Health ITVirtual Primary Care is the New Normal: Here’s Why

Before the pandemic, primary care was mainly physical. You had to schedule a consultation with your care team and wait for the “right time” to access the needed care.

Post-pandemic, a lot of that has changed. More people are now turning to virtual primary care to receive the treatments they deserve within a reasonable time frame. Studies show that virtual care accounted for over 70% of consultations in 2020.

Patients and physicians no longer consider virtual care as only relevant for urgent critical care. More caregivers and consumers are turning to VPC to make up for areas where traditional primary care falls short. No doubt, this care model is the new normal.

But why is there a sudden preference for virtual care over the standard care model?  And what are the perks that come with a virtual care model? Read on to discover the answers to these questions and what you can gain by transitioning to this care model.

What Is Virtual Primary Care?

Virtual primary care is a hybrid model of care delivery that enables you to access your primary care physician in person or virtually, depending on your needs. This model enables you to consult with real-life primary care physicians from anywhere and anytime.

The VPC setting allows providers to render personalized digital care based on the patient’s needs. As opposed to the one-off consultations in telehealth, VPC enables you to connect with your physicians and enjoy all the perks of traditional primary care.

Effective VPC ensures a smooth transition between in-person and virtual treatments. It allows the seamless connection between different vital members of the care team; physicians, specialists, and related care providers.

Virtual Primary Care Models

Virtual care comes majorly in two mainly two forms:

• Telehealth: the use of visual methods such as video visits to provide timely care
• Asynchronous care: this is the use of text and other forms of virtual contact to monitor and manage patients

The Need for Virtual Primary Care

Undoubtedly, the pandemic has proved the need for a more sustainable care delivery system that centers around responsiveness and continuity of care.

In standard primary care, patients must choose between waiting long hours to see their desired care provider or seeing a different caregiver outside their care team on time.

The traditional approach to delivering primary care doesn’t work for all, and it comes short in many areas. Standard primary care is inefficient due to these reasons:

• Geographic Restrictions
• Delay in care deliver
• Lack of care continuity

Geographic Restrictions

Due to the shortage of primary care physicians in some areas, people must schedule consultations days ahead to access direct care.  The hassle of scheduling consultations and then waiting to access treatment hinders the flow of care delivery.

Aside, the need for walk-ins and in-person consultations before addressing minor health issues could discourage people from seeking the necessary care. So, many people choose virtual care as their go-to option to bypass these geographic limitations.

Delay in Care Delivery

The average wait time for a primary care physician is around 30 days, and if you need to switch physicians, you must wait longer than expected.

This delay in traditional care delivery is not sustainable for most people, leading to many avoiding consultations or scheduling care appointments. Hence, there’s a need for a more time-conscious approach to care delivery, and virtual care is an efficient substitute.

Lack of Continuity of Care

Standard primary care struggles to balance continuous care with its ever-increasing workload.  Several factors affect the continuity of care, such as the decrease in primary care physicians and the change in health insurance.

Limiting care only to hospital visits and consultations has negative financial impacts down the line. Research shows the lack of continuous patient care results in higher post-discharge fees and readmission rates.

Thus, there’s a great need for a care model that prioritizes continuous care delivery and a seamless transition of care from the hospital and back to the community.

What Are the Benefits of Virtual Primary Care?

The level of satisfaction people get from digital care is promising. The spike in its usage proves that there are several perks that this model of care offers. Here are some of the most significant benefits of virtual primary care:

Direct Access to Care Team

Digital care enables you to seek in-person treatment anywhere and whenever needed. The flexibility of remote care makes it possible for providers to access patients’ living conditions and make clinical decisions that could have a profound impact on their lives.

Virtual primary care gives customers 24/7 access to care from a team who knows them. This level of accessibility and control is crucial to creating a sustainable healthcare system for patients and physicians.

Continuous Contact

In the virtual care setting, providers can deliver continuous care without hassle. Physicians can schedule regular checkups on patients to track their recovery after consultations.

Physicians can keep a close eye on their patients long after their last consultation using various digital tools for telehealth and asynchronous care.

Wearables allow care providers to continuously measure data such as pulse, heart rates, blood pressure, and heart rhythms. This continuous approach will give physicians more data to rely on and make accurate clinical decisions.

Decreased Cost of Care

Traditional primary care is known for prolonging care delivery. This delay could result in severe health complications, longer admission times, increased testing, and prolonged hospital stay.

Delaying treatment increases the long-term costs of treatment. A 2020 study reveals that the total cost of care increased by around 11% for any additional factors causing the delay during the pandemic.

VPC lowers health plans and fosters fast access to care regularly. Virtual care plans depend on what an individual is willing to pay or the cost of a family package. Most virtual consultations without insurance cost less than corresponding physical visits.

Patients also have a wide range of healthcare options, reducing the pressure of choosing only certain care providers, perhaps due to geographical limitations. This availability of choices enables customers to select the most cost-effective provider.

Embracing the New Normal

Virtual care is gaining ground and is here to stay. The flexible delivery model makes up for several areas where traditional primary care could be more efficient. Digital care ensures easy and continuous access to the care team and low cost of treatment.

In the coming years, more people will transition into virtual primary care. With more telehealth solutions, wearables, and digital health technologies, quality care will extend far beyond the four walls of the consulting room. Now is the best time to embrace this change.

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