As the coronavirus pandemic continues to transform life as we once knew it, the healthcare industry is certainly weathering some of the most drastic changes. Doctors, once accustomed to treating patients in person, are now relying on remote patient monitoring and telemedicine to ensure they are providing support without risking the spread of COVID-19. We are leveraging technology in a whole new way, and many of these forced advancements are here to stay.
Whether you own a clinic that has fully embraced telemedicine, you are hoping you can ignore the telemedicine requirements once coronavirus has subsided, or you’re considering adding this kind of centralized technological capability to your practice, we’re here to provide you with 7 reasons why this form of medicine isn’t going away – anytime soon.
Here’s why you should embrace it:
- It Keeps Everyone Safe: Due to the contagiousness of COVID-19, it’s more important than ever that we do our part to minimize the congregation of human bodies in one space. A doctor’s office could potentially be the perfect breeding ground for the spreading of this virus if too many people are in the waiting room at one time. By staying home, both doctors and patients reduce their risk of contracting the virus while still receiving the care they require. Patients understand this, which is why one survey found that more than 60% of patients are willing to try telehealth today.
- Reduces Wait Times for Patients: If you’re tired of sitting in a waiting room for one-hour, hoping the nurse will call your name next, you can spend that time waiting right at home on your couch. When waiting for the doctor to enter your virtual telemedicine waiting room, you can put your phone down, do more work, watch TV, etc. You don’t have to waste any time in the process. Additionally, doctors can see more patients per day without the need to physically travel from room to room. They can simply click through their list and provide professional medical attention via the telemedicine software.
- Radiologists Can Read from Anywhere: Many radiologists are using digital technologies to work from home today. Previously thought to be impossible, COVID-19 has forced us to realize that radiologists can do their jobs remotely, making it easier for them to read through scans safely and effectively. It is predicted there will be more universal teleradiology adoption across practices and hospitals once the virus subsides, making it easier than ever before for a radiologist to complete their job. This kind of widespread adoption and efficiency is encouraging side effect.
- Increased Access for Senior Living Communities: One of the most vulnerable segments of the population, elderly individuals, have always struggled with the need to physically visit the doctors. With telemedicine, now they can improve their healthcare, manage diseases, monitor diabetes, and engage in a virtual care that is right for them. This can reduce hospitalization rates – where they are most likely to contract coronavirus – while keeping those at high risk safe in their senior living communities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has expanded telehealth to include Medicare beneficiaries for the time being; however, it is predicted that this will remain a constant.
- Easier Connection with Providers/Patients: For those living in metropolitan areas, you know that finding a doctor can be a nightmare. In return, in-network doctors are always looking to connect with patients who carry relevant health insurance. With telemedicine, it’s easier than ever before to pair up these two parties so they don’t spend years trying to find each other. Especially during the time of coronavirus, even if you live somewhere like New York City, you can receive the medical support and access that you deserve.
- Easier Scheduling: Scheduling can be a huge time drain for any doctor’s office. It requires you to make calls, leave messages, wait for callbacks, schedule the appointment, and potentially move it if you need to. When the appointment is over, the patient tries to schedule a tentative appointment for the next time they come in, only to no avail. Plus, with late fees and no-show fees, this can make it stressful on the patient, as well as the office’s organization staff. Telemedicine enables same-day or next-day appointment scheduling so you can create a system that works for you. This removes the need for doctor’s offices to chase down clients and patients every day, spending hours on the phone. Instead, patients can directly, through a mobile app, schedule themselves into the doctor’s queue. Now office staff can focus on more important things.
- Ownership of Medical Records: Although doctor’s offices never try to purposely withhold your medical records from you, when it comes to telemedicine, everything is out in the open. By using a virtual care app, patients can track their own personal records, stats, and health statuses so they can be more responsible about maintaining their health and longevity. Doctors can have more casual conversations with their patients, because patients will finally understand where they are on their health journey. This is especially important for individuals living with diabetes, etc.
Welby Health
We’re helping patients take control of their care with virtual and automated care plans. We know that the future will be based on technological caregiving, which is why we want to make the process as painless as possible for doctors and patients.
Our app includes a smart chat function for patients to interact with, as well as real-time info and stats to monitor conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. Able to connect with multiple physician systems, Welby Health is about to close the gap between patient satisfaction and doctor support today. Consider the future of telemedicine for your practice.
Keywords
Telemedicine, Virtual care, Diabetes, Remote patient monitoring
References
https://www.decent.com/post/top-7-reasons-why-telemedicine-is-awesome
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joeharpaz/2020/05/04/5-reasons-why-telehealth-here-to-stay-covid19/#3a5f9ef553fb
https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2020/05/6-reasons-telehealth-now-more-important-ever
