Accelerating Access to
Immediate Healthcare

In primary care, telemedicine is usually in the form of phone calls, where the patient seeks the doctor’s advice about non-emergency medical problems which do not require the doctor to see the patient. Telemedicine does not replace face-to-face consultation when it is needed but instead complements it.

The real role of telemedicine at present lies in the convenience it offers to patients and practitioners by obviating the necessity for a physical visit to get medical advice or treatment. It is also cost-effective in comparison to the process of waiting to see a doctor or other healthcare provider.

Telemedicine can also help select urgent calls after a doctor’s office is closed. It is of immense value in the follow-up of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. In these individuals who are not experiencing any immediate medical problem, but require help with dosage adjustments, lifestyle regimens, prescription refills, or even just access to group support, can benefit from the convenience of telemedicine.

An added convenience is that telemedicine consultations can be arranged to follow all needed laboratory investigations or vital sign monitoring. In fact, telemedicine has been practiced by doctors for a long time, though not under this name. While this may be true, the use of broadband internet technology has made both audio and video calls affordable and available to a wider spectrum of society, making this a feasible alternative to the conventional system.

Telemedicine requires no significant outlay other than a web camera and a secure patient portal that connects the doctor to a secured electronic medical record database online. This type of system ensures the safety of the private information discussed during a telemedicine call, while also providing the treating clinician with the ability to store necessary medical records. In addition to these required devices, the physician will also require a medical license that has been provided by the same state where the patient receives will receive their prescription.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has challenged healthcare systems and their ability to deliver essential health services. While social distancing measures avoided spreading the virus, they conflicted with good diabetes management, which requires regular follow-up visits to manage the disease and its complications.

By providing second opinions more easily and faster, telemedicine can also make the patient and physician experience better. Finally, it produces improved health outcomes, which should be the primary goal of all health services.