An Intro to Telemedicine
The Future of Healthcare
The field of telemedicine has changed dramatically over the last 50 years or so. As technology develops exponentially, so does the affordability and accessibility to the tools being utilized within this field. As the internet continues to develop new capabilities, increase in power, and spread to users around the globe, the possibilities associated with TeleMedicine are greater than ever before.
As a quick introduction to telemedicine, and to provide a glimpse into what innovations are currently taking place, here are a few things that you should know about the industry today.
Types of TeleMedicine
Real Time TeleHealth
This is the term applied to what most would think of upon hearing the word “telemedicine.” Exactly as the term describes, it refers to real-time, live communication between a patient and their health care professional. This is accomplished through either audio or video and is intended to provide a virtual alternative to your run-of-the-mill, in-person visit to the doctor.
An example of a recent project we completed in this area comes from our client, The Hello Foundation. They offer a 3 model approach to meeting the needs of their clients by offering in-clinic, online therapy, and a hybrid of both.
Remote Patient Monitoring
This form of telemedicine helps healthcare providers track their patient’s health data without having to be in the same physical location. This data can consist of anything from vital signs to glucose levels in a diabetic patient, and helps physicians monitor their patients remotely while maintaining close communication in case any red flags arise. This is also commonly referred to as “telemonitoring” or “home telehealth.”
Store-and-Forward Telemedicine
This form of telemedicine assists healthcare providers in the process of sharing medical data such as lab results, videos, or other records with a provider located elsewhere. Typically these types of platforms provide a secure method of sharing patient data, and work well for the outsourcing of work to a specialist.
Software Driven
Despite the growth currently surrounding telemedicine, we are witnessing a substantial decline of proprietary hardware, which was once customary in earlier forms of telemedicine technology. This is largely due to how costly some of these pieces of hardware are, especially considering how commonplace smartphones and personal computers have become.
Why utilize financial resources for a closed-device that is not flexible, when there are options available that allow healthcare providers to mold their applications in a way that is optimal for themselves and their patients?
According to a Zion Research report, the global telemedicine market is expected to reach a $35 billion value by 2020.
This massive growth can in part be attributed to the rise of smartphone use, which is why many industry experts consider the future of telemedicine to be software driven.
Concerns Surrounding Quality of Care
There is an ongoing debate revolving around the quality of care that patients receive through the use of telemedicine, and its limitations when compared to a traditional in-person visit to a health care professional. Although the immediate benefits such as affordability and accessibility are made clear by cheaper appointments that are practically available 24/7, a few details provide evidence that there is plenty of room for growth and improvement.
A study conducted by JAMA Dermatology sheds some light on some of the concerns associated with telemedicine, where several researchers posed as patients with skin problems and approached 16 telemedicine sources for help.
Based on 62 specific encounters, only 26% disclosed information about clinician’s credentials. When prescriptions were ordered, the majority of relevant adverse effects or pregnancy risks were left undisclosed.
It’s not all bad news.
Despite the evidence that there is clearly room for improvement, telemedicine possesses a massive amount of potential. Accreditation programs have been launched by organizations including The American Telemedicine Association in order to seek out the best telemedicine providers available. Additionally, new ethical guidelines were just approved in June by the American Medical Association.
This year alone, almost three-quarters of large employers offered virtual doctor visits in the form of a benefit to their employees. That number is up from 48% in 2015, as telemedicine gains widespread acceptance alongside the evolution of technology. All signs point to continued growth as 75% of patients surveyed in 2015 were interested in telemedicine, and wearable smart devices such as smart-watches or smart-glasses are already leading to new advancements within the field.
This year alone, almost three-quarters of large employers offered virtual doctor visits in the form of a benefit to their employees.
Let’s Talk
If you enjoyed this piece and are interested in discussing how a TeleMedicine platform can benefit your business or how you could develop the right application, contact us today as we would love to hear from you.
