<p>In the 1950s, the concept of telemedicine was first put into practice in the US, transmitting radiologic images at large distances via telephone. Originally a tool to reach patients living remotely, it has now become one of the fastest-growing areas of healthcare. Due to its non-geographical capacity to reach populations with critical healthcare shortages and <a href="https://businessblog.trueprofile.io/scaling-your-healthcare-workforce-quickly-in-response-to-covid-19/">respond</a> to (global) medical emergencies related to environmental, technological, and biological hazards, the demand for telemedicine has driven market growth.</p>
<p>Pre-pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported a <a href="https://www.who.int/hrh/migration/en/">60% increase</a> in migrant healthcare workers over the last decade. WHO also estimated a projected <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-workforce#tab=tab_1">shortfall of 18 million workers</a> by 2030. With the growing rate of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and certain countries implementing partial or total lockdown, and with flu season around the corner, telemedicine could be the answer to reducing WHO’s projected shortfall. </p>
<h2>Recruiting Challenges Within Telemedicine </h2>
<p>Similar to the rise in telemedicine, we see an increase in fraudulent diploma mills, which means that exposure to dishonest credentials is easier than ever. Healthcare in itself is a high-risk industry. A fraudulent nurse should not administer high-potency drugs, an unlicensed therapist should not provide mental health services, and an unqualified surgeon should not perform open-heart surgery. Inefficient healthcare hiring processes can result in costly lawsuits, imprisonment, brand, and reputational damage, casualty, and even loss of life.</p>
<p>Companies cannot omit the verification process when hiring new employees. Before offering healthcare professionals specific telemedicine training, companies need to ensure that their staff is qualified to give sound medical advice and administer prescriptions, prognosis, and treatments at a safe and high standard. </p>
<p>In addition to the permeation of fraudulent qualifications, you have to consider the ‘physical’ challenges within the telemedicine sector. Employers hiring remotely do not have the opportunity to physically assess the medical, professional, and telemedical skills of their hire. Conducting qualification and identity checks in advance verifies the candidate’s capability of delivering telemedicine services to a high standard.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="535" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1417142954-1024x535.jpg" alt="telemedicine industry" class="wp-image-10771" title="telemedicine industry" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1417142954-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1417142954-300x157.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1417142954-768x401.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/shutterstock_1417142954.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
<h2>Verification Checks for Telemedicine Professionals </h2>
<p>In particular to <a href="https://businessblog.trueprofile.io/hiring-internationally-5-ways-to-help-you-employ-top-talent-from-abroad/">recruiting healthcare workers from overseas</a>, thorough background and identification checks are conducted to weed out <a href="https://businessblog.trueprofile.io/7-ways-to-spot-a-false-job-application/">fraudulent candidates from the hiring process</a>. With the global war on talent raging harder than ever within the telemedicine industry, creating an effective hiring process which uses high-tech recruitment tools to discard dishonest applicants, secure top talent, and speed up turnaround, is imperative. </p>
<p>When applying for a new role locally or overseas, common standards require healthcare professionals to submit their licenses, qualifications, employment history, certificates, good standing, etc. for verification. Not only can collecting and <a href="https://businessblog.trueprofile.io/verifying-talent-qualifications/">verifying this information</a> be a lengthy and costly process, but it is also a considerable burden on the HR department. </p>
<p>In parallel with the global workforce <a href="https://businessblog.trueprofile.io/are-we-ever-going-back-to-the-office/">embracing working from home</a> and the technology that enhances it, the healthcare industry has experienced an unprecedented rise in the use of telemedicine as a viable substitute or replacement for delivering care in-person. Telemedicine offers so many benefits and alternative solutions. Hiring telemedicine staff abroad or remotely ensures that areas lacking certain expertise and knowledge can be enhanced and improved. </p>
<p>Hiring verified professionals contributes to patient and brand safety while <a href="https://businessblog.trueprofile.io/cv-fraud-which-industries-are-most-at-risk/">mitigating risk</a> associated with telemedicine credentialing. As a result of the pandemic and the negative news it often brings, it is more important now than ever to ensure that you hire pre-verified healthcare professionals to deliver frontline care through the ever-evolving medium of telemedicine. </p>
<p>If you’re planning on hiring new healthcare professionals to provide telemedicine as a service and want to find out how to verify new employees, visit our dedicated <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/businesspartner">Business Partners</a> area or request your free 7-day trial of <a href="https://lp.trueprofile.io/recruit-medical-staff-free-trial/">TrueProfile.io Recruiting</a> today.</p>