This century has borne a wide variety of technological innovations. Among them, we have seen how digital health has transformed the way we receive services.
Under this umbrella we have what is called “Telehealth,” a term that refers to the delivery of virtual medical and health services through the use of telecommunication technologies. This is where Telemedicine comes in. It turns a face-to-face consultation into a far more convenient, and cheaper alternative: the virtual doctors’ visit. You can reach medical professionals from the convenience of your smartphone within minutes. You can have prescriptions filled for a variety of illnesses, from cold and flu to UTIs and STDs.
It’s bringing back the traditional doctor’s house call, from the mid 20th century, and transforming it to fit the digital world we live in today.
Convenient and Accessible
The advances in telemedicine today have made healthcare more convenient, accessible, and cost-effective.
Let’s say you come down with a stomach bug. You are bedridden, fatigued, and trying to make it through the day without collapsing. The last thing you want to do is sit in a waiting room for hours, surrounded by other sick people, just to get a prescription for the condition you already suspect you have.
Telemedicine has created another alternative. All you have to do is whip out your smartphone, and you can reach a variety of doctors through phone, video, or email. In addition, a phone or video consultation is more than half the cost of an in-person visit, making it both cost-effective and convenient.
A Growing Market
According to the American Telemedicine Association, about 15 million Americans have already accessed some form of health care service, remotely, in the past year. This number is only expected to grow. People are realizing that they do not have to sacrifice quality for convenience. You can have both.
