TELEMEDICINE – THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

TELEMEDICINE – THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

Mobile Devices have brought about radical changes in a very short time. Businesses have embraced this digital connected era that has reshaped age-old practices across all industry sectors. Healthcare is no exception to this change. It is in fact one of the industries where not only the providers but the receivers of these digital services will largely benefit from this technology.

Telemedicine has made an entrance into healthcare at a time when it is most necessary. The ever increasing demand for better management, patient care and services in healthcare can be easily met with the help of Telemedicine. It is a great way to seamlessly manage Healthcare processes such as patient monitoring, recording data, accessing patient history, managing appointments among many others.

Mobility of devices has made it easier for patients to get in touch with their healthcare providers from anywhere. Despite the fact that youngsters are the majority who use mobile services today, the ease of access that this technology brings to healthcare will see more traction in the older generations who will widely benefit from it. According to a Forbes article, Fleshman noted a prediction that the “60-plus crowd” will be the fastest growing population for connected health. These are individuals who are not technology-averse [and] have the greatest mobility challenge in terms of getting to a doctor.”

The current state of adoption and financial benefits of Telemedicine were reported in a recent survey by Software Advice (Leventhal, 2015) which stated that 75 percent of patients not currently using telehealth visits would be interested in virtual visits for minor health conditions. A similar percentage said they would use a virtual visit in favor of an ER visit for a minor ailment. The report also notes that according to a study by the National Institutes of Health in 2013, “the average ER visit costs $2,168 – vastly more than the average telemedical visit, at $40 to $50.” The cost difference patients and easy access to doctors will be factors that will fuel the revolution of Telemedicine in Healthcare in the coming years.