Technology has improved every industry, but the medical industry has been impacted more than most.
Telemedicine allows doctors to provide quality care to their patients live via the web, rather than requiring in-person appointments.
There are countless benefits of telemedicine, which is why so many physicians and patients are starting to take advantage of it.
Below we’ll explore four of these benefits. Let’s take a look, so you can see if telemedicine is right for you.
The Four Main Benefits of Telemedicine
1. It’s Convenient for Both Patients and Clinicians
Without question, convenience is one of the biggest benefits of telemedicine for both patients and clinicians.
Think about it – a traditional, in-person appointment requires a patient to physically go to the office, fill out paperwork, and sit in the waiting room until called. Typically, they first see the nurse, then the doctor, and then the nurse again, and then they have to go back to the front desk to pay the bill. What should be a quick and routine check-up can take a whole morning!
Telemedicine allows for a quick and easy “face-to-face” appointment without requiring a patient to leave the comfort of home.
Doctors get the chance to see patients quickly without running from room to room, which makes this a win for both parties.
2. Doctors Get True One-On-One Time with Patients
During a telemedicine consultation, it’s literally just the patient and the doctor. There are no office distractions or go-betweens involved.
Because appointments must be scheduled without overlapping, doctors can be relaxed, focused, and thorough with each visit. Similarly, because of the convenience telemedicine offers, patients will be more relaxed as well, and more open in their questions (or answers to your questions).
This level of one-on-one time gives doctors the space to provide their best possible care.
3. Patients Can Get Prescriptions and Referrals Quickly
Imagine running out of your allergy inhaler the Saturday evening before leaving for your outdoor vacation, and your prescription is out of refills. This can be a huge predicament if you have to wait until normal business hours to get a doctor to order a refill for your prescription.
With telemedicine, patients can connect with a doctor who can review their medical records and quickly provide prescriptions or referrals as needed, even outside normal business hours.
Even better for practitioners, the ability of patients to have a quick check-in for prescription refills or referrals means you can devote more of your in-office appointments to patients with more complicated needs.
These quick telemedicine consultations provide the same level of HIPAA certified privacy, with the speed and convenience of an online transaction.
4. Telemedicine Is More Cost-Effective
For patients, access to telemedicine provides professional medical care at a cost that is lower than or equal to in-office visits. Because telemedicine decreases (or eliminates) the need to travel and miss work, patients can end up saving a significant amount of money versus traditional appointments.
With medical expenses through the roof today, patients are looking for new and different ways to save on their healthcare. This bodes well for the telemedicine industry since 74% of people surveyed said they would use it.
The great news is that telemedicine is cost-effective for clinicians as well!
A thriving telemedicine practice does not require extra space or extra staff, and telemedicine patients don’t require as many physical resources as in-office patients. Additionally, your practice will gain an increased reach when you are able to hold consultations with patients who cannot travel to your office.
The ability to see more patients, and the need for less physical space and fewer physical resources, means a more robust bottom line.
Reach Out to Learn More
If you’re interested learning more about the benefits of telemedicine, we’d be happy to chat with you.
We specialize in providing such services for clinicians, and know the industry inside and out.
Simply contact us to learn more.