Can Telemedicine Improve Patient Experience and Boost Your Business?

Telemedicine is fast becoming a mainstream part of healthcare. Healthcare providers in the industry are using telehealth and telemedicine solutions. This is mostly due to the proven benefits of these solutions.

The entire cycle of healthcare is experiencing a change because of telemedicine. Telehealth systems have transformed homes, hospitals, care organizations, and behavioral health facilities. Hospitals are able to better support patients, employees and clients when they utilize telemedicine systems. But some organizations are still wondering if a telehealth system is worth the time and investment.

The American Telemedicine Association is a leading authority in the field, the CEO of the organization has stated the following opinion about telemedicine: ‘Some form of telemedicine has existed in primary care for a long time. What’s different is the change in technology and access to broadband that makes it more widely available to doctors and patients.”

Effect on patient care

Telemedicine is a win-win solution for both doctors and patients. These systems allow patients to directly communicate with doctors and relate all their medical issues with adequate face to face time. The doctor is trained to treat a virtual visit just as if it is an in-person visit. The level of care is maintained. Patients living in remote areas can also take advantage of this system and consult properly trained doctors. Patients can be empowered to monitor their health and keep up with their medicine regime through follow-up e-visits by nurses or consultants.
Hospitals often complain of a lack of integrated communication channels between them and their patients. Telehealth can help solve this issue by giving patients access to a single means of communication, record keeping, send emails alerts, or alerts on mobile devices to keep the patient’s informed.

Tech-savvy Patients and Telemedicine

Most patients are comfortable and familiar enough with technology to setup video conferencing and communicate with doctors from their home. This is a convenient option for many because patients can avoid travelling long distances and waiting in long lines at crowded clinics. A survey conducted by Telemedicine and e-Health, concluded that patients are “likely to be accepting of telehealth care to the home using video call and that most have the required technology.”

Benefits of Telemedicine

· Reduce healthcare costs
· Better patient outcomes
· Reductions in the number of readmissions
· Clients and patients are better satisfied with services
· Access to care is easy and quick
· Better communication between doctors and patients
· The outcomes and results are easily tracked
· Telemedicine systems are highly scalable