Telemedicine Services Guide

Telemedicine is the practice of delivering healthcare services remotely via audio and visual forms of technology such as smartphones and live video chats.  It allows a physician to evaluate a patient, give a diagnosis, and recommend treatment from a distance.

Health IT can also be used for the management of chronic diseases, follow-up care, and patients can call the doctor with questions of a non-emergency nature.

The terms telemedicine and telehealth are often used interchangeably, but they have a slight distinction. As described above, telemedicine refers to the use of technology to deliver healthcare remotely.

Telehealth, on the other hand, refers to a broader scope of remote health care services in which telemedicine is one aspect. Others include medical education, health administration, and provider training.

Telehealth works like a regular appointment between a patient and a doctor; only it is virtual. Often, you will have scheduled an appointment by phone or email. The clinic will advise you on what forms of technology are available for your consultation, such as live video conferencing on platforms such as Zoom, Skype, and Facetime. Some clinics might also have electronic medical record systems where patients can connect with doctors.

Once you are both set and connected the appointment proceeds as would a typical face-face consultation. The doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and current symptoms. Based on this, you will get a diagnosis and prescription, which you can also fill online.

If the doctor finds that you need further testing, a specific procedure, or urgent medical attention, then he/she will likely recommend that you visit the clinic in person.

Telemedicine has many benefits both for the provider and the patient. These include:

Patients

• Patients can get a diagnosis at the comfort of their home, saving on time and travel expenses
• Not having to go to a hospital reduces the exposure to potentially contagious patients, especially during a pandemic like COVID-19
•  Consulting a doctor from home provides a higher degree of privacy
• Telemedicine reduces healthcare costs incurred in consultations and referrals
• Telemedicine reduces geographical barriers that might prevent patients from seeking specialized care
•  A virtual doctor’s appointment means that one doesn’t have to miss work  as consultation can be done over lunchtime or in the evening
• Telehealth encourages patents to take charge of their health as they can see a doctor when they need to with little or no inconvenience

Providers 

• Providers can reach a wider number of people, increasing revenue
• When doctors stay in contact with their patients, they can identify emerging problems or symptoms which can lead to early mitigation and better health outcomes
• Telemedicine consultations cut on waiting times which can improve a provider’s satisfaction score
• Digital health consultations can reduce a clinic’s operational costs such as those occasioned by no-shows

Even though telemedicine is growing at a rapid rate fueled by technology, it does have some drawbacks:

• By virtue of relying on technology, telemedicine can easily lock out patients who are in remote or rural areas with poor or erratic connectivity
• Providers must shoulder extra costs for procuring the necessary equipment and training their staff on the appropriate IT systems
• Telemedicine has limitations as there are diagnoses that a doctor cannot make without a physical examination or lab test.