Telemedicine adoption and usage has spiked in recent times. So, is it really a boon or a bane? Well, it is a boon and the reasons are mentioned in this post. Read on to know more.
The COVID – 19 pandemic changed the modern way of life for good and people all over the globe will not go back to the old ways.
People have already shunned public spitting, coughing and sneezing. People are trying to keep their distance from ones they don’t know when they are in public spaces. People are avoiding spending time in crowded areas and these changes in mentality came as soon as it was put forth by the scientists that the corona family of viruses is here to stay. This family of viruses is the reason why one gets a common cold or gets diagnosed with the seasonal flu.
In this context, another major change that came to light in the recent past is the widespread adoption of telemedicine.
What is it?
Well, telemedicine is the process of utilizing remote methods to –
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- Book an appointment with a doctor
- Book an online doctor consultation
- Book diagnostic tests and related Out Patient Department services.
The patient would use a telemedicine app in case of a general medical issue such as a cough or a cold. The ill can speak to a doctor virtually using chats, voice calls or video calls. The consultation can also be carried out before one guesses that he or she is having a medical emergency. Telemedicine also proved to be beneficial when a patient wants to have second opinions or follow up consultations with their preferred doctor or the one who recently operated on him or her.
So, what are the benefits of telemedicine?
There are plenty. Some of them are as follows –
It is bridging the gap
Telemedicine is bridging the gap between patients, doctors as well as in between healthcare workers. On top of this, thanks to virtual channels, one can steer clear of queues and get in touch with their preferred doctor in no time.
The virus can stay confined and not spread to the mass population
Even the highly symptomatic COVID – 19 patients can avoid heading over to the hospital all the while exposing the healthy people around him or her to the virus by availing telemedicine services. A person with a healthy immune system can beat the virus if he or she follows the advice of a doctor using telemedicine apps.
On the flipside, telemedicine apps, also offer respite to patients who need to visit their doctor after they have recovered from their surgical wounds as follow up checkups are essential. By using telemedicine apps, patients can stay at home but get the best medical assistance as leading telemedicine apps also offer HD video calls apart from chatting and voice call features.
It acts as a gatekeeper
Telemedicine apps act as a gatekeeper. In simple terms, it deems which patients need to visit a hospital from the ones who do not. In this way, congestions can be kept at bay at a healthcare institution and at the same time, the burden on the healthcare system can also be reduced.
It has proven to keep healthcare workers safe
By keeping symptomatic patients confined to their homes, telemedicine apps are not only keeping the healthy population away from the infection but also the healthcare workers and first responders from falling prey to the COVID – 19 disease.
Read Also – How Can I Find The Best Online Doctor Consultation?
Prescriptions and medication deliveries now take place quickly
Back in the pre-CODID – 19 era, when a patient needed to refill his or her prescription drug or get a prescription for a malady, he or she had to drive or take the public transport only to be welcomed with a queue at their preferred hospital.
That is not the case anymore as telemedicine apps now come with cloud storage facility and a lot of security layers thus making it possible and safe for patients to store their medical records in the app. The same information can then be used by the doctors through their practice management apps to create prescriptions with a simple swipe, scroll and tap.
The online prescription can then be forwarded to the pharmacies that accept these digital documents in order to get prescriptions drugs at one’s doorstep.
Doctors can reach more patients with telemedicine
In-clinic services rendered by a doctor are limited to time constraints. That is not the case with telemedicine apps as a patient can get in touch with their preferred doctor at any time of the day. On top of this, in case the doctor is not in her or his clinic, the same can still render his or her services to an ailing patient as telemedicine apps can be accessed using mobile derives such as a tablet, a smartphone or even a laptop. In this way, doctors can reach more patients in no time.
It is evident by now that in a very short time, telemedicine has proven itself to the world and this is the reason why it is here to stay. Hence, the healthcare sector of the world needs to embrace this change with open arms instead of shunning it!
