4 Reasons people are opting for Telemedicine
Nearly every part of our lives today is performed online. We work online, shop online, socialize with our friends online, study online, and get nearly all of our entertainment online… just to name a few examples. It only follows, then, that healthcare is headed in the same direction.
With telemedicine, or telehealth, health professionals are able to offer and execute many of their services remotely, saving time and costs. It’s the healthcare option that few know about, but many could greatly benefit from. Read on to learn if telemedicine might be a good option for you.
What is Telemedicine?
While it may seem like something very modern, telemedicine actually has its origins in the 1950s, when doctors began to rely on technology to try and reach patients living in remote, rural areas. While the use of telemedicine was quite limited 70 years ago, the development that has since occurred of technology such as Wi-Fi, smartphones, and video conferencing has allowed telemedicine to take off, opening the possibilities of offering remote healthcare to patients who are unable to make it to an in-person visit for any variety of reasons. Now, it’s a great, widely available option that everybody should consider.
The Benefits of Tele-Medicine
For anybody who has groaned about the inconvenience of leaving in the middle of a workday for a doctor’s appointment, telemedicine might be immediately appealing. In fact, the pros of this technology are many and the impact is potentially great for everybody ranging from your everyday full-time worker to people with more serious health conditions or lifestyle limitations.
1. Telemedicine is More Accessible
The original motivation for the development of telemedicine is no less relevant today than it was in the 1950s, when the technology first began to be developed. With telemedicine, people can have access to care that would be difficult for them to obtain otherwise. For example, seniors in assisted living communities, patients in rural areas without a hospital within several hours’ drive, and people cut off from services due to natural disasters all could use telemedicine to access healthcare that, in normal circumstances, would simply not be available to them. In fact, according to this article by Merritt Watkins, “physical adoption of telehealth increased 340 % from 2015 to 2018.” The article goes on to say that by 2022 there may be as many as 590,000 physicians using tele-health.
2. Telemedicine is More Convenient
Even for those who don’t live in a situation where it is particularly difficult to get to a doctor’s office or hospital, making it to appointments is nearly always a minor, if not major, inconvenience. It requires people to take time away from school, work, and family responsibilities. Or in the case of the doctor’s office being closed after hours or on a holiday, telemedicine is a great alternative. And for those who are feeling quite unwell, it can be quite literally a pain to sit in a car or waiting room for a long time waiting to get the help you need. Telemedicine can save the (potentially literal) headache. And in many cases, the follow up by the tele-doctor is even better than going to a doctor’s office.
3. Telemedicine Expands Services
Unfortunately, much of the time, patients are limited to receiving the services that are available to them from the doctors and hospitals in their areas. With telemedicine, however, these boundaries are erased, and people are able to receive care without the mediating factor of distance.
4. Telemedicine is Cheaper
It’s no secret that, in the United States, healthcare and health insurance can be wildly, even prohibitively, expensive. One of the biggest advantages of telemedicine is that it can dramatically reduce costs. The assumption might be that, because telemedicine requires advanced technology, it would cost more money. In fact, health insurance companies are increasingly covering telemedicine services. According to a recent study with telemedicine, patients can save between $19 to $121 per visit. And that’s not to mention the money that patients save on transportation and not needing to take time off of work. More and more health plans are adding this as an option or an add-on to help reduce overall costs for both the plans and the participants.
Ready to get started?
When life is always on the go, your healthcare should be, too. A Telemedicine insurance makes sure you have access to the care you need all from one convenient place so you can be your healthiest you, always. No more waiting at the doctor’s office. No more wondering if you got the lowest-cost prescription. No more doubts about a diagnosis. From doctor’s visits over the phone to price comparison tools, a Telemedicine got you covered.
Find the coverage you are looking for
With a Telemedicine insurance which can already start only for USD 20.- per month you can receive consultation with a general practice doctor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week over the phone or via the mobile app. And waiting period is not applicable. The doctor may give you advice to manage the chief compliant or to provide instructions to follow up and treat the symptoms. If the doctor orders medication, the prescription will be sent electronically to the pharmacy you select.
I am more than happy to provide you with a free consultation. Just answer a few questions about yourself. Based on your answers, we’ll show you what you may qualify for and direct you on how to get it. You can contact me at 513-773-5959 at any time or email at rneuenschwander@myhst.com