Technology has various uses and one of its uses is being a part of telemedicine service. The concept of telemedicine services started from delivering healthcare services right in the comfort of the patient’s home.
With the use of integrating telecommunications technology and information technologies, a tool was made for providing clinical services from a distance, which we know now as telemedicine services.
Benefits of Telemedicine
The advancement of technology further helped with the improvement of telemedicine services. Providers and patients are just a few who benefit from using telemedicine.
Benefits of Telemedicine for Providers
Through the help of telemedicine, it is much easier for medical practitioners to extend their help. This can be seen from a hospital that does not have adequate expertise for a rare disease. They can outsource evaluation using telemedicine.
Providers also find using telemedicine as a convenient way to follow-up with their patients. This follow-up may consist of a video chat or a monitoring system for the patient’s health. This is an effective way of making sure the patient is doing well.
With the use of telemedicine services, healthcare systems are far more advanced now. This means that the artificial intelligence that is integrated with the technology for telemedicine can better assist providers in administering the treatment and diagnosis. Moreover, it increases the revenue of the providers since clinicians can offer the service without the need to hire more staff.
Benefits of Telemedicine for Patients
Telemedicine has made delivering healthcare to patients more accessible and convenient since patients will be able to ask questions and be treated in the comfort of their homes. They’ll be able to connect to their doctor quickly. Patients won’t also need to travel to the hospitals for them to have their check-up. Telemedicine services can also benefit those patients who already have limitations on mobility. Also, they won’t have to spend a lot of time waiting in the line because they can book their check-up through telemedicine services.
Disadvantages of Telemedicine Services
As much as telemedicine aims to be accessible and convenient for both patients and physicians, it is inevitable to have disadvantages as well.
Disadvantage for patients
It may be nice to have your medical consultation at home and just sitting in front of a webcam, while talking to your doctor but this may harm your consultation. This kind of set up tends to lessen the patient’s interaction with their doctor.
Various researchers and critics still argue about this negative effect of consultation virtually. Some critics believe that telemedicine services provide an impersonal interaction of a doctor to a patient, and physical exams are often used to have a clear and full diagnosis. Hence, telemedicine could be of great help as a supplement for a simple check-up and minor acute conditions.
Disadvantage for providers
The use telemedicine services can no doubt be a tremendous boost to medical practitioners. However, availing of these services can be costly, especially for those who are just starting to grow in the field of medicine. A telemedicine platform would usually involve training on using the system and equipment purchases. The statements mentioned above may be disadvantages, but these are necessary if a physician wants to offer telemedicine services and use this as a tool to provide a convenient way of connecting with their patients.
Telemedicine: The Ultimate Guide
Telemedicine – Medical Services by Alina Telehealth
Medical Fields that Use Telemedicine Services
One main reason why providers prefer to use telemedicine services is that they want to make the healthcare system more accessible, especially to those patients who are located in remote areas. Hence, with the availability of information through the use of telemedicine services, it expands the accessibility of exchanging feedback with medical practitioners.
Radiology
Radiologists spend most of their time on medical imaging and suggesting treatments related to it. They also exchange knowledge and different patient cases in relation to their expertise. Through the use of telemedicine services, they can provide constructive feedback and high-quality images wherever they are. Telemedicine services has made it easier for them to get connected with their colleagues.
Mental Health
As mental health service aim to close the distance between a patient and a psychiatrist, it is not surprising that mental health providers now offer telemedicine services. The stigma related to having a simple consultation with a therapist is still here, alive and kicking. So, it might be a good idea for those people who are worrying about the stigma of getting help from a mental health professional to use the service as a way to have a consultation. Another reason why utilizing telemedicine services in the field of mental health is a big help is because patients are less likely to cancel their appointments.
Dermatology
Patients can consult with their dermatologist through the gadgets they own; it may be a tablet or a phone. Dermatologists can examine the patient’s skin diseases through telemedicine services. A high-quality picture can be sent to their dermatologist who will assess, and then suggest treatment appropriate for them. Through telemedicine, patients save their time from traveling and exposing their skin to air pollutants.
Types of Telemedicine Consultation
When someone says “telemedicine services”, an image of a doctor and a patient discussing the patient’s health condition over the computer is the very first thing that might come up instantly to our mind.
A telemedicine service isn’t just about having a consultation with your doctor through a two-way video chat. It is the way that a clinical service is delivered via telecommunication technology. The main types of telemedicine services are listed below.
Store-and-forward telemedicine solutions
This type of telemedicine service enables a healthcare professional to share medical data to and from a different location. The store-and-forward telemedicine is a secure way of having a private look at a patient’s data online. Some of the medical fields that use this type of telemedicine are teleradiology and teledermatology.
Remote patient monitoring
This type of telemedicine service allows the healthcare provider to track the patient’s health data and vital signs. The remote patient monitoring (RPM) system is mostly utilized for the high-risk patients who need to have tight monitoring of their health.