Pros and Cons of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is, in most situations, a net profit. It increases access to high-quality patient care, especially in underserved areas and communities. It offers a way to save money on healthcare while still engaging today's linked patient. It has the ability to transform the way healthcare is delivered.

Telemedicine, on the other hand, has a few drawbacks due to its interactive existence and social and technical obstacles that could change in the future. The good news is that, as telemedicine grows in popularity and acceptance, the disadvantages of telemedicine are likely to fade away. We're constantly improving telemedicine and making it a feasible, even beneficial mode of healthcare delivery for many medical scenarios, thanks to new technical advances and changing policy that progressively supports it.

Telemedicine's Advantages

Patients can have more comfortable and affordable treatment.

The aim of telemedicine is to provide patients with more affordable and convenient healthcare. Telemedicine was created in the United States to resolve care shortages, particularly in rural areas. Telemedicine is now used all over the world, whether to provide basic healthcare in third-world countries or to enable an elderly patient with mobility problems to consult with a doctor from the comfort of their own home. Telemedicine has the potential to not only eliminate traditional regional barriers to treatment, but also to make the entire healthcare delivery model more patient-friendly.

Healthcare expenses are reduced.

Every year, the United States spends more on healthcare than any other developing country. Furthermore, an estimated $200 billion of those costs were avoidable and needless. Telemedicine has the ability to minimize healthcare costs by minimizing issues like prescription non-adherence and unnecessary ER appointments, as well as improving the quality of conventional doctor visits.

Extends access to expert consultations

A medical practice or hospital system may quickly broaden access to niche medical professionals using telemedicine. This makes it simple for primary care physicians to contact medical professionals on a patient's case, and for patients to see a specialist who is required for a rare type of cancer, regardless of their area. Small hospitals, for example, that do not have enough radiology specialists on staff may use telemedicine to outsource x-ray evaluation.

Increasing patient participation

In today's increasingly connected world, patients demand a different kind of treatment experience. Patients are more engaged with telemedicine because it allows them to communicate with their doctor more often and in a more comfortable manner. More questions will be asked and answered, resulting in a better doctor-patient partnership and patients who feel encouraged to handle their own health care.

Patient treatment of higher quality

Telemedicine allows physicians to stay in touch with patients and ensure that all is going well. Telemedicine contributes to improved treatment results, whether it's using a more extensive remote patient monitoring system to keep an eye on the patient's heart or doing a videochat to answer drug questions after a hospital discharge.

Drawbacks

Technical training and equipment are required.

Telemedicine systems, like most technology solutions, typically necessitate certain training and equipment purchases. How much depends on the solution – a more comprehensive inpatient telemedicine platform that will be used between primary doctors and consulting specialists could necessitate additional training as well as the purchase of a telemedicine cart and other mobile health devices. A safe videochat app like eVisit needs much less staff training and usually just a webcam purchase.

Some telemedicine models may result in a loss of continuity of treatment.

Consumer-facing telemedicine providers provide patients with the tremendous advantage of on-demand treatment. A sick patient may easily log in to the telemedicine company's website and arrange a consultation with one of the company's doctors to receive care. However, this model, like the retail health trend, results in a lack of treatment continuity. A doctor who doesn't know the patient doesn't have access to their whole medical history. What is the safest way to treat telemedicine? Providing caregivers with tools to communicate with their own patients more effectively.

It's possible that in-person experiences with doctors would be reduced.

Some critics contend that online telemedicine encounters are impersonal, and that physical tests are often needed to reach a complete diagnosis. What consequences will there be if more patients choose online experiences over in-person visits?

In certain cases, face-to-face patient-doctor visits are obviously beneficial and required. Telemedicine is best used to complement these visits by doing quick check-ins with patients and ensuring that everything is running smoothly. An in-person visit with an existing patient is rarely needed for minor acute conditions (such as infections). Telemedicine can save the patient, the doctor, and the healthcare system time and money in these situations.

It can be difficult to keep up with the ever-changing legislation and reimbursement environment.

For physicians and health practitioners, Cura Health offers m-clinics that are easy to use. The Physicians app allows experts to provide advice, handle appointments and collect payments anywhere, anywhere. Also you can download the app. Click here to get it on your phone.