A telehealth platform is software that lets clinicians deliver care to patients remotely. At a clinic, it is the patient-facing tool used for virtual visits. It is separate from the internal tools staff use to coordinate the work around those visits.
What is a telehealth platform?
Telehealth platforms commonly include scheduled video visits, a virtual waiting room and secure patient messaging. Some also offer remote patient monitoring, e-prescribing connections or links to the practice's EHR. These are typical examples, not a fixed standard, and products vary widely in what they bundle.
Vendors use "telehealth software" and "telemedicine software" interchangeably. "Telehealth platform" is an industry term. It is not a product category defined in law.
In practice at a clinic or small practice
The front desk books the virtual visit and sends the patient a link or a portal invite. Before the visit, staff check that the patient's insurance covers telehealth. On the day, they help patients who can't connect and check them in from the virtual waiting room.
A nurse or medical assistant then rooms the patient virtually. This means confirming identity, reviewing medications and getting the patient ready for the clinician. The office manager or practice administrator owns the setup. That includes choosing the vendor and getting a business associate agreement (BAA) signed when the platform handles patient information. The administrator also sets who has access to which accounts and trains staff before the first visit.
Not to be confused with
Telehealth vs telemedicine. "Telehealth" is generally used as the broader term. It can include non-clinical uses such as provider training and administrative meetings. "Telemedicine" usually refers only to remote clinical care.
Telehealth platform vs internal staff chat. A telehealth platform connects clinicians with patients. Internal staff communication software coordinates work between employees, such as:
- a scheduling question to the front desk
- finding coverage for a shift
- assigning a follow-up task after a missed virtual visit
Staff chat is not a care-delivery tool, and patients don't use it. A clinical communication platform is also a different category. It supports communication among care teams and is not a patient visit tool.
Telehealth platform vs patient portal. A patient portal is another patient-facing tool. Patients use it to view records, complete forms and send messages, not to attend live visits. Some telehealth products include portal features, and some portals launch video visits. The two functions are still distinct.
| Tool | Who uses it | Main job |
|---|---|---|
| Telehealth platform | Clinicians and patients | Remote care delivery, such as video visits |
| Patient portal | Patients and practice staff | Records access, forms, messages |
| Internal staff chat | Employees only | Coordinating operational work |
What the rules say
- The federal definition. HHS describes telehealth broadly, covering remote clinical care as well as patient education and health administration. Check HHS's telehealth resources for the current wording.
- BAAs. HIPAA does not define "telehealth platform." Some vendors create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information (PHI) for a covered entity. Those vendors are generally business associates, and the practice needs a BAA with them.
- A BAA is not enough on its own. The practice still has to configure access, train staff and meet its own HIPAA obligations.
- The Security Rule. Its safeguards apply to ePHI handled during telehealth, including video sessions, messages and stored files.
- The COVID-era exception has ended. During COVID-19, OCR used enforcement discretion for non-public-facing video tools. That discretion has ended, and the standard HIPAA requirements apply again.
- Coverage and billing. These rules are separate from HIPAA and change often. Check CMS for Medicare telehealth rules and current flexibilities. Check state law and your payers for licensure, coverage and reimbursement requirements.
- ONC. The Office of the National Coordinator's health IT resources are a useful reference, but treat "telehealth platform" itself as industry usage rather than a defined term.
Related reading
- Business associate agreement (BAA): what the agreement covers and when a vendor needs one.
- Patient portal: how the other main patient-facing tool differs from a telehealth platform.
- Clinical communication platform: where care-team messaging fits next to telehealth and staff chat.
Browse more terms in the Healthcare operations glossary.
Where Chanty fits. chanty.health is published by Chanty, a team chat for clinic staff with a signed BAA from the Business plan. If your team still coordinates in personal group chats, see how HIPAA-compliant staff chat works or start free.