Online video consultations between Doctors and their patients are technically possible and increasingly acceptable at a standard pace. They are being introduced in some settings alongside (and at times replacing) in person or on the phone consultations. Most of the doctors prefer digital consultation to reach out to emergency rooms and consult their patients for follow up appointments. E-Healthcare services have shown definite positive outcomes on patient care and can be more efficient than face-to-face appointments, especially in cases where in-person consultation is not readily available . Covid -19 has put health care providers and respondents at a significant risk category, with increasing fears both for transmitting the novel coronavirus and becoming infected by treating chronically ill patients which puts them on a red flag too.
To decrease the spread of the pandemic, it is thus essential for the medical experts to limit all but essential contact with patients. This explains the transition behind E-healthcare facilities. Safety precautions are one of the many reasons why online consultation has won an upper hand in the future of medical health. Another reason is its cost effective nature. For example, 20% of people in general visit the clinic for their prescription expiry issues. This not only wastes time but is also expensive on a patient’s wallet. In order to avoid spending bucks on doctor visit, you can always book an online consultation and get your prescription in no time! Online consultation is way cheaper than in visit consultations and you don’t have to move an inch from your home to meet a doctor!
Another added advantage of online consultation is NOT carrying CT scans or medical reports to every doctor visit. Remember the hours you have spent explaining your medical history to the new doctors? Tiring right? But with online consultation you don’t have to waste your time doing any of these! Once your medical history and report scans are uploaded, your new doctor automatically gets access to them and they are usually prepared before your appointment. All those documents are secure and they will be shared only after you have given them the right to access.
During your online medical consultation, you will be provided with information and advice regarding your condition. Following this, online doctors can provide additional information to help patients understand more about their conditions. In your own time, it can be very helpful to read about your symptoms and conditions; however, a simple search on Google can point you in the wrong direction and leave you fearing the worst – something that is both stressful and anxiety-inducing. Instead of looking up your symptoms on the internet, you can benefit from a wealth of additional information that has been approved by your doctor following your consultation.
This gives patients the opportunity to find answers to questions that they may not have thought to ask during their consultation, and the chance to learn more about their condition and how to best deal with it, using trustworthy and doctor-approved information.