No Time to Go to the Doctor? Try Telemedicine to Monitor Your Health!
Have you ever wanted a doctor at your fingertips? Ever needed a licensed professional to help talk you through a crisis, whether you’re a recovering alcoholic in a moment of weakness or suffering from depression? Luckily, with technology these days, a remote doctor can be accessed via your phone, which can be crucial for particularly at-risk patients. They’re not a replacement for finding a family doctor or going to urgent care or the emergency room in a serious medical event, but can be useful for patients in remote areas or patients who need access to a licensed professional for their continued medical care. This practice is often called telemedicine and has been met with solid reviews from patients, who often feel like their doctors give them more attention via telemedicine than when they’re actually physically in the room. There are pros and cons to the service, of course, but for many people, it’s a great service and one that can certainly come in handy.
Who Benefits Most From Using a Remote Doctor?
Naturally people who live in remote areas and can’t easily get out to see their doctor with the regularity that they should be can benefit from using a remote doctor. It can make the family doctor search much simpler and you don’t have to worry about finding a family practice center too close to you.
Recovering alcoholics or drug users can also find the remote doctor or psychologist service useful, especially if they’re trying not to relapse. Given that almost 14 million Americans have a drinking problem and a little over 8 million struggle with alcoholism, that’s a high number of people who could seriously benefit from having a doctor or psychologist on hand.
Those with severe anxiety disorders or depression can also benefit from using a remote doctor, especially if their symptoms worsen. Anxiety disorders are actually one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States and affect 40 million adults.
How Does Telemedicine Work Exactly and What Are Some of the Benefits?
Telemedicine is essentially exchanging medical information using electronic devices that can be video, email, smartphones, and other telecommunications devices. Apps and the prevalence of smartphones are making telemedicine even more popular than before. Hospitals, specialty departments, hospice care, and other medical centers are starting to utilize this new technology in a major way.
Apps and devices that can connect to those apps let doctors and patients monitor, track, and record patient health, habits, and other activities that can let them put together a truly comprehensive picture of the patient’s lifestyle and habits. This allows doctors to be more specific and effective when pinpointing what a patient should be changing in their lifestyle and health habits, what they should be aware of, and if patients are really following their doctor’s advice.
This can make it simpler for patients as well. Instead of trekking into the doctor for check-ups, many tests can be done at home, using easy medical devices that are designed for use at home. Vitals, glucose levels, blood pressure, and more can be derived from these devices, so patients can complete these at home, and virtually transmit them to their doctor, without having to step foot inside the office.
Why Do People Like Telemedicine So Much?
The convenience is great for many people with busy schedules and not a lot of time to eke out for the doctor. They know their health is important, but scheduling time, sitting in an often crowded waiting room, and taking time off work can be a pain. Telemedicine allows them to do the basics on their own schedule. It’s also more efficient — records are automatically saved via telecommunication devices and patients feel that doctors are actually more keyed into their problems on the screen than in person sometimes!
The Internet is quickly changing the way our world works and it seems that our healthcare system is finding ways to use it to their (and our!) best advantage. While telemedicine can’t take care of everything, it can certainly cut down on a lot of the hassle and time for basic services.
