TeleHealth: How Remote Monitoring is Breaking Boundaries with Physician Visits
Physician visits are a fundamental part of healthcare, but they can be limited by geographic location.
Nowadays, the world is much smaller, and people often travel for business or pleasure across state lines. This means that it’s not uncommon to have patients who live in one state yet see their physician from another.
For many doctors, this creates an issue because there is no easy way to monitor these patients remotely. This post will tell you how to overcome these boundaries with remote patient monitoring solutions!
What is TeleHealth?
Telehealth refers to technology that provides healthcare services remotely. This can include video conferencing for physician visits to mobile apps to monitor patient health data.
Telehealth allows patients to see their doctor without having to leave home. This is especially useful for elderly and less mobile patients or people in rural areas with limited access to healthcare.
What Tools Can You Use?
Several applications fall under the TeleHealth umbrella. These include video conferencing software like FaceTime and Skype and health monitoring devices such as Fitbit, Apple Watch, Withings, and more. These devices allow you to track critical indicators like blood pressure, heart rate, weight loss/gain, body fat percentage, etc.
People ask if they can use their equipment for TeleHealth visits instead of the doctor’s office offering them something specific; the answer is yes! Many doctors offer patients a choice in the type of equipment they want to use for their visits.
How Can You Implement TeleHealth?
There are a few ways to start using TeleHealth in your practice.
One option is video conferencing for routine check-ups or follow-ups with patients. This allows doctors to see and assess patients from a distance and then provide feedback or new prescriptions through the same software. This is particularly useful for family practitioners who have several patients living across state lines from them.
Telemedicine can diagnose and treat chronic diseases like diabetes, COPD, hypertension, asthma, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, and more. You can use mobile apps for patient health data tracking. This allows doctors to watch patients remotely and provide feedback or treatment recommendations as needed.
A great example of this is the DiabetesManager app, which allows users to track blood sugar levels, medication information, food intake, and physical activity. The patient can then share with the doctor to help them provide better care.
What are the Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring?
There are a few key benefits that patients can experience from using TeleHealth:
– Increased access to care is essential for people living in rural or underserved areas who may not have access to healthcare services nearby.
– Reduced travel time and costs – Patients no longer need to spend hours driving to the doctor’s office or spend money on gas.
– Increased convenience – With access to TeleHealth services, patients can schedule appointments at times that are more convenient for them. This is especially helpful if they work during standard hours and cannot take time off to see the doctor in person.
– Enhanced privacy & confidentiality – Your medical information is only shared with the doctor you see and is not stored in a public database.
– Improved communication – TeleHealth allows doctors to communicate with patients more efficiently, which can be especially helpful for those who have difficulty understanding spoken English.
– More time with the doctor – By using telemedicine, doctors can see more patients in a given day and spend more time with them.
The Bottom Line
Physician visits are an essential part of healthcare, but they don’t have to be limited by geographic location. With TeleHealth, you can use technology to provide care for patients remotely, no matter where they live.
