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Month: September 2025

A Step-by-Step Guide to Scaling Virtual Care for Your Practice

Hari Prasad, Founder and CEO of Yosi Health

Virtual care is transforming the way healthcare is delivered, enabling practices to reach patients well beyond the confines of the traditional exam room. From routine follow‑ups and chronic disease management to behavioral health consultations and medication reviews, telehealth offers flexibility and convenience. Yet, successfully integrating virtual care into an established practice demands more than simply flipping on a webcam; it requires planning, targeted execution, and ongoing evaluation.

One prudent step when starting out is to pilot only one or two services at a time. Rather than attempting a broad, practice‑wide rollout, identify two areas where virtual care offers the most immediate value – perhaps medication management or post‑operative wound checks. 

By focusing on a limited scope, teams can closely monitor key metrics: patient satisfaction scores, no‑show rates, time‑to‑complete visits, and return on investment. Early pilots help identify workflow bottlenecks – such as scheduling conflicts or billing issues – before they scale into larger challenges. As the practice becomes comfortable with the technology and processes, additional services can be layered in. This incremental approach minimizes disruption, ensures quality of care, and provides concrete data to support future expansion decisions.

Additionally, central to any virtual care initiative is the training and upskilling of current staff. Telehealth demands a different set of competencies than in‑person care: mastering video‑visit etiquette, recognizing the limitations of remote physical examinations, and understanding the legal and regulatory frameworks governing telehealth diagnoses and documentation. 

Physicians and nurse practitioners may pursue telehealth certification programs offered by professional associations, while administrative teams should receive hands‑on instruction in patient onboarding, troubleshooting connectivity issues, and managing virtual waiting rooms. Well‑trained staff are more confident and efficient, which translates to a smoother patient experience and greater clinician satisfaction. Equally important is establishing clear protocols for triaging patients to virtual versus in‑person visits, ensuring that clinical judgment guides the mode of care rather than technological capability alone.

Selecting the right technology partner can make or break a virtual care program. Practices should look for platforms that integrate seamlessly with existing electronic health records (EHRs), scheduling systems, and billing workflows. 

A best‑in‑class virtual care solution doesn’t just enable video visits; it automates intake forms, verifies insurance eligibility in real time, and securely collects patient payments when applicable. As virtual care offerings mature, the practice will want to add services – telemonitoring for chronic disease, secure messaging for asynchronous consultations, or remote specialty referral networks – without having to rebuild the technology stack. Choosing an expandable, API‑driven solution reduces integration headaches and future friction. For example, practices leveraging a modular platform can enable pre‑visit digital intake and payment collection today, then activate remote monitoring modules or patient‑generated health data dashboards as practice needs evolve.

Beyond technology and training, successful virtual care hinges on clear communication and patient engagement. Patients must understand how to schedule and join a virtual visit, what to expect during the encounter, and how follow‑up care will be coordinated. Practices can deploy multi‑channel reminders (text messages, emails, and phone calls) that include simple, step‑by‑step instructions. For patients who lack reliable internet access or are uncomfortable with technology, telephone visits or guided walk‑throughs can bridge the gap. Collecting routine feedback, through brief post‑visit surveys, helps identify pain points, whether they stem from technical glitches, audio/video quality, or unclear instructions. By incorporating patient feedback, practices can refine workflows and facilitate adoption.

Financial considerations also play a critical role in virtual care deployment. Practices should confirm payer policies for telehealth reimbursement, understanding which services qualify, and what documentation is required. Where reimbursement is limited, practices may bundle services or implement point‑of‑service collection of copays and deductibles.

 Digital platforms that present cost estimates at scheduling can reduce surprise bills and build trust. Moreover, tracking the return on investment, comparing the cost savings from reduced no‑shows for instance, provides the data needed to justify continued investment and expansion.

Finally, practices must stay agile and forward‑looking. Virtual care is not a one‑time project but an ongoing evolution. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence for triage, remote physiologic monitoring for home‑based care, and integrated care pathways connecting primary care to specialists, will further expand the virtual care frontier. Practices that cultivate a culture of innovation and continuous learning will be best positioned to adapt. Regularly convening cross‑functional teams to review performance metrics, explore new use cases, and share learnings accelerates progress and fosters collaboration.

The journey to a robust virtual care practice is paved with strategic pilots, comprehensive training, flexible technology, proactive patient engagement, and vigilant evaluation. By starting small, equipping staff for success, and selecting an expandable platform that grows with practice needs, healthcare organizations can unlock the full potential of virtual care, delivering high‑quality, efficient services that meet patients where they are, today and well into the future.

About Hari Prasad 

Hari Prasad is pioneering the modernization of the entire healthcare patient experience.  He is co-founder and CEO of Yosi Health, a full-service technology ecosystem that connects patients with their providers through the entire care journey before, during and after the visit creating delightful patient experiences.

Yosi Health – Security Risks in Healthcare Data Management Systems

Enhance your medical team’s privacy with HIPAA-compliant texting software. Boost communication efficiency while safeguarding patient information with Yosi Health.

Introduction

Keeping up with messages across a medical office isn’t always easy. With schedules packed and patient needs constantly shifting, quick communication between staff members can make a major difference. But when that communication involves patient details, privacy has to come first. An off-the-cuff text in the wrong group thread could easily turn into a serious issue.

That’s where secure messaging tools come in. Using a setup that follows HIPAA rules helps teams communicate clearly without putting protected health information at risk. Whether it’s reminding a nurse of a bed change, asking a doctor about a medication order, or coordinating breaks, group messaging done right can support a smoother workday for everyone.

Understanding HIPAA Compliance for Text Messaging

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It sets rules about how patient health data is handled, stored, and shared. That includes text messages between staff. If a message includes patient info like a name, test result, or room number, it falls under those rules.

Traditional texting apps don’t usually meet HIPAA standards. Messages sent this way can be too easy to intercept, may be saved on unsecure devices, or seen by the wrong person. HIPAA-compliant texting software gives healthcare teams tools that protect how messages are sent and received.

Here are some helpful features found in strong HIPAA-compliant platforms:

– End-to-end encryption: This makes sure only the sender and receiver can read the message.

– Login security: Staff must log in using passwords and sometimes multi-factor checks.

– Access controls: Only approved team members can join message threads.

– Auto-logoff: If the app is left open too long, it logs out automatically.

– No media storage: Messages and pictures sent through the app won’t save on the phone or in the photo gallery.

The main goal is to allow fast conversations without losing track of security. For example, if a doctor needs to send a quick update about a prescription change, an encrypted messaging app ensures only the right staff will see it—even if the phone gets misplaced.

Choosing the right texting platform isn’t just about what works fastest. It also has to protect every message from being seen or shared outside the team. Tools with built-in privacy settings let staff share what they need to without risking any sensitive data.

Setting Up Secure Group Messages

Getting started with secure group messaging doesn’t have to be time-consuming. A little planning can help make communication more reliable across your entire practice. With the right tool and a few setup decisions, teams can stay productive while protecting patient details.

Here’s a simple way to set things up:

1. Pick a HIPAA-compliant texting platform that fits your team’s day-to-day process.

2. Create specific message groups such as “front desk,” “exam room staff,” or “evening providers.”

3. Define who belongs in each group and choose who can send or view messages.

4. Train everyone. Make sure your team knows the rules and how to keep messages compliant.

5. Test it out. Try sending messages for normal updates like patient room changes or schedule notes.

6. Customize alert settings if needed. You might want to limit notifications to working hours or block message forwarding.

Imagine a nurse sending a secure update that supplies are low to the evening shift team. That one message goes to everyone who needs to know, and nothing slips through the cracks.

Still, speed isn’t the only thing that matters. Privacy guidelines must stay front and center. Confidential details should only be included if the software guarantees encrypted delivery and limited access. Once those basics are clear to everyone, updates can flow easily without added stress.

Best Practices for Secure Medical Staff Communication

Having the right software in place is a big step, but success comes from habits too. Staff should know how to use the messaging system every day without risking privacy. Creating simple routines helps secure texting become second nature.

Start with steady training. New team members should learn it on day one, and even those who’ve been around a while need occasional updates. Just a quick refresher can be enough to clear up confusion whenever the app gets upgraded or settings change.

To build safer communication habits, consider these tips:

– Keep message topics clear: Only send updates that don’t need to go in the EHR. Otherwise, document them properly.

– Keep groups small: Only add people who need to be in the conversation. Less exposure means more safety.

– Use ready-to-go templates: Pre-written standard messages help speed things up and avoid confusion.

– Protect personal devices: Ask staff to enable fingerprint scans, PINs, or face recognition on their phones.

– Record serious decisions: If a message guided any patient care, log that detail into the official chart right after.

Having someone on staff responsible for texting compliance also helps. Whether it’s a rotating role or part of a manager’s duties, someone needs to check that communication stays on track. A quick reminder or occasional review can help catch any drift before it becomes a pattern.

No app can fix human error, so the people sending messages need support to use them correctly. Creating an environment where privacy is part of routine tasks helps everyone work more confidently and clearly.

Benefits of Using HIPAA-Compliant Texting Software

Secure messaging isn’t just a new tech trend. It has real benefits that staff notice pretty quickly. Whether it’s during shift changes or when things get hectic, having fast communication that doesn’t put any data at risk can ease a lot of pressure.

Here are some real-world perks of using HIPAA-compliant texting tools:

– Quicker updates between shifts and departments

– Smoother patient transitions or handoffs

– Fewer lost or forgotten messages

– Clearer follow-ups using read receipts

– Less time wasted on phone calls or emails

Here’s how it might work: a patient is placed in an exam room, and a secure alert is sent to front desk staff, the physician, and the assisting nurse. Everyone knows where the patient is without needing to ask around. There’s no confusion or delay, and no one risks sharing that news in a non-secure way.

When communication gets faster and more coordinated, patient care tends to improve too. Staff can concentrate better, and teamwork improves because everyone stays on the same page. That kind of trust makes every shift just a little more manageable.

Staying Ahead with Smarter Communication

Strong communication isn’t just about convenience in healthcare. It’s a safety issue, and the right messaging system supports safer habits across the entire care team. Every time a secure group message goes out, it’s a sign your team is thinking clearly about privacy, safety, and better care outcomes.

Once secure texting is in use and staff have gotten used to the system, daily routines feel more seamless. Instead of passing notes or making phone calls, staff can check the app, get quick updates, and keep working without slowing down or worrying about what not to say.

With the right combination of tools and routines in place, group messaging stops being something extra to worry about. It becomes the trusted way to stay up to date, stay secure, and work smarter across every part of your practice.

Discover how Yosi Health can streamline your healthcare communication with HIPAA-compliant texting software. It’s a smart way to improve team coordination, support secure messaging, and keep daily operations running more smoothly without overloading your staff. should be treated as an ongoing operational capability—something to instrument, measure, and staff for—rather than a one-time IT project.re their own.

Push to ‘Kill the Clipboard’ Raises New Considerations for HTM

Hari Prasad, CEO of Yosi Health, discusses how digital front doors, interoperability, and data safeguards affect smaller practices—and the role of HTM in supporting them.

Interview by Alyx Arnett

The federal “kill the clipboard” initiative is designed to move patient intake beyond paper forms and toward true interoperability. While the effort is often discussed at the policy or IT level, it also has implications for healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals who support the devices, systems, and workflows that make digital intake possible.

For smaller practices and clinics, digitalization can streamline patient experiences and reduce staff burden, but it also introduces new complexities. Concepts like a “digital front door”—where patients begin engagement from home rather than at the front desk—are gaining traction, but they raise questions about how systems connect, how data is shared, and how privacy is maintained. 

To explore these dynamics, Hari Prasad, founder and CEO of Yosi Health, a platform focused on patient intake and management, outlines what “kill the clipboard” means for smaller practices, the safeguards needed for data sharing, the roadblocks to making FHIR/API interoperability usable, and the considerations HTM professionals should keep top of mind.

24×7: How does the push to “kill the clipboard” aim to improve interoperability, and how could that impact smaller practices and clinics?

Prasad: The true intent of “kill the clipboard” is to have improved interoperability between various systems to securely exchange and use patient data so physicians can have access to patients’ complete medical history, including records from specialists and other facilities. 

For small practices and clinics, “kill the clipboard” modernizes patient intake and reduces staff burden, while interoperability strengthens their ability to deliver coordinated, efficient, and competitive care. Together, they shift smaller practices from reactive, paperwork-heavy environments toward streamlined, tech-enabled patient experiences.

24×7: What does a “digital front door” look like in practice, and how does it change patient check-in or data sharing?

Prasad: A “digital front door” refers to a clinic that uses technology to eliminate repetitive, manual administrative tasks and create a seamless experience for both patients and staff. Instead of beginning at the front desk, patient engagement starts at home. Patients can find the right provider, book appointments, share their medical information, and complete payments before they arrive. 

As a result, check-in becomes a simple process of validation and confirmation rather than a time-consuming exercise in paperwork or data transcription, delivering a smoother, more efficient experience that improves satisfaction for both patients and clinic staff.

24×7: What key safeguards do practices need when apps pull data through APIs?

Prasad: Practices need strong safeguards to ensure secure, compliant, and controlled data sharing through APIs. The basics are: HTTPS/TLS encryption, OAuth2/SAML for authorization, short-lived tokens, and strict scope limiting. 

Beyond that, require auditable consent flows, revocable permissions, end-to-end encryption for persisted data, and minimal data retention policies for third-party apps. Legal safeguards matter too: business associate agreements where applicable, vendor SOC2 (as Yosi Health has), and contractual SLAs around breach notification and data handling.

24×7: What are the biggest roadblocks smaller practices face in making FHIR/API sharing usable?

Prasad: Smaller practices face significant challenges in making FHIR and API data sharing truly usable. The most pressing roadblock is limited access to technical expertise, which is often costly and beyond their budgets. Many lack the dedicated IT staff or resources needed to support complex data-sharing initiatives. 

At the same time, they encounter the same hurdles as larger organizations—such as the absence of reliable, secure, and fully interoperable systems that can seamlessly exchange patient information. Adding to this, their heavy reliance on EMRs creates further limitations, as many systems are not designed to easily support open, standards-based data exchange.

24×7: For HTM pros supporting these systems, what technical/workflow considerations should be top of mind during implementation?

Prasad: Prioritize testing and observability. Validate identity matching with real patient records, run end-to-end trials that include edge cases (duplicates, mismatched units), and monitor API latency and error rates. Log and surface reconciliation failures for clinical staff with clear triage steps. Make sure device and endpoint security is hardened (patching, certificate management, endpoint detection), and coordinate with IT on token lifecycle and certificate rotation policies. 

Finally, document playbooks for common failures so frontline staff know when and how to escalate. Often, a solution provider can manage or streamline all this for the practice.

24×7: How will interoperability and patient intake tech evolve, and what should organizations prepare for now?

Prasad: We expect more robust identity services, wider adoption of SMART on FHIR profiles, and richer discrete data exchanges from labs and devices. However, the more important change expected is for EMRs to participate in national initiatives (“kill the clipboard,” etc) and renew the commitment to data sharing.

Record-locating services and stronger patient identity layers will be crucial, but they also require organizations to adopt more robust authentication and consent tools. To prepare, practices should modularize their front-door stack, automate monitoring and reconciliation processes, and ensure staff are well trained on both the technology and the consent workflows. 

Most importantly, interoperability should be treated as an ongoing operational capability—something to instrument, measure, and staff for—rather than a one-time IT project.re their own.

Voice AI is poised to dominate health care — if we build it right

The technology can automate routine tasks, improve efficiency and enhance patient care across clinical documentation, medication management and chronic disease management, co-founder and CEO of Yosi Health Hari Prasad writes.

Health care is at an inflection point. As administrative burdens continue to mount and patient expectations evolve, health care organizations are turning to voice AI as a transformative solution. The numbers tell a compelling story: Nearly half of US hospitals plan to implement some form of voice AI by 2026. Additionally, the voice AI health care market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 37.3% from 2023 to 2030.

This isn’t just about keeping up with technological trends — it’s about fundamentally reimagining how health care organizations operate and serve patients.

The perfect storm driving voice AI adoption

Several converging forces are accelerating voice AI adoption across health care:

  • Administrative overwhelm: Health care providers are drowning in paperwork, phone calls and routine tasks that pull them away from patient care. Voice AI offers a lifeline by automating appointment scheduling, insurance verification and basic patient inquiries.
  • Patient expectations: Modern patients expect immediate, convenient service. With 81% reporting frustration with long hold times and many preferring AI assistance for immediate help and messaging, the demand for responsive communication is clear.
  • Workforce challenges: The health care staffing crisis has left many organizations understaffed, making automation not just helpful but essential for maintaining operations.
  • Cost pressures: With margins tightening, health care organizations need solutions that improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. Voice AI delivers both by handling routine tasks faster and more consistently than human staff.

Breaking down adoption barriers

Initially, health care organizations were hesitant to embrace voice AI due to concerns about patient acceptance and clinical safety. Recent data suggests these barriers are rapidly dissolving:

  • 44% of health care organizations already use voice technology, with another 39% planning to adopt it within the next two years, according to Augnito’s 2024 voice AI healthcare trends report.
  • At Yosi, we’ve observed that a clear majority of older adult users (about 60%) are open to AI-enabled assistance — provided they can easily reach a human when needed.

This shift reflects a growing understanding that voice AI isn’t replacing human care but enhancing it by freeing staff to focus on complex, high-value interactions.

Measurable impact on health care operations

The efficiency gains from voice AI implementation are substantial and quantifiable. While human operators typically require 6-8 minutes to schedule appointments by phone (including after-call work), voice AI systems complete the same workflows in approximately 2.5 to 3 minutes end-to-end. This represents more than a 50% reduction in handling time, translating to significant cost savings and improved patient access.

Beyond speed, voice AI offers consistency and accuracy that human operators can struggle to maintain during busy periods or at the end of long shifts. The technology doesn’t get tired, doesn’t make transcription errors and follows protocols exactly as programmed.

Applications across the health care continuum

Voice AI’s impact extends far beyond digital front door appointment scheduling. Health care organizations are deploying these systems for:

  • Clinical documentation: Physicians can dictate notes directly into electronic health records, reducing documentation time and improving accuracy.
  • Medication management: Voice assistants help patients manage complex medication regimens, sending reminders and answering basic questions about prescriptions.
  • Chronic disease management: AI-powered voice interfaces conduct routine check-ins with chronic disease patients, monitoring symptoms and alerting care teams to potential issues.
  • Mental health support: Voice AI provides 24/7 access to mental health resources, offering coping strategies and crisis intervention when human counselors aren’t available.

The safety imperative

As voice AI becomes more prevalent in health care, safety considerations are paramount. The technology must be designed with strict guardrails to prevent AI “hallucinations” — instances where the system generates incorrect information.

Successful health care voice AI implementations rely on deterministic, rule-based systems rather than purely generative AI. This approach ensures the system can only access real appointment slots, follow approved protocols and escalate to human staff when encountering situations outside its programmed parameters.

Emergency detection represents another critical safety feature. Advanced voice AI systems can recognize red-flag phrases indicating potential medical emergencies and respond appropriately — whether directing patients to call 911, routing them to urgent care or connecting them immediately with clinical staff.

The road to 2026

The trajectory toward voice AI dominance in health care is clear, but success will depend on thoughtful implementation that prioritizes patient safety, staff efficiency and organizational goals.

Healthcare leaders should focus on:

  • Strategic deployment: Start with high-volume, routine tasks where voice AI can provide immediate value, then gradually expand to more complex applications.
  • Integration excellence: Ensure voice AI systems integrate seamlessly with existing EHRs and practice management systems.
  • Staff training: Invest in training programs that help staff work effectively alongside AI systems rather than viewing them as competition.
  • Continuous improvement: Implement feedback loops that allow voice AI systems to learn from interactions while maintaining safety guardrails.

Embracing the voice-first future

The question isn’t whether voice AI will transform health care — it’s whether organizations will lead this transformation or be left behind. Early adopters are already seeing improved patient satisfaction, reduced operational costs and staff who can focus on what they do best: providing compassionate, expert care.

As we approach 2026, health care organizations that embrace voice AI thoughtfully and strategically will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly complex health care landscape. The technology is ready, patients are receptive and the business case is compelling.

The future of health care communication is voice-first, and that future is arriving ahead of schedule.

Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.