As a medical provider during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to consider ways to make your practice thrive despite the unfortunate circumstances. The value of technology is everlasting, and virtual sleep centers are a way to move sleep testing from labs into homes. Even after stay-at-home orders are lifted around the country, virtual sleep centers will still be valuable for both providers and patients. Providers will have more flexibility with staffing, while also improving continuous care for patients. Meanwhile, since the process is simpler for patients than in-person testing, virtual sleep centers make it easier to get a diagnosis for sleep disorders.
Benefits of Virtual Sleep Centers for Providers
Providers benefit greatly from frequent communication with patients, enhancing end-to-end care. Seamless technology allows providers to stay in touch digitally and address questions and concerns in a timely manner. Communication between patients and providers will continue to improve in the future due to telemedicine technologies.
Improve the Patient Experience with a VSC
Patients are generally more comfortable taking tests from their own home. The process is less time consuming than an office visit, especially for patients in rural areas. A virtual sleep center eliminates the need for a patient to spend hours driving to a lab for testing and days, or possibly weeks, waiting for test results. As a result of this, patients are more likely to be satisfied with the procedure of having a sleep test performed at home. Receiving a diagnosis in a timely and cost efficient manner is an asset for both patients and providers. If follow-up care is necessary, providers will be able to communicate with their patients more often and more efficiently through a virtual platform.
Future Requirements for Virtual Sleep Centers
As more medical providers are migrating to virtual sleep centers, it is necessary to stay up to date with the latest technology. Integration with electronic medical record software is an important component. As more providers switch to electronic records in the future, having a system in place will be useful for diagnosing sleep disorders virtually. Practices are better prepared to handle issues that may arise in the future by embracing technology and using virtual methods to aid in providing healthcare. For example, providers with an electronic medical record system and virtual sleep testing capabilities are in a better position to succeed during the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic and after it has passed.
Expand Your Practice with a VSC
As time goes on and standards change, the healthcare industry needs to continue growing and adapting. To limit the spread of COVID-19, sanitizing medical devices is more important than ever. As a result, home sleep tests with disposable sensors are an extremely valuable asset for both providers and patients. DreamClear provides disposable sensors and an easy-to-use unit that is shipped back to be properly sanitized when testing is complete. This eliminates the need for patients and providers to sanitize their own equipment, since sensors are disposed of and the REMware team takes care of the rest after the unit is returned. To learn more about using DreamClear to provide end-to-end care at home for your patients, schedule a demo with a member of our team today.