How Telehealth Improves Medicine in the Future?
Technological advancements nowadays continue to benefit the daily life of an average man. Aside from various manifestations to the aspect of connectivity, technology also brings about telehealth.
Telehealth is a platform by which patients can coordinate with their GPs through virtual communication. Its remote nature allowed it to be accessed through different devices. It encompasses different kinds of medical services that will be given to people. One of the services included in the platform would be telemedicine.
Telemedicine on the other hand is the remote access to clinical services. This is the term used to refer to the general procedure of patient-doctor consultation.
Other kinds of telehealth services are the following:
· Patient Portal
An online patient portal allows the patient and doctors to access the necessary medical records, schedule appointments, request prescriptions, and communicate with one another.
· Doctor’s appointments
Conducting virtual appointments allows the patient to maximise the telehealth service especially if there are existing constraints such as mobility problems and other matters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients can set appointments with the doctor virtually.
· Store and forward
This is a form of electronic transmission between doctors or doctors and patients. Necessary medical records anything related to the overall treatment plan can be exchanged here.
· Remote patient monitoring
Doctors could be able to monitor the patient remotely. Through the help of monitoring devices, doctors could easily check the real-time conditions of their patients even from afar.
· Mobile health
Using mobile apps is one of the definitive features of telehealth. Since mobile phones are spread across various age groups in the country, it is a favorable prerequisite for this service.
Benefits of telehealth
· Better access to healthcare
Its virtual setup allows the patients to have direct and better access to healthcare regardless of their distance from one another. Persons with mobility issues are also given the chance to consult with their doctors without going out.
· Improves quality of care
Telehealth improves the quality of care through reducing hospital admissions and reducing the days spent in a hospital.
· Reduces cost of care
Without too many problems concerning traveling, telehealth evidently reduces a huge chunk in healthcare costs. Also, doctors who use this platform sometimes charge lower fees as compared to the traditional consultation method.
· Increased patient satisfaction
The convenience and flexibility of telehealth give a sense of satisfaction for patients. Approaching as a preventive method for care gives a chance for a patient for the betterment of their welfare.
Telepharmacy
Running with a similar idea, telepharmacy is a platform by which pharmacy services are given directly to the patient. Doctors coordinate with the patients by issuing necessary prescriptions and the patients then coordinate with the available telepharmacy services for their needs. The medications can be delivered right to your home by the local pharmacy.
Limitations of telehealth
Although telehealth is more convenient as compared to traditional medicine, it could still not replace the way doctors approach to care that needs physical examination.
Also, telehealth may cause fragmented treatments that could be detrimental to the overall care process.
The point is that telehealth is a good alternative for healthcare. One should not fail to recognise the benefits as well as the limitations of this platform.
