Are you willing to incorporate telemedicine into your practice? You will be surprised to know that more than half of the hospitals in the United States are already using telemedicine, as the trend continues to grow.
Another survey reveals how more than 90% of healthcare executives are willing to implement or develop a telemedicine program for their organization. Keeping these stats in mind, it is clear to see that telemedicine holds a lot of benefits for medical practice.
And as the technology continues to grow, the newer process and technologies added to the practice is going to make it bigger than it is today. To help you make the final decision, here are the top benefits of telemedicine for medical practice.
Accessible and convenient medical care
More than 70% of patients prefer convenience and ease of access for medical assistance. Telemedicine gives a platform to both patients and healthcare providers to interact in-person without actually visiting the clinic or hospital.
Telemedicine can offer medical care on-demand. This helps patients save both time and money associated with in-person visits. This is particularly beneficial for patients residing in remote locations, people who are too busy to lift their heads from work, or are homebound. Telemedicine allows them to access virtual care through smartphone apps, video conferencing, and online management systems without compromising on the quality of care.
Cost-effective health care service
Regular monitoring, remote analysis, and recording data electronically can help you control cost. The practice doesn’t only save money for your medical practice, but also for insurance companies and your patients. Telemedicine service cut off all the unnecessary urgent ER visits and even eliminates transportation cost required for frequent visits.
Other than saving cost, telemedicine has also helped boost revenue for medical practitioners by converting online time or on-call hours into billable time. Doctors are also showing more interest in switching to a work-from-home model for weekends to make some extra money while providing quality care services to the people in need.
Extended specialist access
Telemedicine helps patients in remote or rural areas to get more convenient and quick specialist access for their specific symptoms or condition. Unfortunately, the medical care service in the rural areas of the US isn’t up to the mark. The patients find it troublesome to access lifesaving consultation and had to endure longer appointments to get them checked.
With telemedicine, a patient can instantly access doctors and specialists for diagnosis and treatment. No more waiting in long queues or compromise on the quality of medical service based due to location.
Increased patient engagement
Telemedicine helps patients become more aware and conscious of their healthcare goals. This enables them to access improved health without making a hole in their pocket. Telemedicine is a concept that can instantly engage patients and offer them services through care schedules. When doctors are constantly keeping an eye on the patient, it can help them give up many unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking or eating dirty junk food.
Patients can make virtual visits to their most trusted doctors and involve them in their healthcare goals. This gives them constant guidance to keep them on track in the long run.
Excellent quality of care
With all that ease and convenience, there are often quality concerns raised to find out if the patients are dealt with responsibility. Fortunately, with all those benefits, there’s no compromise on the quality of care you can access with telemedicine. The services are patient-centered to improve the quality and timeliness of medical care.
There’s no wastage of time as far as addressing health issues are concerned. The doctors and physicians are available round the clock to offer real-time urgent medical attention to the patients. On the other hands, patients are also at peace knowing they can access high-quality medical care without stepping out of their house. In just a span of a few minutes, patients can learn about their diagnosis and treatment options.
A study shows how patients who rely on telemedicine for medical care score lower for stress, anxiety, and depression. They also record fewer hospital visits and re-admissions.
Increased security and safety
Telemedicine services are legally bound to follow the mandates outlined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Their main concern is to ensure that telemedicine keeps patients’ medical records under protection without any risk of fraud or privacy issues.
Therefore, it is also considered a safe and secure option for medical assistance.
Conclusion
Telemedicine has turned into a massive $17.8 billion industry, which is expected to grow at an impressive pace by 2020. While the limitations of the concept cannot be overlooked, healthcare providers are constantly working with the best telemedicine companies to provide quality care to patients across the globe.