Is Leadership Bias Holding Back Virtual Healthcare Adoption?

Virtual healthcare has experienced a remarkable surge in recent years, with over 116 million users worldwide engaging in online doctor consultations in 2024 — a dramatic leap from just 57 million in 2019. This exponential growth underlines the increasing accessibility and potential of telehealth solutions, particularly in behavioral health. Unlike many other fields of medicine, behavioral health care often doesn’t require physical examinations or tests, making it particularly well-suited for virtual delivery.

However, the path toward true innovation in the healthcare landscape isn’t without challenges. Despite technological advancements making virtual care more accessible than ever, its widespread adoption faces an unexpected hurdle: leadership bias.

Traditional healthcare leaders, often anchored in an office-centric mindset, tend to favor in-person care, inadvertently overlooking the myriad benefits that virtual healthcare offers. This bias creates a tension between innovation and tradition, challenging us to reconsider how we approach patient care in the digital age.

To bridge this gap and unlock the full potential of virtual healthcare, health systems must embrace a holistic approach, fully integrating telehealth into their existing frameworks. Doing so will create a synergy that maximizes benefits not just for patients but for providers and the entire health system.

Unveiling the Hidden Barriers to Virtual Healthcare Adoption

Leadership bias stems from a generational divide, with seasoned healthcare leaders such as Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) and Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) often adhering to conventional in-person care models. This mindset parallels the resistance seen in other industries, where some CEOs insist on daily office attendance despite the growing trend of remote work. For example, Google considers office attendance in performance reviews, while Zoom, ironically, requires employees to be in the office weekly.

However, prioritizing being physically in-office or on-premises often relies more on assumptions than evidence. Organizations may unknowingly inflate their view of patient satisfaction due to inherent biases in on-site survey methods. As noted in a Science Direct study, “On-site methods may yield satisfaction results that are biased in a positive direction.” There is a need for a more comprehensive, evidence-based approach to evaluating care delivery experiences.

The resistance to change extends beyond preference. Scott Nygaard, COO of Lee Memorial Health System, observes, “It is interesting that we continue to make small changes hoping to get significantly different results; the evidence year after year suggests that this approach is not successful, and yet we fear major reform despite the outcomes.” This attitude toward substantial reform drastically hampers progress in healthcare delivery.

Office-centric mindsets often also overlook crucial convenience factors that patients really care about. Time saved on commuting, the ease of attending appointments from home, and enhanced privacy are just the tip of the iceberg. 

In addition to winning the convenience war, telehealth reduces exposure to other illnesses in waiting rooms, allows for more flexible scheduling, and can decrease stress for patients who find medical facilities anxiety-inducing. For those with mobility issues or in rural areas, having a telehealth option can be a lifeline to quality care. This is especially true for behavioral health services, where virtual care has maintained high utilization rates even as other telehealth usage has declined post-pandemic.

These tangible benefits significantly enhance the patient experience and can lead to better health outcomes through increased appointment adherence. By recognizing and addressing these biases, we open the door to a more inclusive, patient-centric approach to healthcare. 

The True Impact of Virtual Care: A Win-Win Scenario

For patients, telehealth opens doors to unprecedented access and engagement. A recent patient survey following the implementation of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that: 

• 86% reported telehealth as easy to understand
• Overall satisfaction with telehealth was 87%
• Additionally, the majority of respondents (91%) followed the recommendations provided in their appointments.

These positive patient outcomes are particularly pronounced in behavioral healthcare, as there are almost no tradeoffs to leveraging a virtual option. About a third of Americans prefer telehealth services for their mental health needs. In this field of medicine, patients feel more comfortable speaking to providers in the comfort of their own space rather than in a bright, sterile room. This increased comfort can lead to more open and productive therapy sessions. 

The patient survey results translate into significant advantages for health systems as well.  Resource allocation becomes more optimized, allowing for better use of specialist time and expertise. Digital platforms enable seamless information sharing and follow-ups, boosting care coordination. And the wealth of data generated through virtual interactions increases data-driven decision-making.

Perhaps most excitingly, virtual care offers greater scalability, allowing health systems to rapidly adapt to changing demands without requiring extensive physical infrastructure investments. This technology elevates the entire experience for all. 

Strategies for Overcoming Bias

The healthcare industry is at a critical juncture. Addressing the biases hindering virtual healthcare adoption is necessary to fully leverage this technology’s benefits and successfully implement it. 

Here are some key strategies to overcome these obstacles:

Embrace Holistic Evaluation 

Look beyond cost reduction. Assess patient outcomes, provider satisfaction, and long-term health impacts to capture virtual care’s true value. Pay special attention to behavioral health outcomes, where virtual care has shown consistent success and high patient satisfaction.

Pursue Full Integration 

Virtual care isn’t an add-on—it’s integral to modern healthcare. Integration maximizes benefits for all stakeholders. Consider creating hybrid care models, equipping exam rooms with telehealth capabilities, and training staff to smoothly transition patients between virtual and in-person care. The result: a seamless care continuum where both modalities complement each other for optimal outcomes.

Reframe Healthcare Delivery 

Balance profit motives with public health responsibilities. Virtual care aligns these interests by expanding patient reach through improved access and outcomes and optimizing provider resources.

Invest in Education and Training 

Overcoming inherent biases requires a commitment to education. Develop telehealth competencies through comprehensive training for providers, patients, and leadership. This knowledge empowers all stakeholders to make informed decisions and fully leverage virtual care capabilities.

Advocate for Supportive Policies 

By creating a supportive regulatory environment, we can remove barriers to virtual care implementation and foster innovation. Advocate for policies that ensure reimbursement parity, address licensure issues, and promote interoperability standards. 

Foster a Culture of Innovation 

Encourage evidence-based practices over tradition-based approaches to open the door to transformative solutions like virtual care. This cultural shift creates an environment where new ideas can flourish, leading to better patient care and more efficient health systems.

By implementing these strategies, we pave the way for a more flexible, accessible, and effective healthcare system. Telehealth is uniquely positioned to fulfill patients’ need for increased access to quality care and more frequent provider interactions, especially in behavioral health. As we move forward, regulators must recognize and embrace telehealth as an integral part of the healthcare experience, shaping policies that will positively impact millions. The future of healthcare is virtual — let’s ensure we’re ready for it.

About Andy Flanagan
As CEO, Andy Flanagan is responsible for Iris Telehealth’s strategic direction, operational excellence, and the cultural success of the company. With significant experience in all aspects of our US and global healthcare system, Andy is focused on the success of the patients and clinicians we serve to improve people’s lives. Andy has worked in some of the largest global companies and led multiple high-growth businesses providing a unique perspective on the behavioral health challenges in our world. Andy holds a Master of Science in Health Informatics from the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Reno. His prior experiences include being a three-time CEO, including founding a SaaS company and holding senior-level positions at Siemens Healthcare, SAP, and Xerox.