Why Telehealth is the Future of Healthcare
In a previous article, we discussed some of the aspects of the healthcare industry which are likely to grow in the coming years. From monitoring patient vitals with artificial intelligence, to the gradual emphasis of patient-centric care, it is obvious that technology will play an enormous role in the advancement of health management. Chief among the newest innovations to be jump-started by the COVID-19 pandemic is telehealth and telemedicine, which introduces the virtual approach to providers across the globe. Keep reading to learn how patients will be more inclined in the future to receive their check-ups from the comfort of their homes!
What is Telehealth?
An emerging technology which cemented itself in the healthcare realm for good after the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020, telehealth is the practice of organizing virtual visits between doctors and patients. The similar term telemedicine usually refers to just remote clinical services, while telehealth is a broader word for receiving any healthcare virtually.
The telehealth setup was particularly useful during the pandemic, when those infected by COVID-19 were advised not to leave their homes. Hopping on a video call much like a Zoom meeting became not only beneficial to keep the spread of the virus at bay, but necessary as more people came down with the disease’s symptoms.
Why is Telehealth Growing?
By using special telehealth software, providers are able to speak with, diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications digitally to the patient. While this was useful for lockdown situations, healthcare professionals quickly realized the myriad of other benefits telemedicine provided, including cutting on commute costs, accurately tracking patients at home, saving time, and perhaps most importantly creating an accessible and convenient means for receiving healthcare. As it turns out, patients are more likely to give their health the attention it deserves when there are fewer roadblocks standing in the way of a trip to the doctor’s office.
Telehealth eliminates the need for sick or chronically ill patients to worry about their appointments, drive out to a clinic, and wait to see a doctor. Instead, emphasis is placed on the patient-doctor relationship and clear communication is promoted. Where testing and physical examination are needed, many new digital health applications and personal medical devices are already stepping in to fill in the gaps. In time, we can expect the majority of healthcare visits to occur virtually, further increasing the accessibility of proper health management!
The rise of telehealth and telemedicine aligns well with the direction of healthcare in the twenty-first century. As technology becomes more engrossed in managing patient health, the need for user control also becomes an important issue. Patients should have the right to understand their healthcare options and see their entire health history with minimal interference—if you can order takeout directly to your doorstep within minutes, you should also be able to schedule health visits with just a few button presses!
The days of waiting rooms—where patients are tempted to feel like nothing more than a number—are fading. Healthcare needs to become more personalized around the patient’s experience, and telehealth is the next step to achieve that.
Stay On Top of Your Medical History With OneRecord
Whether you anticipate using telehealth every day or still prefer scheduling those in-person visits with your doctor, it is important to take advantage of managing your own health from every angle. With the OneRecord app, you can easily connect to all of your providers and download your medical information into a single, easy-to-access place. OneRecord makes it easy to keep track of your well-being while you make informed decisions on your healthcare journey. For all your health information in one place, OneRecord has you covered.
