Five types of patients that need telemedicine services!

The world of communications has allowed us to achieve incredible things in the last couple of decades. We are now entering an even more digitized and technological world, and the video conferences that we once saw as science fiction in movies like Back to The Future, are now completely normal activities.

Telemedicine

The healthcare industry needed to find a way to get involved in modern technology, and this is the reason why Telemedicine was created and launched as a very useful tool for healthcare.

For those who are unaware of this concept. Telemedicine is the process of allowing doctors and patients to connect by using the internet. The doctor can see the patient and the patient can see the doctor in high quality video with audio.

This technology is very useful for all kinds of purposes related to healthcare. The possibilities are endless and the benefits are numerous, but the use of telemedicine has yet to reach the mainstream in a massive way. 

Even healthcare experts are warming up to the use of telemedicine apps. For example, Simon Stertzer, the father of modern heart surgery, recently commented on a podcast about how telemedicine apps are the perfect companion digital product to doctors everywhere because it allows for patients who would otherwise not consult a doctor to get in touch with one and therefore avoid severe health-related complications.

Today, we are going to be talking about the five types of patients that benefit from the advantages of Telemedicine.

1-Busy people

Business owners, employees and entrepreneurs – they all have one thing in common today. That one thing is that they are all extremely busy people. Everyone is now struggling to make time count and they hardly even have enough time to visit a doctor for a regular consultation.

Technology continues to evolve and it allows us to manage our time efficiently. We are living in the busiest and fastest times in the history of humanity. This means that we are no longer just counting the hours of each productive day, but we have also started to count the minutes just to stay competitive and relevant.

Anyone who is too busy to be driving to the doctor’s office is going to benefit from getting their consultations online. Many doctor’s appointments are meant to help people understand how to take better care of their bodies and how to handle certain lifestyle changes. Telemedicine is ideal for those consultations.

According to Digital Authority Partners, there were 30 million telemedicine visits last year. Many of those visitors are very busy people who are relatively healthy and can’t afford to waste time visiting the doctor for regular consultations.

2-Seniors

Even if a senior is able to move around without problems, it can be quite demanding and taxing for their bodies to make frequent visits to the doctor. This is why Telemedicine is such a powerful option, one that is going to help them get those consultations from the comfort of their homes.    

Senior citizens often face health issues that require constant check-ups. Having to drive, or to be driven to those consultations and waiting at the doctor’s office for their turn can be a huge hassle. With telemedicine, this is no longer an issue and it saves the patients time and money. It also helps the doctor provide his services to a larger number of patients per day.

This is also ideal for seniors living in retirement homes. The doctors can schedule consultations for the senior in a specific location and this is both practical and beneficial to the patients.

3-People with disabilities

If seniors have a hard time moving around for regular consultations, this process is even more difficult for people who are suffering from any kind of disabilities. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important for people with any kind of physical or mental impediment to have access to Telemedicine.

This is extremely useful and it allows the caretakers of the patient to invest their time in other tasks related to the care of the patient. Being able to skip many trips to hospitals and clinics can be a huge advantage, not to mention how beneficial it is to their health.

4-People with injuries

Telemedicine allows for high quality video broadcasting and patients can even show doctors their wounds or injuries to see how they are healing after treatment. This is an advantage that allows patients to recover faster because they don’t have to move to any location for their consultation.

There are all kinds of injuries that doctors can monitor with the use of high quality video, and the treatments, advice and general patient care information can also be provided with Telemedicine.

5-Travelers

Traveling can often mean that you won’t be able to visit your family doctor. Having to explain your medical history and records to doctors whole you travel can be a hassle. This is why Telemedicine can be such a powerful way for anyone to gain access to their doctor in case of any health issues while they are abroad.

Travelers can now talk to their doctors in case they are feeling unwell, with the advantage of a doctor that knows their medical history can is able to provide a much better initial diagnosis. This could help the traveler get local medical attention once the doctor determines what could be wrong with the patient.

People who often travel to other countries are exposed to all kinds of health risks that they would to have to deal with at home. Telemedicine is a great way to give travelers an extra layer of safety during their trip.

The use of Telemedicine apps and software

There are different Telemedicine apps that offer advantages and specific features. Some of the most popular solutions include MDLIVE, LiveHealth, Babylon Health, AmWell, First Opinion and Lemonaid.

These are just some of the most popular names in the industry, but many others are also coming up and providing a reliable service to doctors and their patients all over the world. Practically every month a new Telemedicine app becomes available.  

Final thoughts

Telemedicine has come a long way and it will continue to grow in popularity in the coming years. It’s very important to see the many benefits that this technology brings to healthcare. The more popular it becomes the more interest it will spark in large corporations. This will lead to more research and development being implemented in the near future. 

8 Comments

  • Kate Sarsfield

    I live in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, my GP is in Gorey, Co. Wexford and I’m moving to Swinford, Co. Mayo. Thank goodness for telecommunications!

  • Michele

    I think telemedical services can be a good idea. I don’t think it should cost as much as a traditional visit, but I feel that it could help some individuals. It could help ease the minds in some people that are unable to get out of the house during this time.

  • Tamra Phelps

    When I was in the nursing home, during quarantine, almost every doctor’s appointment was done via telemedicine. I suspect that a lot of people will find it convenient to continue using it.

  • Rosie

    I think it is good our state reps just approved a bill for telemedicine it is on its way to the senate next week. I’d like to be able to use it, so far, I haven’t because you need to be able to download an app for my health insurance, and I don’t have a smartphone.

  • Crystal K

    I love telemedicine. There’s nothing better than NOT having to choose between hiring a babysitter or hauling my kids in to the doctor with me. It’s especially great when you KNOW what is wrong with you and you just need a prescription called in (like when you get a UTI!)

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