medicine reported that they considered their telehealth appointment to be “as good or better” than a standard in-person visit. (Shaver, 2022). Rather than scheduling multiple in-person appointments that may require wait times, patients can quickly follow up on test results with their providers over the phone.
Health care providers utilize telehealth to enhance patient care by increasing continuity of care and improving access to services.
Telemedicine improves the quality of patients’ care, especially when treating chronic conditions such as diabetes (Ezeamii et. al, 2024). For patients who are immunocompromised, coming into in-person offices can increase the likelihood of contracting new illnesses in waiting rooms. While there are some concerns that require being seen in-person, identifying opportunities for virtual care can improve the patient experience as well as health outcomes, and enhance patient satisfaction.
Along with this, telehealth tools that integrate with patients’ electronic health records, such as cognitive screens from Creyos, improve care coordination between healthcare providers.
2. Opportunities for Remote Patient Monitoring Devices
Healthcare technology is evolving every day, and plays a role in the operation of most healthcare practices. For example, remote patient monitoring devices, such as glucose meters and heart rate monitors, facilitate healthcare delivery when patients and providers are not in the same physical location.
According to Deloitte, as of 2018 the majority of consumers were willing to share information collected via wearables, digital scales, and other remote patient monitoring tools with their doctor. This can improve patient engagement, and encourage them to take an active role in their healthcare.
Online cognitive testing that can be completed in a patient’s home is another way to complete a remote evaluation of patient health. With reports that automatically upload to patients’ health records, providers can track objective trends in their cognitive health data over time.
3. Improved Population Health
Telehealth implementation is a key factor in promoting health equity and delivering necessary health services to marginalized patients, as well as patients who live in more rural areas. For example, while 20% of Americans live in rural areas, only one-tenth of primary care providers practice there (Nielsen et. al, 2017).
This challenge extends beyond the United States. For example, in Nunavut, up to 40% of the territory’s annual health budget is spent on medical travel and accommodation (Jong, Mendez, and Jong, 2019). Travel-based barriers to care can result in financial burden, stress and anxiety, and feelings of isolation in many Indigenous patients, who also report high degrees of health care discrimination (Ngyuen et. al, 2020).
While COVID-19 emphasized the need to reach patients at home, many disabled patients already lived—and continue to live—with that need. Telehealth implementation supports patients with mobility challenges, mental illness, and cognitive health disabilities that make independent transportation unsafe.
4. Increased Patient Engagement
Because most medicine is currently crisis-based, many patients only seek treatment when they are very sick (Taber et. al, 2014). Telemedicine lowers the barrier to quick, regular check-ins, and can catch problems before they become emergencies.
This is especially useful when:
- Treatment or consultation only requires a conversation
- Objective health data is being collected directly
- There’s no clear advantage to seeing patients in person
Some patients may simply be more comfortable in their home setting, and might be more likely to share their medical history and current needs. In combination with objective measurement tools such as wearable devices and cognitive screens, providers can deliver personalized medicine without relying on in-person appointments.
When Medcan introduced routine cognitive assessments from Creyos, the same-day assessment results cut out the need for long, stressful evaluations, and gave patients more time to share their personal stories, needs, and preferences.
4. Reduced Costs for Providers
Many healthcare providers find that telemedicine reduces long-term costs in their practices. There may be capital costs, such as new technology infrastructure, equipment, and training, but these often pay for themselves quickly in a well-managed telemedicine plan.
In one recent survey, 69% of organizations surveyed realized cost savings from telemedicine services, and 29% of them generated savings of 20% or more (Pearl and Wayling, 2022).
Sources of these cost reductions include:
- Fewer cancellations
- Fewer readmissions
- Less need for expanding physical space
- Reduced need to hire new staff
These cost savings for healthcare providers do not come at the expense of patients. In fact, they benefit from reduced travel costs, parking, and time off work for appointments—all factors which may prevent some patients from seeking treatment.
5. Increased Revenue and Additional Services
While shifting current in-person offerings to the telehealth model won’t increase revenue, telehealth programs give providers the opportunity to reimburse for multiple services per appointment. For example, if a patient completes multiple cognitive and mental health screens from home, providers can bill for each of these services.
Reducing the time these assessments require opens up space for providers to take on more patients, which offers opportunity for further revenue. As dementia numbers rise, there are an expected 13 million Americans who will need cognitive healthcare by 2050 (Alzheimer’s Association). Preparing to offer these services both through telemedicine and in-person appointments will help providers keep their practices financially stable without drowning in administrative overwhelm.
6. Less Administrative Burden
Along with financial savings, the automated elements of telemedicine have the benefit of saving physicians, health care staff, and patients time. Administrative burden takes up a significant portion of primary care physicians’ time, taking an average of 19 hours a week for Canadian providers in Ontario (Ontario College of Family Physicians, 2024).
Implementing telehealth offers ways to ease this problem, including:
- Self-service scheduling portals that let patients book, modify, and cancel appointments
- Automated reminders that reduce no-shows by 25–30% (Kenniff and Ginat, 2023).
- Fewer misunderstandings due to human error, such as verbal misunderstandings or transcription mistakes
- Care-coordination simplification across integrated health systems
- Automatically integrated reports of patients’ assessment results
7. Support for an Overtaxed Mental Health System
In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression increased by 25% worldwide (World Health Organization). Loneliness, fear of the disease, personal grief, and financial worries played a major role in this public health crisis, and while the economy has opened back up, the long-term effects of this global trauma are still visible.
This has led to major burnout among healthcare workers, and led to a mass exodus in the field. By August of 2021, over 230,000 physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians had quit their jobs (Mensik, 2022). As a result, staff shortages prior to the pandemic have escalated further, putting more strain on providers, patients, and the healthcare system.
Again, rural communities have been hit hardest by this crisis. As of September 2024, almost 62% of Mental Health Professional Shortage areas were rural (Rural Health Information Hub).
Implementing telehealth allows providers to deliver rapid, scientifically-backed mental health screens to patients’ homes, reducing the need for referrals and allowing patients to access care more urgently—without additional administrative burden for providers.
Key Considerations When Implementing Telehealth
There are a few logistical steps to take before incorporating telemedicine into your clinical practice, including:
Determine Compliance Requirements
Prior to implementation telehealth services, do some research on state and federal compliance requirements including:
- HIPAA compliance. Compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) telehealth regulations ensures privacy and security of patient information in telehealth encounters.
- Insurance coverage and reimbursement. It is crucial to ensure appropriate health insurance coverage for telehealth encounters, as clear guidelines from insurance carriers can impact reimbursement and coverage options for both healthcare providers and patients. Providers should verify coverage differences between virtual and in-person visits as per their state regulations.
- Professional liability insurance. Consult with your insurance broker before offering telemedicine services, particularly if treating patients across state lines. Liability laws vary by state and may impact your insurance rates and coverage requirements.
- State-specific licensing. Each state or country has distinct licensing requirements for telemedicine. Providers should check with the relevant medical board to ensure compliance, including whether they can treat new patients remotely or only existing ones.
- Legal considerations. Federal and state laws govern telemedicine practices, including healthcare delivery and patient data management. The American Telemedicine Association provides resources about local policies for United States-based practitioners, including a list of state laws and reimbursement policies.
Update Technology Infrastructure
There are two methods of delivering telemedicine services to patients:
- Synchronous delivery: This refers to real-time, two-way telehealth delivery through video conferences and phone calls. A secure internet connection and private space help you practice telehealth without compromising patient safety or medical data.
- Asynchronous delivery: This refers to scheduling tools, health data reports, and data from remote healthcare devices. Be sure to evaluate equipment readiness in your office so your new tools don’t cause additional frustration.
Before implementing a telehealth program, it is important to conduct thorough resource assessments to ensure that the necessary technology is in place. These assessments evaluate equipment readiness, internet connectivity, and compliance with legal and ethical standards for delivering telehealth services.
At the start of 2025, just under 68% of the world’s total population are estimated to have access to the internet, with mobile phones accounting for 56.8% of internet use and 63% of web traffic (Datareportal). Secure, user-friendly telehealth tools should be accessible for most patients, and allow them to engage with their healthcare from home.
Develop a Reimbursement Plan
Staying informed about current regulations and reimbursement policies is key to optimizing billing and maintaining financial health in a telemedicine practice.
By 2017, 48 state Medicaid programs covered synchronous telehealth, and COVID-19 led to expanded federal and state guidelines (American Psychiatric Association). Many services that were once restricted to rural areas can now be provided anywhere, often reimbursed at the same rate as in-person visits.
Fortunately, there are many resources for understanding reimbursement. The Center for Connected Health Policy tracks state laws and policies, while Aetna provides a list of approved behavioral health telemedicine services and their CPT-Codes.
The Future of Telehealth Services
As the need for telemedicine continues to rise, patients and providers can only benefit from its inclusion in physician practices. Choosing effective tools and determining the best strategies for your practice’s workflow can help reduce administrative burden while delivering high quality care to your patients.
Looking for a way to implement telehealth into your cognitive care services? Contact Creyos today to learn about our suite of mental, behavioral, and cognitive health assessments that can be delivered virtually or in-person.
Updated: March 11, 2025