Telemedicine: Medicine & Technology
The World Health Organization (WHO) refers to telemedicine as “healing from a distance“. It is the use of telecommunications technology and information technologies to provide remote clinical services to patients. Physicians use telemedicine for the transmission of digital imaging, video consultations, and remote medical diagnosis.
Today, individuals no longer have to schedule an in-person visit with a physician to receive treatment. The use of secure video and audio connections makes it possible for specialists to treat patients who reside in locations with limited access to care.
In primary care, telemedicine is usually in the form of phone calls, where the patient seeks the doctor’s advice about non-emergency medical problems which don’t require the doctor to see the patient. It doesn’t replace face-to-face consultation when it is needed, but complements it.
Nowadays, most people have access to basic telemedicine devices like mobile phones and computers. With improved accessibility, individuals in rural areas and busy urban areas can connect with a provider with ease. Home-use medical devices make it possible for caregivers to monitor everything from vitals to glucose levels. Physicians can gather essential medical information and make a diagnosis without patients stepping foot in a doctors office.
The real role of telemedicine at present lies in the convenience it offers to patients and practitioners by obviating the necessity for a physical visit to get medical advice or treatment. It is cost-effective, in comparison to the process of waiting to see a doctor or other practitioner.
Telemedicine doesn’t only benefit providers who are reaping the fruits of technology advancements for a better and more accurate diagnosis, it also benefits patients with no access to clinical assistance or in busy areas where they have to struggle in trafic, leave their jobs and/or the elderly who are challenged to find care.
- Less time away from work
- No travel expenses or time
- Less interference with child or elder care responsibilities
- Privacy
- No exposure to other potentially contagious patients
- Increased revenue
- Improved office efficiency
- An answer to the competitive threat of retail health clinics and on-line only providers
- Better patient follow through and improved health outcomes
- Fewer missed appointments and cancellations
- Private payer reimbursement
Blood glucose meter, EKG, ultrasound, pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitor, and many other. These medical devices also allow physicians to travel to rural and developing countries to provide necessary patient care.
Reference: What is Telemedicine?
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