1. It’s all about the utilization
Telemedicine comes in a lot of shapes and sizes, but the universal truth is that if nobody uses it, then there is no value to the employer or to the employee. It’s a crowded market, but the companies and platforms that deliver the highest utilization will be the cream that rises to the top.
2. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail (to deliver value to your clients)
Utilization doesn’t happen without a strategy. AllyHealth creates a customized plan for each new client to ensure that we can deliver the highest value both during, and long after, launch.
3. Not all telemedicine platforms are created equal
Technology capabilities, number (and quality) of doctors, client success teams, flexibility, responsiveness, service, etc. are all items that can set one vendor apart from another. There are a lot of “fly by night” startups with short term visions out there, and there are also several “800 pound gorilla” vendors who don’t care about their individual clients. We combine the quality of platform of the big guys with the flexibility and service of a company that still thinks and operates like a small guy.
4. Expect growth in the “small group” segment of the market
It’s hard to believe that it’s already nearly the end of January, and 2016 is well underway. We expect to see huge growth this year and in 2017 in the smaller end of the market this year (500 employees and below), as more and more CEOs and business owners start to understand the value proposition of telemedicine.
5. Communication takes teamwork
AllyHealth looks at each client relationship as a partnership. We aim to be the “easy button” for our customers as much as we can, but we also make sure to work together with our clients to ensure that we take advantage of strategies and methods that are unique to each client. Our approach is not a “one size fits all” approach, and this is a subtle, but very important part of how we operate.
6. Many customers tend to focus on cost at the detriment of value
This might sound obvious, but the cheapest option is usually not the best option. This is true in telemedicine and in just about every other aspect of life and business… There are some competitors who offer very low costs for telemedicine (or in some cases, bundle it for free with other services), but then either charge for consultations, or provide little-to-no strategy for driving utilization, or both. See truth # 1 above… I cannot emphasize enough that if nobody uses your telemedicine service, then it’s a waste of time, money, and effort to roll it out in the first place!
7. Value creation cannot stop at launch
We are not a “hit and run” vendor. We do not put resources into helping our clients at launch and then walk away. We take a long term view to our relationships and we monitor each client’s performance against internal benchmarks constantly to make sure that all of our clients are getting maximum value from our programs. At AllyHealth, we recognize that we need to continuously prove our value to our clients, and we promise to do that.
