In the tech world, the early-adoption phase of new software and devices is always filled with the anticipation and excitement of users wondering what the new technology will be like, how it will make life easier and how it might change the industry. People stand in lines for days waiting for the release of updated technology products.

But, as with most new things, the early stages of new technology can be tricky for a number of reasons — especially when the technology is tied to operating an old business model like healthcare in a new way.

Early adopter issues

There are certainly pluses to getting in on a new idea or device early — including the fact that, by the time the product truly hits its stride, you're fully in the know and well-positioned to take full advantage of all it has to offer. However, there are also some downsides to being an early adopter. Early adopters of technology often face:

• Higher prices
• Potential compatibility issues
• Higher risk of defects or "bugs"
• Lack of support from others who have used the technology before
• No roadmap for creating new business procedures, policies and operating structures around the use of the new technology
• A higher chance of taking on the "tried it, and it didn't work" mentality

That last issue, the "tried it, and it didn't work" mentality, is a common one seen in the telehealth world today. Early on, the promise of telehealth inspired many companies to purchase devices they could use to remotely monitor and manage the health and wellness of their clientele.

Unfortunately, many of those eager, early adopters found the learning curve and lack of support to be overwhelming. As a result, they chose to limit their use of any purchased equipment or simply put it away altogether. Many of these early adopters are now missing out on the many benefits of telehealth simply due to a lackluster initial experience.

Things have changed

The interesting thing that few early technology adopters (and subsequent abandoners) don't realize is that, once the technology is past the beta stage and the wrinkles have been ironed out, it's essentially a whole new ball game. In this insightful article from Becker's Health IT and CIO Review, some important lessons are discussed based on the experiences of early telehealth adopters.

One of the most interesting quotes from the article is, "Telehealth requires an open mindset that can adapt to changes in technology to achieve desired changes in practice and targeted outcomes." This open mindset is indeed essential throughout the adoption and implementation process and as the technology grows and changes.

Luckily, while telehealth is still growing rapidly and many new devices are being brought to market, a lot of the beta "bugs" have been squashed, leaving many more finished products for companies to work with. And, as more companies use telehealth, better operating procedures and structures have been created and replicated so that implementation can run on a clearly navigated approach.

Regardless of whether the technology is brand new, successful telehealth programs take time to implement and scale. The old "tried it, and it didn't work" attitude is an unfortunate one to have in the telehealth world, as new and increasingly beneficial products and devices are coming to market on a daily basis.

If early telehealth implementations failed to meet expectations, it was because the infrastructure of the industry was in its infancy. In addition, many of telehealth's early adopters did not fully plan for the human resources that are needed to manage the data and human interaction that the technology generates.

Telehealth call centers now provide those resources. As technologies have multiplied and bandwidths have increased, today the infrastructure of telehealth has been reinforced and expanded so that adoption is well supported.

For those early telehealth adopters still hesitant to get back in the game, rest assured that the time for telehealth is now.