Telemedicine technology has made a major impact over the years, but the pandemic may have made it even more necessary and relevant than ever before. In the past, telemedicine meant providing healthcare in a more convenient way, especially for those without the means to travel to their hospital, provider or physician. In 2020, telemedicine allowed those in need to continue to follow public health recommendations, stay inside and still receive the quality patient care they needed on a regular cadence.
While restrictions may be letting up and signs of normalcy seem closer than ever, there’s one result of the pandemic we can expect to see more of in the future: Telehealth technology. Let’s take a closer look at what telemedicine looks like in the present day, what the future holds for telehealth technology and what a hospital or healthcare provider can expect out of evolving with the trends that encompass telehealth and telemedicine care delivery options:
Telehealth technology in its current state
Telemedicine has already moved mountains when it comes to the impact it has made on the general public. Care providers have the opportunity to continue giving patients the support and care when they need it most, and without always seeing them face-to-face for a clinical evaluation.
Beyond a more convenient care experience, some of the more relevant benefits of telehealth technology and remote patient monitoring today include:
- The protection it provides for physicians and patients alike. COVID-19 made it difficult for patients and providers to keep up with their regularly scheduled appointments. Telehealth and telemedicine technology has made it possible for patients and physicians to attend a virtual appointment instead of in-person visits, to protect both parties in case one of the participating parties was experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. After the pandemic, the practice of encouraging a telehealth visit can continue to minimize the spread of germs without missing an important appointment.
- Providing speciality care from afar, no matter the circumstances. Specialized care can be difficult to come by, often due to scheduling conflicts or limited access to transportation or other resources. A telehealth visit makes it easier for specialists to see patients in need in a more convenient setting.
The future of telehealth technology
When we think about what telemedicine is going to look like in the future, the sky’s the limit. Technology transformation over the years shows us that it’s only going to go up from here, providing even greater opportunity for quality care convenience and improved physicians practices. Telemedicine has become the go-to in patient preference, specifically since the pandemic.
Telehealth will be the norm in the future.“Much like Amazon did for shopping, telehealth has now made healthcare convenient for consumers,” shared Eric Bacon, President, AMD Global Telemedicine. “Virtual appointments via telehealth have both quantitative and qualitative savings. Quantitative is easy as it saves on travel costs such as gas, tolls, parking, etc. There is also tremendous savings in the value of time. For example not having to use 2- 4 hours of vacation time for your own (or a loved one’s) in-person doctor’s appointment, because you can easily join the appointment virtually. Telehealth has changed the value structure of healthcare forever.”
Advantages of evolving with telehealth technology
Physicians, care providers, hospital staff and healthcare organizations in general can do well by staying ahead of the curve and continuing their education that involves telemedicine transformation. Patients can feel more comfortable about their care when it’s completed with convenience and affordability in mind, allowing care providers to surpass patient expectations and redefine satisfaction levels in the world of healthcare altogether.
With better data and better devices, you can provide a better experience for vulnerable patients when they need it most. 2020 raised the bar for telemedicine; finding ways to implement optimal health services in a timely and efficient manner is more important than ever. The current state of virtual care recognizes this and will continue to transform to not only enable care providers to do a better job, but to ensure patients continue to receive quality care at a golden standard.
As a pioneer of telemedicine and an industry leader of telehealth technology solutions, AMD Global Telemedicine understands the importance of transforming your care model with the needs of your patients. If you’re interested in learning more about AMD and our telemedicine and telehealth technology products, contact us directly today. Find out more about how we can help you meet your specific telehealth program requirements.
