In covid times, when everything is getting digital, employees are working from home, groceries and other stuff is ordered online, and even the consultation from the doctor is given online. Everything seems to be okay, but the fact that consultation from a doctor is given online sounds extremely strange.
What Is A Telehealth Consultation?
Where a doctor and patient are using any digital platform for hearing and seeing each other is known as a telehealth consultation.
There Are A Few Pros Of An Online Consultation With A Doctor
1. Eliminating The Risk For Health Care Workers
Since the start of covid times, doctors have been working relentlessly. And if a patient has already been pre-screened, then telehealth consultation can do its job well.
2. Acts As A Bridge
Telehealth consultation acts as a bridge between physicians, and people letting everybody be safe at their place and preventing the virus from spreading any further.
3. Efficiency Of Workflow Magnifies
Online consultation from a doctor will result in better communication by saving the medical data for better patient decision-making. It also, in turn, provides relief to the patient.
But everything has its two sidesv- the good and the bad. Likewise, below are some of the limitations of online consultation –
1. Lack Of Required Hardware
Not every hospital has a team hired for technology. So it gets difficult to conduct an online consultation.
2. Proper Diagnosis Not Possible
Sometimes when a doctor does not feel much of a problem with the patient, it might be happening because the doctor cannot properly diagnose the patient through a video call.
3. Confidentiality Of The Patient
It is always important to maintain the privacy of the patient, which might not be the case when consultation is given online by the doctor.
Doctors and hospitals are always there for the patients for any emergency purpose.
Everything has come online, from a doctor being available 24/7 on WhatsApp to pathology labs providing door-to-door services for sample collection and providing the report online. The medicine prescribed by the doctor can also be purchased online by submitting the prescription given by the doctor.
For example my grandfather does his sugar test at home. Once done, he sends the same to his doctor and asks for all the dos and don’ts. So basically, he is getting the online consultation. It has certainly been the biggest advantage for senior citizens first and then for anybody else. It is not always the last resort, but sometimes it becomes the first option for somebody seeking a doctor’s consultation. In the coming years, this is going to be the reality where only the cases not possible for online consultation will be called to the hospital. Otherwise, it would take place online through any of the digital platforms.
Final Overview
Indeed, a telehealth consultation is certainly reliable. Instead, the doctor wants to view the medical history of any patient for any further treatment. He can do that easily because the data gets saved. And when the doctors are safe, only then we can be safe.
