THE FUTURE OF TELEMEDICINE AND REMOTE HEALTHCARE

According to a survey done by Bain & Company, by 2022, 40% of all physicians in the US will have had a telemedicine system installed in their offices. Estimates further show that 35% will also leverage remote patient monitoring to streamline the way they provide care to patients. The increasing trend of using remote patient monitoring and telemedicine paves the way for the materialization of affordable home-based care. Primary care physicians are among the first to embrace advanced technology because it has proven viable results with minimal costs in patients with risk factors such as chronic diseases.

Skyrocketing interest in healthcare applications

The core benefit of telemedicine is that it offers physicians and patients the possibility to connect from a distance. Given that increasingly more people are using mobile apps of all sorts and kinds for different purposes,  chances are that telemedicine will manage to earn a worthy spot in the mobile landscape. The healthcare industry is becoming more open to investing in innovation and enabling customized services that add business value. One example is US-based AliveCor Kardia which is capable of taking an EKG in as little as 30 seconds. The results are delivered straight to the smartphone of the patient.

Decentralization of legacy health systems

Telemedicine is enabling healthcare professionals to migrate from large, legacy complexes to community-based practices where advanced technology is easier to implement. The younger generation is savvier when it comes to using apps. They’re also more open to acknowledging and embracing the benefits. The flexibility of remote healthcare will sooner or later lead to decentralization in services, opening new doors for practitioners interested in launching their own telemedicine practices.

The rise of TeleHealth

At the enterprise level, it is estimated that a telehealth program can increase the chances of an organization attaining success by 30%. Remote patient monitoring has also proven exceptional results. By lowering the number of patient visits to the hospital, operations can be better streamlined. Furthermore, studies have shown that virtual healthcare instills a greater sense of satisfaction and emotional wellbeing. Telemedicine company Teladoc points out the benefits of TeleHealth via a service that gives members access to certified doctors 24/7 via its integrated platform. 32% of Teladoc patients have shown massive drops in anxiety symptoms by 31% and stress symptoms by 20%.

Remote patient monitoring is driven by the human factor

The future of telemedicine may depend greatly on the power of RPM (remote patient monitoring). The challenge is that patients fear that virtual communication is not as personal as face-to-face communication. In light of this fact, the goal is RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring) is not solely to save organizations time and money. Its purpose is to provide a diagnosis that is as close to an in-person meeting with a physician as possible. This is where the human factor enters the scene. Although RPM does involve virtual care, in some circumstances phone and video calls are greatly needed to retain patient engagement and offer them peace of mind.

As technology moves forward and regulations are revamped, there’s no doubt that telemedicine will lead the way to the development of more efficient applications of robotics and artificial intelligence, along with remote diagnostic equipment and user-friendly sensors. Proactive patient engagement via telemedicine and telehealth may enable the health system to manage processes a lot easier. The key to making it all happen is all about build a strong, sustainable infrastructure in hospitals and health facilities.

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