Understanding the concept of telemedicine

The rise of the internet has completely transformed every aspect of the modern economy and the medical industry. The medical industry has grown tremendously in the last few years, with faster and more reliable online communication methods to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners. It has also enhanced medical care services all over the world. However, there is one important way healthcare practitioners have improved the service access to their patients all across and, i.e. ‘Telemedicine’.  

Telemedicine is one of the reliable and convenient concepts in the medical industry, and with the help of the internet, it is growing significantly. It is not always possible for the patients to visit the hospital or the clinic because of the distance, time, or other health risk barriers. In such situations, doctors and nurses can give medical advice to their patients anytime, anywhere, with the help of the internet and other advanced telecommunication technology. Telemedicine is a practice that allows any healthcare professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients when they are not physically present at the hospital or the clinic through telecommunication technology. This approach has gained a huge momentum nowadays and is becoming an important aspect of healthcare structure these days. Moreover, with the uprising cases of COVID 19 in the last year, this telemedicine service has become the forefront of the healthcare industry. 

 

Let’s get into the details of telemedicine

Telemedicine is the method by which patients can discuss their symptoms and medical issues with the doctor or any other certified healthcare provider with the help of using phone or online video platforms like Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom, or email, etc. Using telemedicine, one can get properly diagnosed, learn about their treatment options, and get prescribed without even visiting the health facility. In addition, patients can communicate to their doctors using telecommunication technology. Telemedicine can be used for consultations for follow-up visits, treating chronic conditions, and other clinical services and even for consulting the specialists. All these can be successfully done with the help of secured video and audio connections.

Telemedicine is not a new concept; many healthcare professionals have followed this method since the early 1980s. But with the rise in internet services, there have been improvements for email, smartphones, and website usage, and thus, telemedicine services have expanded. Presently, it is very common among patients and doctors because of its affordability, convenience, and 24*7 accesses.

What are the different types of telemedicine?

• Interactive medicine is also known as ‘live telemedicine’, and it allows the doctor and patients to communicate in real-time. In simpler terms, interactive services are spontaneous consultation advice by the doctors before immediate medical attention.
• Remote patient monitoring – It is commonly called tele monitoring and is a practice that allows healthcare professionals to monitor patients through mobile medical equipment for collecting data for conditions like blood pressure, blood sugar levels, etc. This type of telemedicine is generally used for monitoring patients who have been recently released from the hospital. For instance, remote monitoring can be used for keeping track of glucose levels among patients with diabetes. 
• Store and forward – This is known as the ‘asynchronous telemedicine’ method in which the healthcare providers share the patient’s information such as imaging studies, lab reports, and other records with a relevant specialist who might be present at some other location. It is a sophisticated telemedicine type with security features to safeguard patient’s privacy. 

What are the benefits of using telemedicine services?

• Convenient – At times, patients have to consult doctors far away from their places or in different cities. Thus, telemedicine gives the opportunities to the patients to get diagnosed and prescribed from their homes. It not only saves time but is also a way of getting medical attention whenever required.
• Money-saving – Using telemedicine consultation  helps in saving money for both the patient and the doctor. Patients don’t have to leave their work and visit the hospital, and doctors don’t lose money on cancellations of the appointment. At times, the cost of the telemedicine service is less expensive than the actual visit to the doctor. Also, the doctor can get benefit from gaining telemedicine reimbursement, which is not possible during off-hours consultations.
• Time-saving – Patients suffering from any chronic illness might have to spend a lot of time at the hospital, which is not always necessary. Moreover, when the patient has a simple cold or mild infection, and if the physical exam can be completed via video calling, then there is no need to visit the doctor at their clinic. The patients can use the telemedicine method to get quick treatment from the doctor without wasting any extra time.

 

Telemedicine services at Colusa Medical Center

If you reside anywhere near Colusa, CA, United States, and want to get telemedicine consultation services from the best-renowned doctors, here is the solution for you all. Consult Colusa Medical Center and get acute inpatient and outpatient telemedicine services for primary and specialty care. You can contact them now at 530-458-4162 and make your appointment for primary care, cardiology, general surgery, orthopedics, infectious diseases, and pediatric care. They are also taking appointments for COVID-19 vaccines.