Uniting Specialty Telemedicine on One Platform

The rapid expansion of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic proved its value in maintaining access to care when in-person connections were disrupted. In the years since, however, many hospitals and health systems have added virtual specialty services in a fragmented way — relying on multiple platforms and niche vendors across service lines.

This AHA Market Scan Trailblazers report examines how uniting specialty telemedicine on a single platform can reduce operational complexity, improve clinical workflows and support more sustainable access to specialty care. By consolidating virtual specialty services under one vendor, organizations can streamline administration, strengthen care delivery and better support clinicians and patients alike. 

Havasu Regional Medical Center, a 171-bed community hospital in western Arizona, gradually expanded access to specialty care through virtual services as on-site specialists became harder to recruit and retain. Over time, the organization adopted multiple specialty telemedicine services from different vendors, creating operational complexity for staff.

As its virtual specialty program accelerated, leadership recognized the value of moving toward a single-platform approach. Consolidating specialty telemedicine simplified workflows for nurses, reduced administrative burden and helped keep patients in their community rather than transferring them to distant facilities for care.