Category Archives: Telemedicine

Telehealth is a developing area in medical science. As online medical consultations and other remote-care programs continue to spread, they are more likely to shape healthcare delivery. This creates the need for incorporating telemedicine into medical school to ensure pharmacists, nurses, doctors, and other health care staff of tomorrow are well equipped. Ideally, exposure to studies on telehealth practices will benefit not only medical students but also other individuals in the industry.
Since telehealth is an evolving area in medicine, education must be introduced to inform students of the current practice and let medical providers get information for future training. In the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), such programs have been initiated and embedded within a few educational facilities, including its College of Pharmacy, College of Nursing, College of Dental Medicine, among others. When you think about it, education on telemedicine is a low-stakes investment. There are very few programs or platforms that allow medical practitioners to share information with their patients in a value-added way and reduce general healthcare expenditures.
In a survey done in MUSC that consisted of telehealth program participants from the last five years, approximately 86% of the participants considered their abilities to use telemedicine as part of their jobs to be above average. They reported changes in their confidence related to areas of telehealth expertise. They also said that they were in a high position to explain various telehealth practices to their peers.
In the survey, the open-ended responses also revealed that participants gained knowledge beyond the technical skills involved. One answer, for instance, suggested that their focus on cross-practice or cross-disciplinary collaboration had greatly improved. Other responses revealed that programs on telemedicine had increased their awareness of possible new career opportunities. continued educational learning is one of the most important areas of learning for students across different sectors. Telemedicine is indeed the future of healthcare, and incorporating it in medical schools will significantly benefit.

The current coronavirus pandemic affecting the whole world has seen telemedicine rules eased. This is unlike before, where professionals in telehealth had to follow specific laws to legally help their patients and make a decent living from it. Former US representative, Rick Boucher, who is also the Internet Innovation Alliance’s honorary chair, suggests that “things need to remain as they are, even after the pandemic is over.”

Without strict laws on telehealth experts, there is a lot of flexibility. It is currently more comfortable for people to access the health services they need from wherever they are. Before, a patient had to physically visit a hospital or a clinic to talk to a specialist. Today, they can do it from the comfort of their homes using their smartphones or computers. This kind of communication between patients and health experts saves time and expenses. The patient does not have to fuel the car so that they can go and see the doctor. The doctors offering these services have also confirmed to be seeing more patients comfortably.

Now that telehealth rules have been abolished temporarily, all patients can access the medical care they need whether or not they are in a rural or urban setup. Before the pandemic, only patients in rural areas were allowed to get telemedicine. This limitation prohibited those in urban and suburban settings to access quality medical health electronically even if they had the finances needed.

Telehealth laws need to be reinstituted because telemedicine specialists are getting just as much money as regular doctors. In the past, telemedicine consultants have been reimbursed at a lower rate compared to their counterparts who were attending to patients physically. Undoubtedly, they are more motivated and committed to providing the best medical services they can. In earlier days, the rules stated that they had to work at a lower rate than that of doctors offering their services from a medical institution.
It is now clear that telehealth is more efficient without the Telemedicine rules on telemedicine consultants and patients.

Although video telemedicine was recently understood as a futuristic concept fraught with practical limitations and difficulties, virtual healthcare delivery is here. Telemedicine has especially become common in the realm of specialty, such as the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Traditionally, rheumatologists preferred in-person visits, but with the COVID-19 crisis and the precautionary measures that set in place, face-to-face healthcare may not be the best idea. Luckily, thanks to telehealth, rheumatologists can provide essential coverage to their patients.

Making a Telemedicine Appointment

With the current global health crisis, unless you or your loved one has to see a doctor. Take precautions and use Telemedicine whenever you can. To receive Telemedicine, you need an internet-enabled device such as a pc, smartphone, or tablet with a microphone, webcam, and internet connection. Unless you have symptoms that your doctor would like to investigate in person, you’ll probably be able to go through a successful consultation virtually.

The Importance of Staying Connected to Your Health Care Provider

If you are living with a rheumatologic health condition, you will understand the importance of having regular visits with your doctor. Whether in person or virtually, you need to stay connected with your rheumatologist. A recent pre-COVID-19 survey conducted to 500 creaky joint members indicated that almost 80 percent of the patients saw their doctor for treatments related to main health conditions, and 50 percent said that they have to go to the doctor every two or three months. While we are treading through unprecedented times, anyone living with a rheumatologic condition cannot afford to stay in touch with his or her health care specialist. These routine checkups are paramount to assess;

• How well a patient can carry out everyday activities.
•  Arthritis symptoms and the general well-being of the patient
• Address any concern about the daily management of the condition
• Discuss any blood-work, x-ray, or lab results and any progression of disease activity.
• Queries regarding medications and discuss any side effects

What Telemedicine Can’t Do

Parts of the treatment and routine care cannot conclude virtually. They include;

• Provide hands-on examination such as access swelling joints
• Give injections or infusions
• Take a blood sample for testing.

If you need a face-to-face visit to your doctor, you can rest assured your health care’s office is taking the WHO’s precautions to keep you safe from COVID-19.

The consequences of COVID-19 are noticeable in the day-to-day operations in the healthcare sector, and it is evident that telemedicine is at the epicenter of patient care. At its best, telemedicine is so far an efficient way for physicians to connect with patients, especially now that social distancing is necessary.

Besides reducing the ballooning health care cost, physicians use this new approach to manage time, provide online assessment, make appointments, consult with other hospital personnel, meet patients, and be next to kin. Nonetheless, this communication technology has downsides. For instance, there is a need to balance patient needs and the patient care provider’s availability. Currently, there is a risk over-straining the healthcare resources, especially when doctors must respond to patient’s needs 24-7.

A new communication channel that meets patient convenience and, consequently, limits doctors’ distractions are needed for telemedicine to succeed during the current pandemic and beyond. There is a need for a platform that meets the following essential criteria for telehealth to achieve:

• Patients and other health care providers must connect on a universal platform. Having one platform for all parties will minimize errors and unnecessary voluminous work.
• The platform should have a feature that allows the patient’s care team to communicate freely regardless of location, office, organization, and electronic health record source. Information for a particular doctor must flow swiftly without unnecessarily disturbing that doctor or colleagues.
• The telemedicine platform must minimize data overload and errors by allowing direct communication among caregivers.
• The platform must be patient-centered. It must allow customers to consent to medical procedures, access, and share information.
• The platform must prioritize patient needs as well as the doctor’s time and privacy.
• The platform should guarantee the privacy and integrity of patient data by securing a HIPAA-compliance certificate.
• It must have a feature allowing physicians to secure patients’ consent.

In a nutshell, there is a need for universal distraction-free communication technology to enhance practice management and communications in the healthcare sector during this viral pandemic and beyond.

In a time of restricted movement, going to hospital can be of significant risk. However, telemedicine is revolutionizing how patients can access care and medical help, as well as reduce the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It has made it possible for patients to take care of their mental and physical health without having to enter a doctor’s office. It is for this reason that you need to familiarize yourself with the available telemedicine options and utilize them well.

You can use telemedicine for typically anything, from diagnosing a physical illness like the sore throat to talking to a mental health care professional to get a prescription for birth control pills. It is important to note that telemedicine should not be, used for emergencies like a broken bone or a heart attack. Online medical appointments are just like standard office doctors’ appointments; expect you are speaking to your doctor through video conferencing. You can easily browse through your provider’s schedule and choose a convenient time.

Depending on your medical provider, you can use telemedicine for any consultation. Your doctor can send diagnostic images like X-rays and your entire medical history to your telemedicine doctor for review. Ideally, you can access various care options with telemedical services, including psychotherapy, primary care consultations, physical therapy, and some emergency services. If you live far from a medical facility and especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, you can save yourself the hustle by contacting your telemedicine health provider.

Virtual telemedicine appointments will reduce the time you need to take off work for a doctor’s office as can have it on phone or computer at work, home, or anywhere an internet connection is available. With all the benefits discussed, all you need to do is visit Ourdoctor.com to sign up and schedule your online virtual doctor’s visit. You can speak with a doctor in as little as two hours after signing up. Insurance is not required.

The novel Coronavirus (also COVID19) pandemic has pushed telemedicine at the forefront of healthcare provision, supported by global calls for social distancing. In this wake, telehealth has emerged as a practical solution that physicians use during this and other pandemics, especially those requiring social distancing. For many, who find going to the grocery concerning, visiting a hospital office or exam room seems like the last resort, considering infected persons might have been there. If you share the same concerns, here are two ways you can maneuver through telemedicine during a pandemic

1. Remote communication and conferencing

Telemedicine refers to the use of IT platforms to facilitate the delivery of healthcare. It involves patients and physicians setting up remote appointments via phone calls, video conferencing, and other remote communication options available. If you are concerned about your health status, you no longer need to visit the hospital. Instead, you can set up a camera to conference with a doctor for professional diagnosis and recommendations. According to doctors, this helps to deliver healthcare when people are scared to visit hospitals and clinics during pandemics.

2. Online healthcare research

Most people oversight the invaluable resource that exists in online healthcare platforms. Web conferencing aside, you can find updates about the spread of the pandemic, preventative measures you should observe, and practical remedies for symptoms online. Some hospitals, platforms, and doctors send information directly to the patients via mail so that you can use them for periodic updates. You can also visit online resource centers, which contain helpful information concerning managing pandemics.

Summary

IT platforms can be used for healthcare interventions, especially when preventing the spread of a pandemic. The population can receive up to date warnings and helpful information straight to their phone or email. Doctors can offer remote symptom diagnosis through conferencing mediums and even use models to help onsite practitioners provide necessary medical procedures. You can also subscribe to authority feeds, notification centers, and newsletters for up to date information about the pandemic.

The novel COVID-19 pandemic has forced health care specialists to turn to online solutions. Most of them have said they currently see the positive signs of this.

India, one of the countries hit by the new coronavirus, issued a lock-down on March 25, which forced doctors to resort to telemedicine to cater to patients. Dr. Mythili Krishnamurthy, a gynecologist in Tamil Nadu, a state in India, was compelled to attend to her patient online in line with the government restrictions to slow down the spread of the very-contagious virus.

Doctors over all over the United States have used telemedicine companies such as Ourdoctor to analyze the symptoms of patients who have shown signs of having the Covid19 Virus. 

A Practical Tech Solution to Prevent COVID-19 Spread

While many countries are implementing telemedicine, it hasn’t gained ground in many places. Some drawbacks to its success include the involved costs, liability, patients’ security, and poor computer literacy among health care providers and patients.

Dr. Wang, a Medical Director at Saint Barbara Health Center, New Jersey, said, “I’ve now realized that we get shallow medical information about our patients in our exam rooms. Now I’m astonished about the many pop-up messages I get on my phone.” She not only believes that telemedicine saves time, money, and travel, but it can exponentially improve.

Statistics indicate that three in four Americans have to stay at home, but that should not be at the expense of the health conditions. Many doctors, including Wang, never foresaw doctors using telemedicine during this global health crisis. Many seventy-year-olds have turned to social media to communicate with their doctors. That contradicts the rational thought that senior citizens don’t know how to use smartphones.

Some of the roadblocks to the implementation of telemedicine in the US include reimbursements issues, legal matters like patient privacy, licensing, insurance, and security. The federal health programmed such as Medicare and Medicaid, eased the geographical and financial requirements for telemedicine practices. Now many insurance providers have decided to do so, as well.

The advent of the pandemic COVID-19 has disrupted the normal functioning of American lives, and the healthcare sector is no exception. Increasing emergency response costs for unnecessary cases are burdening the economy. Health care conversations have shifted from affordable care to measures of managing COVID-19, whose value will be borne by the government. The issue of the ballooning health care cost presents serious cost implications on the American economy amidst calls to increase funds to the COVID-19 funding package and the state-level emergency fund.
Health care researchers spread over the years have studied and implemented policies to reduce the price tag associated with non-urgent issues in the emergency departments. For several years people have failed to embrace self-care directives. Instead, they overcrowd the emergency centers delaying attention for deserving cases.
Statistics from previous pandemics show that the percentages of people that visited the emergency centers due to unnecessary reasons increased. For example, 87% and 90% of the H1N1 emergency visits in 2008 and 2009 respectively were avoidable. The government lost up to $2,032 in response to unnecessary cases that can be addressed less expensively.
The current pandemic has elicited more fear amongst Americans due to uncertainty on the criteria to determine emergency cases of COVID-19 symptoms. More people will probably visit the emergency department even when they can recover through self-care.

One plausible solution that can reduce the hefty emergency treatment cost as Americans grapple with novella coronavirus is virtual care. Medical experts recommend triage through telemedicine to determine the risk of diseases and consequently avoid overstraining on healthcare resources, especially during pandemics. Companies such as Ourdoctor have developed platforms for triage. Individuals exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 can fill the Ourdoctor online assessment to determine whether they need further medical care. The platform connects them to a pool of a U.S licensed healthcare provider and reports any suspected cases to necessary authorities. Telemedicine is an essential triage tool to filter patients who do not need emergency treatment during the current COVID-19 pandemic.