The world pretty much reached a standstill upon the onset of Covid-19, and many countries went on lockdown. As everyone strives towards better healthcare and a vaccine, actually stepping outside to go to a hospital or even just a clinic for a face-to-face consultation has been understandably worrisome.
It then comes as no surprise that there was a massive jump in the use of telehealth services in the United States from 11% of consumers in 2019 all the way to 46% this year, 2020.
Medical Advancement
Understandably, there are people who may think that telemedicine and telehealth, in general, are more of a temporary solution or that the health benefits cannot compare to a face-to-face consultation. Even in an emergency, telemedicine is actually more than sufficient.
Virtual care is actually moving towards becoming the catalyst for integrated care. There is a high chance that long-standing healthcare system problems will be solved through this. When that takes effect, there will be an immediate preference for the “virtual-first” healthcare delivery model.
One of the biggest draws for telemedicine is how it enables better access to healthcare for people in general while lowering costs.
There are many ways that telemedicine is changing healthcare for the better, such as:
More access, less waiting
Physician search firm Merritt Hawkins did a survey some years ago of 15 United States cities. Their researchers found that on average, a patient waited almost a month—29 days—to see a family medicine practitioner. That’s a major increase of 50% from just 2 years prior to when the research was conducted.
For behavioral health practitioners like psychiatrists, it can take as long as months in some parts of the country. Given the convenience of access and time, it’s safe to say that even after the pandemic, it will continue to be a massive source of support regardless of a patient’s location.
Continuing care
In-person care can actually be less personal because of the tendency for patients to require going from one healthcare provider to another, depending on their situation. This is a problem because an established relationship with a primary care physician can do wonders for patient satisfaction, and boost their adherence to any practices or regimens needed. Since virtual care essentially allows for access to support around the clock, it gives patients a better chance of establishing a bond with a long-term physician they trust.
Portable records
From their primary care physician, patients go to specialists depending on their needs, and then to the pharmacy to buy medication. This means that it would be best for their information to essentially “travel” with them, which unfortunately does not usually happen. As a result, procedures and tests are sometimes duplicated, which leads to wasted resources. When using a virtual-first model, the kind of information generally expected from every other industry will finally be available from healthcare providers.
Billing transparency
One of the best ways telemedicine continues to improve healthcare is pre-negotiated rates with payers. This means that patients no longer have to worry about surprise medical bills.
Conclusion
Telemedicine is truly changing medicine for the better. Across the board, telemedicine platforms have been doing really well because people appreciate the positive change it has brought. The bottom line is convenience that does not sacrifice quality.
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