Telemedicine is a revolutionary type of healthcare that is becoming increasingly widespread. Offering many benefits and advantages, it’s no wonder telemedicine is becoming increasingly popular.
Some people believe that telemedicine will be the future of healthcare. Is this true? This guide explores the future of telemedicine and its many advantages.
What Is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine, or telehealth, is a form of healthcare whereby medical appointments can be provided technologically. Namely, smartphones and computers can communicate between medical professionals and patients.
The patient can directly communicate with their doctor, thus receiving valuable help and information.
An example of telemedicine is drhouse.com, a platform that allows patients to communicate with doctors in just 15 minutes. From there, patients can receive medical advice in just a few seconds.
Is Telemedicine the Future of Healthcare?
Yes, many people consider telemedicine to be the future of healthcare. This is because telemedicine offers a whole host of benefits to patients and doctors alike. These benefits include:
Low Cost
Medical bills can be expensive. The average person spends $12,530 on medical bills every year in America. Telemedicine may be a cheaper alternative, costing less than a typical in-person appointment.
It’s More Accessible
One of the main issues with current medical systems is that they can be hard to access. This is particularly true in rural areas, where people may live far away from medical facilities like hospitals and surgeries.
Because telemedicine can be accessed remotely, making it much easier for patients to receive the help they need. In addition, no matter where they are, patients can communicate with medical professionals.
This will be especially beneficial for states that perform poorly in healthcare rankings. For instance, Washington has a significant population of 7,901,429 but just 60 hospitals. By offering healthcare that can be remotely accessed, telemedicine can improve the accessibility of healthcare in locations like Washington, Maryland, and Delaware.
Doctors Can Give Remote Healthcare
Patients aren’t the only ones that can benefit from remote care. Doctors and other medical professionals can benefit from this practice too. For example, doctors can stay at home, thus reducing the amount of traveling they must do.
Moreover, this increased flexibility means that they can communicate with their patients at more unusual times. For instance, professionals can contact patients over the weekend or outside practice hours. In addition, some telemedicine providers enable patients to access help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Patients Can Feel More Comfortable
Going to the doctor’s surgery can be quite intense for some patients. This will be particularly true for patients with specific conditions, such as anxiety or agoraphobia.
Many of these patients will feel more comfortable in familiar environments, namely their homes. As a result, these patients may feel more comfortable having intimate discussions about their health in a relaxed setting.
Less Exposure To Pathogens
Though surgeries are sterilized environments, viruses can easily spread in these settings. In the world of COVID-19, this is particularly troublesome. However, due to the remote access to healthcare, the spread of these illnesses is less of a concern when using telemedicine.
Quicker Response Times
Organizing doctor’s appointments can be tough, particularly if you live in a state with a great demand for appointments. In addition, in busy hospitals, medical professionals may not be able to respond to the patient’s requirements rapidly.
Maryland is one such state, performing badly on HCAHPS staff responsiveness. It was considered the worst state for staff responsiveness.
Telemedicine provides faster response times. As mentioned, dr.house.com means patients can receive an appointment in just 15 minutes. As a result, telemedicine can be massively beneficial in states that suffer from bad staff responsiveness.
Most Insurance Providers cover it.
For the most part, insurance providers will cover telemedicine. As a result, this can make telemedicine more budget-friendly, as mentioned previously. Just remember to double-check your insurance policy, as coverage varies between states.
Another benefit of telemedicine is that health insurance isn’t essential in many cases. Some telemedicine providers allow patients to pay via alternative methods.
Different Specialists Are Available
A broad spectrum of medical specialists can be accessed through telemedicine. Thus, patients can get help from medical professionals specializing in specific areas, such as cardiology or nutritional health.
Many telemedicine providers will allow patients to pick a doctor of their choice. This means that patients can opt for doctors they have built a relationship with and a professional who can focus on their specific needs.
You Can Access It Anywhere
As an online appointment form, telemedicine can be remotely desired from wherever desired. This can improve access to healthcare in locations with few hospitals. For instance, Delaware contains only eight hospitals, despite its substantial population of more than just 1 million people.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Telemedicine?
Though telemedicine provides a whole host of benefits, there are some disadvantages that you should consider before opting for telemedicine, including:
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Medical professionals will have to act remotely. Professionals will have to diagnose problems based on visuals or a description of the health problem.
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Telemedicine is not always covered by insurance. Not to mention, insurance rates can vary drastically.
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Samples cannot be collected through telemedicine. This will include urine or blood samples, which are essential for diagnosing health issues.
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Technological issues are common. These issues will be especially common for people who are not tech-savvy. For instance, some older patients unfamiliar with technology may struggle.
Final Thoughts
Overall, telemedicine may be the future of healthcare. The extended use of technology is a great way of modernizing and improving healthcare to better benefit patients and doctors alike. Budget-friendly and extremely accessible, telemedicine will likely be more widely implemented.”
Author Bio
DrHouse CEO and Founder Ergo Sooru – DrHouse is a membership-based healthcare service – you can talk to board-certified clinicians from top US medical schools in less than 15 minutes or book a same-day appointment in nearby clinics. No insurance is needed. Our unique technology helps us to know you – the better we know you, the better we can treat you. We combine world-class clinicians with the latest technology to provide a seamless experience.
