The Benefits of Telemedicine
Patients have always wanted to be able to receive medical treatment right when they need it. People think that Telemedicine is new, but it has been around for some time! Being sick is never predictable, but when you are ill, the need to see a doctor seems to be quite urgent; and, even more so now that you are amid the Covid-19 and the start of the flu season. It is where Telemedicine comes in to play.
You wonder when you or your child has a cough, sore throat, chills, and other symptoms if the flu or COVID-19 is present. You want to have medical care available at your fingertips 24 hours a day and seven days a week. When you work, it is not always that simple to get time off work to seek medical treatment.
These days, doctors are available using Telemedicine in addition to office visits. Telemedicine has been around since the first half of the 20th century! This is hard to imagine!
History of Telemedicine
Did you know that in 1940, radiological images were sent between two townships by telephone line in the world’s first electronic medical records transfer?
A doctor in Montreal, Canada, came up with a teleradiology system in 1950, which would be used in Montreal, Canada. Telemedicine was born!
NASA has been heavily involved in research and microwave transmissions since early on.
Telemedicine in 2020
Telemedicine in 2020 includes the use of smart glasses and smartwatches, which are very popular with physicians and will soon be used to relieve doctors of tedious paperwork. Two medical students at Stanford Medical set up a program that uses Google Glass to transcribe medical records during a patient exam automatically.
Get Appointments Quicker
There are many companies now investing in Telemedicine programs to help patients get better and faster medical treatment and to help doctors to be able to treat more patients.
The no-show rate is typically between 5% to 7% in the average medical practice and is very costly for the medical provider. This issue has been an ongoing problem in the past, and Telemedicine has helped eliminate many no-shows.
Visits via Telemedicine are a lot more convenient and much more affordable for patients than office visits. You can see your doctor not only at home but even from work on your cell phone or laptop! You can avoid the pitfalls of heavy traffic from work or home to a doctor’s office.
When your child is sick, who wants to venture out when it is cold? Telemedicine is simply an excellent convenience for you, the patient, parent, or caretaker of a loved one.
You may save an hour or more just in the drive alone from home or work to the doctor’s office. Who wants to take a child out of the house when they have a fever, cough, etc.
The Cost of Telemedicine
Telemedicine will cost you less than an office visit! Recent studies show that an office visit’s cost is around $42.00, but this is not the total cost. You spend 1-2- hours commuting from work or home. You lose up to an additional two hours driving. You are likely loosing more money for the up to an hour wait. This could be 3 hours of lost time for that visit.
Physicians who offer Telemedicine as an option are reducing the no-show statistics and are saving their patients money. The physician saves money with fewer no-show visits and can schedule additional visits Doctors can advise patients that they can fit them in when they have a cancellation or no-show, and patients like that they don’t have to wait for days or weeks to get in for an office visit.
In Summary
Patients are happier, and physicians are more satisfied! Patients who waited weeks and months for an appointment can now get in right away by cell phone or laptop. Parents and caretakers of loved ones are happier.
In light of COVID-19, the fact that you do not have to go into the office but can do a COVID-19 test by drive-thru is fantastic.
Call Miller Insurance https://millerinsmgmt.com/contact-us/ or (801) 637-4420