Banner Health uses Microsoft Surface tablets to improve the telehealth experience for patients and providers

With multiple challenges facing the healthcare industry, such as staffing shortages and evolving patient needs, health systems need to use resources more efficiently and improve accessibility to care. Banner Health, a large healthcare provider spanning six US states, is using telehealth to overcome these challenges.

The organization needed a solution that was simple to deploy, met its security requirements, and could be rolled out quickly. Banner Health decided to use Microsoft Surface tablets to power a flexible, capable telehealth system in hospitals, clinics, and other locations. Now, it can allocate staff and resources more efficiently while continuing to provide high-quality, personalized care to patients. 

Rolling out a telehealth solution quickly to help overwhelmed hospitals

Banner Health operates 30 hospitals and provides care for patients both in person and remotely. Serving urban and rural areas, it’s one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the United States. When COVID-19 began, hospitals suddenly had to manage more patients with fewer staff and new restrictions on in-person interactions. Banner Health realized that telehealth technology would be the key to providing care under those circumstances. “We knew we needed to use telehealth to reduce risks related to COVID-19 for our clinical staff and to expand the capability of our providers,” says Darin Anderson, Executive Director for Telehealth at Banner Health.

The organization had been using telehealth technology in its intensive care units since 2006, but it needed to rapidly expand its telehealth systems to cover more patients and more use cases due to COVID-19. The organization wanted a flexible system, and it decided to use Surface Pro 8 tablets as its primary mobile telehealth devices.

“We chose Microsoft Surface Pro devices because they were the best fit in terms of screen size and capabilities,” says Michael Lopez, IT Director for Field Services at Banner Health. “And since our initial testing, they have worked very well.” Also, Banner Health’s acute telehealth platform is standardized for Microsoft Windows operating systems. For its hospitals and clinics, Banner Health created “TeleKarts”—mobile carts with Surface Pro tablets that it customizes to meet the needs of patients and providers. “Using Surface Pro tablets created a more streamlined design for our TeleKarts, which is especially valuable in a hospital where there’s limited room for equipment storage,” says Anderson.

Some specialized TeleKarts feature their own power supplies and include speakerphone devices that Banner Health connects to the Surface Pro tablet via USB. Staff members also connect cameras with pan, tilt, and zoom functionalities to the tablets, further demonstrating the benefits of being able to connect their preferred peripherals. In more mobile settings, Banner Health simply uses the Surface Pro tablet’s own camera, microphone, and battery power. “Contracting with a company for use of its proprietary telehealth devices would have been very expensive,” says Lopez. “Instead, we used the Microsoft Surface Pro tablets to develop our own equipment.”

Since 2020, Banner Health has implemented 83 total Surface Pro tablets, and it continues to add more to enhance telehealth capabilities across the system. Throughout the project, the organization received support from the Microsoft team. “From the beginning, the Microsoft team has been very helpful,” says Lopez. “Any time we had a question, we could reach out. It’s been a great experience.”

Improving healthcare access for patients and efficiency for providers

This shift to telehealth is helping health systems fill gaps in care and more efficiently use clinical resources. With Microsoft technology, Banner Health is making healthcare more efficient. The organization sees an average of 15,000 telehealth visits per month, showing the success of its improvements. The convenience of the Surface Pro tablets makes it possible for patients to see physicians regardless of where they are located and to expand the availability of specialist care to areas where those services have been lacking. For example, a patient in a hospital or clinic can have a video call with a specialist in a different location and even integrate language interpretation services.

Telehealth on Surface Pro tablets makes patient data and information more portable, too. Providers can share their desktops with patients and specialists to show images and lab results from their computer screens. “Using Surface Pro devices, we’ve opened up opportunities to provide better healthcare, better patient access, and better ways to overcome personnel shortages than ever before,” says Anderson.

Implementing its telehealth software and security frameworks on the Surface Pro tablets was simple for Banner Health. “We’re able to run our existing security software on the Microsoft devices,” says Lopez. “We build a specific image for each new device and install our security systems.” Meanwhile, the organization can provide its own IT support. “Because the Microsoft technology fits into our standard systems, our in-house technicians can provide all the support we need,” says Lopez. “We keep all the necessary equipment on hand so that we can get our TeleKarts back into service quickly.”

Patient satisfaction has been overwhelmingly positive, and some patients report enjoying the telehealth experience more than the traditional one. “We’ve seen that patients prefer telehealth,” says Anderson. “Satisfaction with telehealth has increased especially among people who previously found it inconvenient to get healthcare.” For example, remote care has increased convenience for working professionals who don’t have time to drive to clinics and patients who struggle to physically access facilities, such as elderly patients and those in rural areas.

Elevating the healthcare experience using telehealth technology

Using the Surface Pro tablets has invigorated Banner Health’s commitment to telehealth. “Telehealth is opening up care to many people who previously struggled or found it inconvenient,” says Anderson. “It’s evolving to cover even more use cases. Telehealth is here to stay.”

Banner Health has plans to continue expanding its telehealth capabilities. “Bringing in the Microsoft devices was very exciting,” says Lopez. “And it’s been even more fun to step back, test how the solution works, and discover where we can go next with the technology.”