The arrival of COVID-19 has provided the world with new challenges that most of us never anticipated. Health guidelines and social distancing protocols have put limitations on where we can go and who we can see, and as a result, the internet has taken on a whole new level of importance.
Now, we have students engaging in e-learning instead of going to a physical classroom, and many employers have moved to a remote workforce as employees work from home. The existence of COVID-19 has also impacted healthcare as people are looking for an easier way to get medical attention when they come down with symptoms or to avoid overcrowded hospitals when they have other conditions. Here we will take a look at telehealth, who benefits the most, and what we can look forward to in the future.
Telehealth Now
In essence, telehealth allows an individual to seek medical attention via the internet without having to leave their home. With an electronic connection and a video app, patients can talk to their doctors in a variety of fields, from general medicine to pediatrics to optometry. When COVID-19 hit, many companies jumped on the telehealth bandwagon, and there are now plenty of options to choose from, including platforms from Connect N’ Care to SmartCare Telehealth Services.
While more serious cases may require you to see a doctor in person, there are many services that you can take advantage of while sitting behind your computer. For instance, with telehealth, you can easily send or receive your medical history, get a second opinion from a new doctor, or get training and coaching about how to quit smoking, manage chronic pain, or lose weight. Telehealth can also be used to monitor a patient’s vital sights remotely, which is very important for elderly patients who need care around the clock.
The other great thing is that telehealth provides services to people who are not able to easily see a doctor, like those in rural areas. Currently, it takes about 34 minutes for a quarter of the Americans living in rural areas to get to a healthcare facility. Some may not have the transportation or funds to regularly drive that far, and for them, telehealth is a blessing.
Telehealth in the Future
As social distancing protocols continue, many patients are enjoying the ease and usefulness of telehealth medicine, so with a still uncertain future, it is inevitable that telehealth will continue to evolve and become more prominent in our lives. The federal government has noticed this positive trend as well, and many representatives are pushing bills intended to broaden the use of telehealth. One such bill is the Telehealth Expansion Act, which is designed to provide low-income and rural individuals with telehealth services at a lower cost.
As telehealth continues to evolve, more services will be available at the touch of a button. For instance, this platform is perfect for psychiatric care as patients can complete evaluations and talk with therapists online. Doing so will eliminate the perceived stigma that people feel when they need to visit a mental health professional, and they will have access to more frequent care. We will also see telehealth move into emergency room settings, which will result in reduced wait times and lower treatment costs.
With the government looking to expand this service, we will soon likely see that telehealth will become a primary component of medicare plans and be included in employer health insurance programs. Employers who currently have telehealth as part of their health plans should encourage their staff to take advantage so they can get the quickest medical help possible while also cutting down on time-off requests for minor issues.
Protecting Our Medical Professionals
Telehealth will also revolutionize the healthcare industry by creating safer work environments for doctors and nurses. Medical professionals have notoriously difficult jobs, and they are often subjected to harmful diseases, pathogens, and waste that are easy to transmit when taking care of sick patients. With telehealth, a condition can be diagnosed and medication prescribed without having to come in physical contact with the patient.
Nurses also have notoriously long days, with some working back-to-back 16-hour shifts. No matter how much you love your job, that much time spent with an unending line of patients and new conditions will cause inevitable stress and fatigue. With telehealth, medical professionals will be able to better manage their time by working set hours or scheduling appointments to their preference.
Another stressor on the healthcare industry is a shortage of workers as baby boomers age, and more people deal with at least one chronic condition. Over the next several years, millions of doctors and nurses will be needed to fill those gaps. In the meantime, telehealth can allow medical professionals to cut down on unending overtime and monitor patient health remotely, which will reduce the need for in-person visits that can overwhelm staff members and create unneeded stress.
The rise of telehealth is a good thing, and the future is looking bright. Stay educated on this growing healthcare trend and give your body and mind the attention they deserve.
