Telehealth 101: Where Technology Meets Healthcare
Communications have vastly expanded over the past decade. With the development of video calls and online services, the medical industry has begun implementing telehealth services in clinics all across the country. But what is telehealth all about? For many, telehealth has become a new avenue for healthcare, allowing people to get appointments from their primary care physicians and specialists without leaving their homes. Here, we’ll explore some of the various aspects of telehealth, how it works to help doctors and patients through appointments, and how it improves healthcare overall.
What Does Telehealth Mean?
Telehealth, also known as telemedicine, uses telecommunication to provide care for you even when you’re not in the doctor’s office. As long as you have a phone or device that can access the internet, these appointments are possible. During these appointments, you can speak with your doctor in real-time, send and receive messages from your doctor through messages and emails, and doctors can use remote patient monitoring to check on your health while you’re at home. Patients can receive primary care for many clinics, gain prescriptions, talk to mental health counselors, and gain immediate urgent care right through their device.
Telehealth comes with so many benefits. For patients unable to leave home, or patients unable to commute to their doctor’s office, telehealth can allow people the time and effort they need to care for their health on their schedule. Your doctor can address your health problems wherever you are, and using these telehealth services can cut down on waiting times, allowing your doctor to give you the full-on attention you need to improve your health and get the treatments you need.
How Does Telehealth Work For Families?
For parents with busy work-life schedules, telehealth can help families immensely. Through telehealth, your doctors can schedule appointments with you and your family, allowing you to see your medical specialists and help them diagnose and treat problems from a distance. For families, telehealth provides these benefits:
- Privacy and Security: Telehealth services should always consider the privacy of your family’s needs. When talking with your primary care doctor, telehealth can easily track healthcare information and keep both you and your doctor checking when handling your family’s needs.
- Easy Follow-Ups: At the end of your telehealth session, your doctor can easily schedule a follow-up appointment that works within your schedule, so you don’t have to worry.
- Fun Interaction With Children: For assessing children’s health, your children can be comfortable in their own homes while receiving an initial examination from their primary doctor.
- Schedule Tests and Exams: If your doctor needs a more thorough exam, your telehealth visit can be a preliminary appointment for your health.
- Talk About Anything: Within this space, you get one-on-one attention from your primary care physician.
If you’re curious about telehealth services, contact your health insurance company to see if your insurance covers telehealth visits. For more information about telehealth, arrange an appointment with your primary care doctor to learn more.
