Start with Your Best Foot Forward with This Advice

Telehealth jobs are a driving force in healthcare today. Whether you’ve been asked to join a telehealth team for your provider or you’re ambitious to start a career in telehealth jobs, it’s important you make an impact from day one.

Patients are turning to telehealth services in increasing numbers. The 2020 State of Telemedicine Report from Doximity found that prior to the pandemic, only 14% of Americans had used telehealth. Since the outbreak, 57% of Americans have turned to telehealth. For those with chronic illness, this number rises to 77%.

Before you rush to start a career in telehealth, read this article. You will discover how you can hit the ground running in telehealth jobs, to provide the best patient care and the ultimate work/life balance.

Understand the Importance of Boundaries

Boundaries are essential in telehealth jobs. Though you’ll likely be working from home, you must designate a workspace. This helps you compartmentalize your work life and your home life. It will also ensure that when you’re at work:

• disturbances and distractions are minimalized
• fellow residents understand you can’t be disturbed
• office space can remain organized and tidy
• patients get your full attention

Equally important is that you can close the door on your work life when you’ve finished, and enjoy your home life to avoid burnout.

Get Comfy

We’ve spoken about the importance of boundaries. Now focus on your work arena. It needs to be functional for organization and productivity, as well as comfortable to prevent damning health problems. Items to think about include:

• Technology – monitors, webcams, printers, headsets, Wi-Fi
• Ergonomic furniture – chair, keyboard, mouse
• Lighting
• Décor
• Disturbance eliminators

You can read more about this in our article, ‘The Ultimate Home Office Set-Up for Telehealth Jobs’.

Understand Your Technology and Support Channels

You must understand the platforms and software you are using. If you’re working for multiple healthcare providers, they may use different packages. Don’t make the mistake of simply winging it; you’ll suffer reduced productivity, embarrassing or dangerous blunders, and frustration.

Instead, invest time in learning all the functionalities of the technology you’ll be using, so that you can work effectively. This will also allow you to support and coach patients unfamiliar with technology. Make sure you have support contacts at hand, too.

Obtain Multiple Licenses

The more state licenses you have, the wider the pool of opportunity. Telehealth jobs allow you to provide telehealth services to any state in which you are licensed to practice. Obtaining multiple licenses will make you more valuable to healthcare providers – and improve your earning potential. You’ll also be able to use time zones to improve your work/life balance.

Keep Your Resume Updated

Make it habitual to routinely check your resume. If you obtain a new license or gain further qualifications, expertise, or experience, make sure you add them. Doing so will enhance your ability to land the best telehealth jobs that are suitable for you.

Know How to Maximize Your Earnings and Schedule

Get smart about how you work in telehealth. Different providers pay in different ways. Some per consult, others per hour. Clarify which upon assignment, and make sure they suit your needs and benefit you financially. Check patient volumes you’ll be provided with, particularly if you’re on a per-consult payment scheme.

Also take into consideration your personal life. Work/life balance is crucial to your wellbeing and a productive career. It’s also one of the biggest advantages of a career in telehealth. Think about your home responsibilities or hobbies and how your schedule needs to work around them. This will prevent a stressful working day, and deliver the lifestyle rewards you deserve.

Accelerate Your Success in Telehealth Jobs

Telehealth jobs are highly rewarding. But they’re very different to ‘regular’ healthcare jobs. It would be a mistake to change career paths into telehealth with a nosedive, without considering these points first. When you engrain these tips into your life in telehealth jobs, you thrive as you provide high-quality care to your patients and enjoy a healthy combination of career and lifestyle.

Search our jobs pages to discover some of the best openings in telehealth jobs today.