After the marketing audit is completed, the strategic goals of the organization need to be aligned within the environment. As mentioned earlier, three primary strategic objectives were identified (clinical excellence, technological preeminence, and cost containment) for adopting telehealth. A strategic fit must be established for telehealth technology and the relevant market(s). In the case of home health services, relating the strengths and weaknesses of telehealth to the needs of their patient populations will help managers understand the relationship between the two and give direction to their marketing efforts. For example, through the use of a simplified user interface and ordinary telephone lines, telehealth can afford a broad spectrum of patients the opportunity to gain an increased role in their care as well as increase the contact points between patient and provider, resulting in improvements in the quality of care delivered.
One shortcoming (for any organization) may be the start-up costs of implementing a new technology (e.g., initial cost of the technology, technical support, cost of staff and patient training) given the already constrained budgets of many healthcare organizations. By examining the cost relationships between telehealth and the overall market, synergies between the capabilities of telehealth and the environment can be ascertained. Telehealth allows for a greater visit volume per clinician, which, depending on reimbursement, can lead to increased revenues. These costs may be partially offset through federal and foundation grants that help to subsidize costs related to underserved populations. Another promising factor is that the baby boomer population is becoming increasingly technology savvy; this may lead to a reduction in the training time necessary for the implementation of telehealth.