Telemedicine, also known as telehealth, is predominantly fuelled by digitisation and technology. It wasn’t so popular until a few years ago but has now become the go-to option for patients and physicians interested in limiting social contact in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. Currently, services such as using an online GP are steadily rising, especially after a survey revealed that 75% of people prefer remote patient monitoring. Below are a few advantages telemedicine presents.
- Minimises patients’ costs
Under normal circumstances, a patient has to commute from home to their health facility to seek medical treatment for a wide range of conditions. Fortunately, telemedicine cuts that out without affecting the quality of care and treatment received. With telehealth, the patient can access their physician through a digital device, automatically eliminating concerns such as parking costs, childcare and taking time off work.
Furthermore, this innovative healthcare addresses the concerns of folks in rural townships. For example, certain health conditions require that a patient living outside the city centre travel to urban areas to access specialist care. Depending on the severity of the situation, patients can reach the specialist remotely without stress over commuting costs.
- Reduces patient no-shows
According to Practice IndexUK, patient no-shows are detrimental to GP activities and service delivery. Even worse, Astellas Pharma health service revealed that General Practitioners miss out on about 12 million patients each year due to no-shows. That costs about £160 million annually in monetary value. In the same survey, the health service disclosed that even though 70% of patients willingly pay a £10 no-show charge, they do so because they have no choice.
Fortunately, telemedicine addresses patient no-shows because of the convenience it offers. Usually, patients don’t show up due to the hassle many non-critically ill patients associate with visiting the hospital in person. However, with the option to access medical care through the phone or other digital device, there’s more commitment to honour their same-day online appointments.
- Accessible for patients without health insurance
Usually, you’ll need health insurance to access medical services. However, with telemedicine, some companies offer pay-by-cash or digital payment platforms. In the UK, once you’re under the NHS, you can easily access your physicians who have registered with the public health scheme. 13% of the population across the UK is registered under active private health schemes, while the remaining are under the NHS. Therefore, GPs are readily available to you.
- Decreased exposure to pathogens
The hospital setting may be filled with several pathogens which contribute to the spread of infectious diseases. Moreover, with COVID-19, the situation is even worse. Long waiting hours and sharing the same confined space with others may put you at an increased risk of pathogen exposure. However, with telemedicine, you can access medical care from your home or any other place other than the health facility, which is a significant advantage.
In conclusion, take advantage of the many benefits you can derive from remote healthcare or telemedicine. Although this system has limitations regarding what conditions can be treated remotely, it still holds promise for efficient healthcare.