A good change or implementation of a new change enhances a current process. It upgrades it and makes it best suited to cater to future use.
One such good change is taking place in the healthcare sector.
Whenever we picture healthcare messaging solutions, we visualize visiting hospitals, long waits to see a doctor, calling to book appointments, and more.
But did you know that there is one technology solution that changed this visualization? ‘Telemedicine’ is a powerful and impactful healthcare engagement solution.
So instead of you having to visit a hospital, you can receive the same consultation at the comfort of your home.
This is possible with the use of a telemedicine app.
So what is telemedicine? And how does telemedicine work?
This blog will be your guide.
Telemedicine: Why It Needs Your Attention?
Let’s understand this better with an example:
Previously, whenever we booked an appointment, the common means of communication was making a phone call. So, in case you missed the appointment, you need to make another phone call for the same.
Appointments were always face-to-face with the doctors in the hospital but because at times we miss it, we have no choice but to reschedule meeting them again.
Here is when telemedicine comes into the picture.
With the telemedicine app, you don’t have to face the above hassles.
Instead, you can have a session with the doctor on your smartphone via video, audio, or chat platforms available.
Telemedicine lets healthcare providers and patients engage remotely via an electronic medium. Roy Schoenburg, CEO of American Wall stated, ‘’Every second the doctor is not seeing patients is wasted time. Doctors already spend roughly 40 percent of their day documenting and doing other administrative tasks. To waste the other 50 to 60 percent of your day traveling between patients is a 50 to 60 percent reduction in ef iciency. Short of teleportation, the doctor house call will always be an irresponsibly massive reduction in primary care ef iciency.”
So, if you have no time to attend the appointment, telemedicine lets you have it anywhere you like, your home, during office break times, and more.
The benefit?
Patients can access healthcare services with ease and doctors can expand their services better.
Mary Oseid, Senior Vice President at Dartmouth Hitchcock Health supported telemedicine stating, ‘’What we saw during COVID was a real shift from the in-person visit to the phone visit and video visit with patients, we did that out of necessity—we closed our hospitals, but we still needed to care for our patients, so we started seeing them through these other means. And we’re seeing that continuing.”
Telemedicine: What Services Can It Enhance?
- Primary Care evaluation
- Preoperative consultation
- Post-operative evaluation
- Patient monitoring
- Pre-appointment check-in
- Fitness classes
- Meditation and wellness
- Psychiatric consultation
- Health insurance management
- Medical information and history
- Medical device consultation
- Medical imaging
- Medical education
How Can You Get Started With Telemedicine?
Telemedicine works in two ways.
One is making use of telemedicine providers and the other is investing in a telemedicine API provider.
For instance, pediatricians and geriatrics use remote patient monitoring to learn better about their patients and inform healthcare providers of any health issues.
Telemedicine can be easily accessed via smartphones or any device.
Healthcare providers can also create telemedicine apps so that their patients can engage with them easily. You can decide what type of communication you wish to offer such as chat, video, and audio.
Patients can immediately start using your app and engage with you instantly. Let’s understand this with an example:
A patient has a mild cold. Since the pandemic is present, they are not comfortable visiting a hospital. Hence they engage with a hospital via the telemedicine app.
In the app, they chat or video call with the concerned doctor, share attachments or prescriptions, and the patient is educated on how to get better. A regular follow-up is also conducted after a week to ensure that the patient is fine.
Telemedicine makes it this simple for both parties.
Perks Of Using TeleMedicine
Telemedicine usage offers multiple benefits to patients and doctors, here’s how:
- Saves travelling cost. Instead of having to travel to a hospital for a visit, patients can use the telemedicine app to engage with doctors instead
- Fewer no-shows for appointments. There will be a reduction in no show appointments since patients can doctors can easily engage via the app
- Doctors can expand their operations better. With the app, doctors can enhance their services better by reaching out to multiple patients.
- Easy follow-up. Doctors can build a better bond with their patients by following up with them regularly. This helps form a better long term relationship
- Educate patients- With regular engagement, doctors can help patients understand how they can take care of themselves well. Sending precautions or measures via the app helps patients understand how they can be healthy and heal themselves.
What Are The Current Challenges With Telemedicine?
The most common problem with Telemedicine is technical usage.
While millennials and youngsters are familiar with apps like Telemedicine, when it comes to the older generation, they might find it difficult to navigate through the app.
Since these kinds of patients aren’t familiar, they might not prefer this medium as well. However, this is an issue that can be resolved.
Doctors can inform their patients about their telemedicine app. With the consultations, they can guide patients on how to get started and help them understand the perks of their usage.
Also creating tutorials or having tours within the app are greatly helpful.
With such guidance, older patients can have the ease to get started and implement the app better.
Creating A Telemedicine App v/s Using A Service
There are many best telemedicine providers available in the market that can help you get started.
But if you’re looking to exhibit your healthcare brand from the competitors, creating a telemedicine app is the better option.
Creating a telemedicine app offers you multiple benefits, to name a few are:
- Let’s you create your telemedicine app the way you like
- You can set up the app as per your requirements
There are many telemedicine software API providers available in the market that help you enhance your app creation better such as:
- Provide secure video telemedicine options ( applies the same for audio and chat) ● Provide encrypted options to secure engagements
- Provides 100% customization options
- Supports HIPAA compatible chat api
- Provides dedicated hosting
- Scale video calls globally and more
Conclusion
Telemedicine benefits are huge as you’ve learned above.
Implementing technological solutions such as telemedicine, healthcare providers are making it accessible to cater to patients everywhere.
Lisa Ide, MD, chief medical officer at Zipnosis stated, ‘’I think that’s one of the areas that will never go back to having in-person care be the default way of getting care. I do not see patients being willing to come in person when they’ve had the convenience of getting that kind of care from home.”
Apart from this benefit, healthcare providers can also maximize their operations efficiency better as well as manage patients with ease.
Now it’s your turn to incorporate telemedicine solutions into your healthcare services. So, when do you plan to get started?
How would you create your telemedicine app?
Is investing in a telemedicine API provider on your list to get started?