Telehealth has rapidly evolved from a niche offering to a central component of modern healthcare. Health professionals who learn to start their own telehealth business now stand at the vanguard of this digital health revolution. The rising demand for convenience from patients and healthcare providers' search for flexible care models have made telehealth platforms an attractive venture for both medical professionals and entrepreneurs.
Medical expertise alone won't guarantee success in a telehealth business. Your startup will need technological upgrades and must comply with various state and federal laws, including prohibitions on corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting. On top of that, telehealth integration will transform your practice's operations and reshape patient-physician relationships. The substantial benefits of telehealth make it a worthwhile investment despite these challenges.
This detailed guide covers everything you need to launch a successful telehealth business. Our quick-launch checklist will point you in the right direction—from building a solid business plan to meeting legal requirements, choosing the right technology platform, and growing your operations.
Ready to learn how to start your own telehealth business? Scroll down now!
Key Takeaways
- Start with a clear business plan, mission, and measurable goals.
- Research competitors, demand, and choose the right telehealth business model (B2B, B2C, or hybrid).
- Address legal requirements, licensure, credentialing, and compliance early.
- Select secure, user-friendly, HIPAA-compliant technology with EHR integration.
- Train staff for virtual care delivery and set up secure communication/billing systems.
- Launch with test sessions, build an online presence, and track performance/ROI.
- Stay current on regulatory and technology changes to ensure long-term success.
Start with a clear business plan
A well-laid-out planning process starts every successful telehealth business. Your roadmap through the complex healthcare landscape comes from the right business plan that guides you from original funding to long-term growth. Research shows that appropriate business models play a vital role when commercializing innovative healthcare technologies.
Define your mission and goals
Your telehealth service needs clear goals and purpose. A memorable, clear, and brief mission statement should capture your business's objective and core values. SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) that line up with your organization's broader vision come next. The goal "reducing readmissions among CHF and COPD patients from 23% to below 19% within six months" works better than just saying "reduce hospital readmissions".
Research competitors and market demand
Market understanding proves significant before launch. The global telehealth market hit $123.26 billion in 2024, and experts project growth at a CAGR of 24.68% through 2030. North America leads with 46.58% market share. A full picture of other telemedicine providers' strengths and weaknesses helps spot opportunities and position your business effectively.
Outline your telehealth business model
The way you deliver care, generate revenue, and scale operations depends on your telehealth business model. These main models deserve attention:
- B2B (Business-to-Business): Target healthcare providers, hospitals, and clinics that just need flexible telehealth platforms
- B2C (Business-to-Consumer): Offer services directly to patients looking for convenience and affordability
- Hybrid: Combine both approaches to serve a broader market
Our experience at Bask Health shows that picking the right model requires understanding your target audience, regulatory environment, and clinical scope. A profitable and sustainable way to create and transfer value to customers should drive your business model choice.
Handle legal, compliance, and credentialing
Legal and compliance requirements in telehealth need careful handling to avoid getting hit with expensive penalties. Starting your own telehealth business needs a solid foundation to protect your practice and patients.
Form your legal entity and register in the state
You need to pick the right business structure based on your operating locations. Many states have corporate practice of medicine (CPOM) laws that don't allow non-physicians to own medical practices. This means you might need to set up:
- A Professional Corporation (PC) if your state has strict CPOM laws
- A Management Services Organization (MSO) to take care of non-clinical work
- Foreign entity registrations in every state where you treat patients
Our experience at Bask Health shows that getting your legal structure right from day one saves you from expensive changes later.
Get licensed and credentialed with payers
Your providers need licenses in the states where their patients live during telehealth visits. You have several options to practice in multiple states:
- Get full licenses in each state where you'll see patients
- Join interstate licensure compacts like the IMLC—this makes it easier to get licensed in 29 states and territories
- Use special telehealth registrations that some states offer to out-of-state providers
Getting credentialed with payers takes time, but you need it for reimbursement. Rural facilities often use "credentialing by proxy" to speed things up.
Understand the scope of practice laws
Each state has its own rules about what nurse practitioners and physician assistants can do. Some states let them practice on their own, while others need physician oversight. Prescribing rules are different in each state, especially with controlled substances.
Ensure compliance with anti-kickback rules
The Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) says you can't give or receive payment to get referrals for federal healthcare program services. Breaking these rules can lead to criminal charges, fines, and being banned from Medicare and Medicaid. The OIG watches out for several telehealth warning signs:
- Payment based on volume
- Limited time between the provider and the patient
- Not enough treatment options
- Only targeting federal healthcare patients
Make sure healthcare lawyers who know telehealth rules review all your financial arrangements to protect your business.
Choose the right tools and partners with Bask Health
The right technology and mutually beneficial alliances are the foundations of a successful telehealth venture. Your choice of tools will affect patient experience, clinical workflows, and ultimately shape your business growth potential.
Pick a telehealth platform that fits your needs
You should assess potential platforms based on these significant factors:
- HIPAA compliance and security - The platform must be willing to sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and implement end-to-end encryption
- User-friendly interface - Look for platforms requiring no more than three steps between logging in and starting a patient consultation
- Integration capabilities - Ensure seamless connection with your Electronic Health Records (EHR) and billing systems
- Technical support availability - 24/7 support is vital to troubleshoot issues
- Cross-platform compatibility - The solution should work on devices of all types without requiring special equipment
Bask Health's platform has all these essential features and custom clinical workflows to support your specific practice needs.
Set up secure communication and billing systems
You need secure messaging systems for patient communication beyond video consultations. These should feature end-to-end encryption and role-based access controls to maintain confidentiality. A detailed billing system that has automated documentation tracking, eligibility verification, and support for multiple payment methods will streamline your operations.
Train your team for virtual care delivery
Staff training is a vital part of telehealth success. Research shows that simple knowledge comes through didactic methods, but complex judgments need experience, shadowing, and on-the-job training. Many clinicians say shadowing experienced providers and participating in facilitated case discussions work best for learning.
Partner with Bask Health for business support
Our team at Bask Health gives you implementation support beyond just technology. We have complete training resources, no-code customization options for clinical workflows, and revenue cycle optimization tools that track key performance indicators to maximize your reimbursement. We help with digital patient onboarding and smart appointment management to optimize your scheduling efficiency.
Launch and scale your telehealth business
Starting a telehealth business needs proper planning and smart execution to optimize growth. The rollout phase needs to be thought over carefully to maximize your chances of success.
Run test sessions before going live
A soft launch phase works better than marketing your services right away. This testing time helps you make technical adjustments before full implementation. Our team at Bask Health uses a well-laid-out 90-day timeline that works great, with pilot testing in the final phase. Start with trial sessions where staff members act as patients. These test runs should verify your systems handle everything about telehealth visits, including documentation and secure file transfers.
Build a strong online presence
Your website serves as your digital storefront—this matters even more for telehealth services. The design must work well on mobile devices since 9 in 10 Americans now own smartphones. Your site needs these key features:
- Online scheduling capabilities
- Clear provider credentials
- Complete FAQ section about telehealth concerns
SEO strategies should target keywords like "telehealth services near me" to boost search rankings.
Track financial performance and ROI
Success means more than just revenue. Studies show 71% of practices found cost savings from telehealth implementation, and 29% saw improvements above 20%. Keep track of these key metrics:
- Clinician and patient satisfaction
- Technical performance
- Visit volume by modality
- Reimbursement by modality
Stay updated on policy and tech changes
Telehealth rules keep changing. Many current flexibilities will last through 2024, including geographic and originating site requirements. Your compliance needs regular review as these rules evolve.
Conclusion
Telehealth offers a great chance for healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs. This piece outlines the steps you need to build a soaring win in the telehealth business from scratch.
A detailed business plan creates your foundation. Your plan should define the mission, set measurable goals, and analyze the telehealth market that grows faster. The market has already reached $123.26 billion in 2024.
Legal and compliance requirements need careful attention. Your business structure, state licensure, credentialing with payers, and anti-kickback regulation compliance can determine your telehealth venture's success from day one.
The right technology platform becomes your next crucial decision after setting these basics. Look beyond simple video features to find solutions with HIPAA compliance, easy-to-use interfaces that integrate with existing systems.
Bask Health has helped many healthcare providers revolutionize their practices through our detailed telehealth platform. Success depends on technology and team training with workflow optimization. We work with you to ensure your telehealth business runs in the quickest way.
Your business launch and growth needs systematic execution. Start with test sessions and build a strong online presence. Track performance metrics and stay updated about regulatory changes that affect operations.
Starting a telehealth business involves many moving parts. The potential benefits make it worth the effort—better patient access, improved care coordination, and new revenue streams. This piece gives you a roadmap to start with confidence, whether you add telehealth to your practice or launch a new service.
Healthcare delivery grows more digital each day. People who take action now stand at the vanguard of this change. Your telehealth business can thrive in this digital world with proper planning, compliance, technology, and execution.
References
- Updox. (n.d.). The role of secure messaging in modern healthcare communication. Updox. https://www.updox.com/blog/secure-messaging-in-modern-healthcare-communication/
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2025, July 29). Developing a business plan and workflow for your telehealth program. Telehealth.HHS.gov. https://telehealth.hhs.gov/providers/best-practice-guides/telehealth-for-chronic-conditions/developing-a-business-plan-and-workflow-for-your-telehealth-program
- Forbes Agency Council. (2024, October 11). How to market telehealth services for your healthcare practice. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2024/10/11/how-to-market-telehealth-services-for-your-healthcare-practice/
