Telemedicine is an application of clinical medicine which is rapidly developing. In telemedicine, medical information is transferred through interactive audiovisual media for the purposes of consulting and for remote medical procedures or examinations.
There are three main categories of telemedicine:
Store and Forward, involves acquiring medical data such as images and then transmitting the data to a doctor or medical specialist at a convenient time for offline assessment. Both parties need not be present at the same time. Often used for dermatology, radiology, and pathology.
Remote Monitoring, enables medical professionals to monitor a patient remotely using various technological devices. Used primarily for managing chronic diseases or specific conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or asthma. Results have comparable outcomes to traditional in-person encounters, are more cost effective, and provide increased satisfaction to patients.
Interactive Services, provides real-time interactions between patient and provider, including phone conversations, online communication, and home visits. Often used for history review, physician examination, psychiatric evaluations, and ophthalmology assessments.
The Benefits of Telemedicine are Many and May Include:
• Connecting populations living in isolated communities and remote regions
• Connecting a general practitioner and a specialist available remotely
• Improving home monitoring of patients with chronic conditions
• Increasing the number of patients seen
• Reducing physician costs
At TelSpan we recently assisted a client who needed a more efficient way to conduct doctor/patient consultations in order to determine whether patients should be given a bed in a hospital or be given other direction. In-person consultations were too time intensive and expensive and our client was looking for a most cost and time efficient solution.
This client now conducts doctor/patient consultations online via the TelSpanRayo web conferencing platform. This innovative platform offers webcam capability, allowing the doctor to consult with the patient online, yet “face to face”. Consulting with patients via webcam and completing the patient evaluation online have increased efficiency while saving time and money. This client now conducts well over 1000 monthly doctor/patient consultations via TelSpanRayo.
End result? Improved service, efficiency, patient experience, and more affordable healthcare!
