As the spread of the novel coronavirus has transformed the world over the past few months, the way we view the health care system has been altered forever. For example, many providers are now relying heavily on remote appointments to ensure that patients with non-emergency symptoms are treated without exposing themselves or others to the virus.

While much of the United States is only just finding out about how great telehealth can be, this tool has been helping employers and employees receive high-quality, low-cost health care for years. If you're still unsure about implementing telehealth into your own benefits plan or just want to know more about how it can impact your employees for the better, consider how this tool can be of particular importance during the time of COVID-19:

Staying safe while getting treatment

Spending time in a waiting room full of sick people when you only have a minor ailment is never desirable, but during a time like this, it's even riskier. Many providers are now offering telehealth options to keep both patients and doctors safe, and if your plan already includes remote treatment opportunities, your employees may already be familiar and comfortable with communicating with their doctor from a distance.

By including telehealth in your benefits plan, your employees can accomplish much of the health care process while practicing social distancing, including:

Diagnosis
Prescription
After-care

Reducing the necessary amount of time spent out of home receiving care can help keep your employees from getting seriously ill or infecting others.

Peace of mind for the family

Your workers may have other people in their life who need care during this time. Imagine this scenario: your employee is working from home while their partner, who has been deemed "essential," is still going to work and having to interact with other people face-to-face. One of your employee's two young children gets sick enough to raise concern. Without telehealth, your employee has to go to the doctor with both of their kids, risking the health of their family, the medical staff, other patients, and everyone their spouse interacts with at work.

With telehealth, however, your employee can have a remote video call with their child's doctor without even needing to get their kids in the car. With their whole family covered, no one has to worry that they'll be exposing their family members to all the germs that can be found in a doctor's office.

Saving money when it matters most

Telehealth isn't just convenient – it's a far less expensive way to get high-quality care for minor ailments and illnesses. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reports that telehealth visits can cost just $45 for non-emergency calls compared to $160 at an urgent care center.

As money grows tight or becomes a concern for workers during this uncertain time, these savings will mean that much more to your employees. The last thing you want your workers to have to worry about right now is how they could afford their care if they got sick, and including telehealth tools in your plan can help reduce their financial stress.

High-quality care from a distance

Seeing a doctor face to face can be necessary sometimes, but in many other minor medical situations, a remote appointment can make a stressful time a bit easier for your employees. By keeping your workers safe, protecting their families, and saving them money, including a telehealth option in your benefits plan can be imperative in helping your workforce through the coronavirus pandemic.

Jim Blachek flipped his traditional brokerage model in 2017 to focus solely on consulting and building value based health plans. In 2019 he co-founded a consulting only firm Dynamic Benefit Solutions and founded Local Script a transparent pharmacy and marketing organization focused on reducing employer and employee costs while supporting the local community.

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How the digital tools in your plan can ease employees' coronavirus concerns

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