A Third-Party Focus in Middle East Telehealth
Almost everyone in healthcare knows that the world saw an increase in demand for telehealth or video conferencing solutions thanks to the pandemic. But in our research, we are now looking at the long-term effects of that increase in demand. KLAS has specifically seen a significant amount of purchase decisions and energy around telehealth in the Middle Eastern market.
With the increased investment into telehealth in the area, we saw a need for a report that could help providers in the Middle East get a closer look at their options in telehealth. To that end, the Middle East Telehealth 2022 report is a preliminary report that encapsulates what KLAS currently sees happening in the telehealth market for the Middle East. This is KLAS’ first report that focuses on telehealth in a specific region outside the US.
EMR Vendor Solutions
In the US, we have seen a wider adoption of EMR-driven solutions than we have seen in the Middle East. About half of the EMR vendors, including some of the big-name vendors in the Middle East, are not yet offering virtual care solutions to providers. Those EMR vendors that do offer a telehealth solution have yet to see much adoption of their technology. For this reason, this report focuses on the third-party platforms used for virtual care.
Regardless of which vendor they use, 85% of providers told us their current solution is part of their long-term plans. However, if a provider is going to leave their third-party solution, it is likely going to be in favor of having a more integrated solution or, in other words, an EMR-based virtual care offering.
Third-Party Vendors
The third-party vendors’ platforms in this report fall into two categories. Virtual care platforms, like Okadoc and Neev Tech Labs' solution, are typically healthcare focused. Then there are video conferencing platforms, which are often cross-industry platforms with basic healthcare workflows. Of those platforms, Microsoft Teams and Zoom applications are frequently being used as organizations’ video conferencing platforms.
There are some key differences between the two types of platforms. To learn more about the major differences between healthcare-specific platforms like Okadoc and cross-industry platforms like Microsoft Teams, we recommend reading the report.
The Future of the Market
As the pandemic situation stabilizes, organizations will be looking for more robust and fully integrated solutions when it comes to video conferencing platforms or telehealth. As we mentioned previously, providers are more likely to choose a telehealth solution offered by their EMR vendor or a close partner. The reason for this is that these vendors can better provide seamless integration with their core EMR, and that integration is a key functionality component to drive adoption. Workflows and usability are also key aspects that physicians care about when it comes to telehealth, and they also want their patients to have the ability to easily access the platform.
There is also going to continue to be growth as more investment is made into telehealth. People everywhere have gotten used to the idea of utilizing technology to access their healthcare. So, we foresee that the telehealth market is likely to increase.
Plans to Do More
Please keep an eye out for more KLAS reports on telehealth in the Middle East. As we continue to refine our research in this segment, we will likely uncover more options for providers to choose from. Additionally, we’ll be able to see more decisions being made. Over time, our research will become more robust in terms of increasing our sample size of people we survey, and more vendors will be included in future reports.
Photo credit: Chad McDermott, Adobe Stock