It’s easy to see how telehealth improves access to health care. With the ability to tune in from any internet-connected device, people can meet with their medical providers quickly and easily. Telehealth makes medical appointments more convenient by eliminating commute times, transportation costs, and geographic limitations, making health care more accessible to everyone.

Telehealth brings the same quality of service to a more convenient location. When most households have a computer and an internet connection, telehealth is a viable and often a preferable option. It removes large barriers to access and makes “going to the doctor” a lot easier.

Telehealth is secure, too. Telehealth platforms and devices are required by federal law to be HIPAA-compliant. This ensures that online patient health information remains encrypted and secure.

We’ve seen a rise in telehealth usage in recent years. More and more doctors are utilizing technology to meet their patients’ medical needs. 46% of medical providers indicated that they use connected care technologies in the 2018 Future Health Index survey.

With less stress, more accessibility, and the same security and effectiveness, it’s no wonder we’re seeing a shift towards telehealth.

MATRC Summit

Earlier this year, I attended the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center’s 2019 Convergence Telehealth Summit, where I learned of various ways that technology and medicine are converging.

Did you know that several medical devices can be taken home by a patient, record necessary health data using a smartphone app, and send the data directly to their doctor? There are devices with these capabilities that can measure vitals, like blood pressure and heart rate, for patients of all ages, including infants!

The Summit closed with a moving video imagining a future with telehealth as our norm. A woman’s medical device alerted her of an infection inside her body that hadn’t shown symptoms yet. The device sent this information directly to her doctor, and she was able to pick up antibiotics later that day. With the help of technology, we’re moving toward a future with better, more accessible health care.

If you’re interested in using a telehealth platform, contact us! We’ll help you get started with our telehealth starter kit, which can be licensed, customized, and branded to your unique business.