Before the coronavirus pandemic, most people didn’t really know about telemedicine. A lot of people who did know about it just assumed that it was an ineffective way of treating people who needed to be in the room with the doctor.
Of course, after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, we now know that telemedicine is extremely effective and comes with a plethora of benefits for both the patients and doctors. The use of telemedicine more than doubled in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
As we can see, telemedicine isn’t just here to stay. It is likely going to take over a large portion of the healthcare industry. In this article, we will look over the benefits of telemedicine to give people a better idea of how telehealth services can help them.
So if you would like to learn more then keep on reading and we will take you through everything that you will want to know!
1. Easy Access to Specialists
A lot of people do not have close relationships with their primary physicians and they can’t just call up their doctor whenever they have a problem. Also, in times of pandemics and even out of those times, specialists are hard to come by.
With telemedicine, a specialist can see more patients in a day. This allows patients to get the help they need from the people who are most qualified and they can do this all in shorter amounts of time.
If a specialist doesn’t live in your area, you don’t need to drive many miles to get to them now. Instead, you can see them from the comfort of your home.
It’s also easy to make an online doctors appointment now.
2. Lower Cost
Therapists and doctors can cost a lot of money. This is true even if you have really good health insurance.
Telemedicine requires less labor and less administration than in-person visits. This reduces costs for both the provider and for the patient.
3. Medical Access for People Without Health Insurance
Nobody will disagree with the statement that our current healthcare system is overly complicated and difficult to navigate. People without health insurance tend to struggle to find a doctor who is affordable and right for their needs.
Thankfully, there are now a lot of online companies that provide telemedicine in return for cash payments. This means that you don’t need any referrals or health insurance.
4. Medical Access for People in Rural Areas
There are a lot of benefits to living in a rural area. However, one of the downsides is that it is harder to access essential services, including healthcare.
A lot of people in rural areas live many miles from hospitals and medical facilities. Now, those people can speak with a doctor over the phone or through video chat. This allows them to save a lot of time, which is crucial in healthcare.
5. Medical Access for People in Underserved Urban Areas
Similar to people who live in rural areas, people who live in inner-city communities also don’t have easy access to healthcare facilities.
Hospitals tend to open in wealthy communities and inner-city residents are often ignored or underserved. Telemedicine cuts through these barriers and democratizes the healthcare process.
6. Reduced Exposure to Pathogens
There’s also been a bit of irony to the idea that people with vulnerable health need to go to a facility where sick people are in order to seek treatment. We saw the flaws in this system become especially apparent with COVID-19, where people were advised to avoid hospitals unless it was absolutely necessary.
With telemedicine, you don’t need to expose yourself to harmful pathogens just to be treated by a doctor.
7. 24-Hour Care for Children and Babies
Babies tend to get sick or show fever in the middle of the night. Frazzled and disoriented parents don’t need to frantically search on WebMD anymore to figure out what the problem is.
Instead, parents can utilize telemedicine services to quickly connect with a doctor and get the answers that they need. They can even secure prescriptions with these services.
8. Easier for Doctors Too
It’s not easy being a doctor. And it’s certainly not easy running a medical facility, especially during a deadly pandemic.
With telemedicine, doctors can extend their hours and see more patients. This allows them to treat more people and more efficiently heal communities. They also don’t need to worry about exposing themselves to dangerous viruses and endangering their own health.
9. Insurance Reimbursement
A lot of private health insurance providers, as well as Medicare, now let therapists and doctors bill for telehealth services. This makes telehealth more affordable for many Americans.
Of course, there are still state laws that need to be navigated. So you should never assume that a telehealth service is covered by your insurance. Instead, check with your insurance agent first.
10. Support for People with Chronic Conditions
There are now monitoring tools that can connect to the cloud. This allows doctors to monitor patients remotely, making their work more efficient and simplified.
The Importance of Knowing About the Benefits of Using Telemedicine to Get Treatments
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now understand the many benefits of using telemedicine to get treatments. Telemedicine is a budding industry that is sure to provide even more new and unexpected benefits to both patients and doctors.
If you are looking for more interesting healthcare articles like this, check out the rest of our blog today!
