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Patient-doctor communication: teleconsultations facilitates interventions
With the Covid-19 epidemic, a simple visit to the doctor has become risky. This crisis therefore crowns the teleconsultation and encourages many of us to use it for the first time. The technology has existed for a few years however; today it has a new significance as it becomes the “best practice”. What do you need to know so we can consult with confidence? What benefits can you derive from it? We answer all your questions in this article.
How does it work?
A Teleconsultation is usually as simple as a video call between a patient and their doctor. However, that isn’t done with just any type of software due to the importance of privacy and patient protection regulations.
With the urgent but improvised adoption of teleconsultations, the rules are relaxing nonetheless. Consumer video communication platforms like FaceTime, Skype or Zoom are allowed. You can also use a service specially designed for teleconsultations: eConsult or Doctena. On the other hand, open platforms like Facebook Live or TikTok are obviously prohibited.
These videoconferences are only the facilitation to communicate with a doctor because on the doctors’ side, the specialised platforms allow the creation of making appointments, calendar management, follow-up of files, payment, etc.
When is a teleconsultation most useful?
Until the crisis, a teleconsultation was mainly used for the follow-up of chronic patients or those having to follow a daily medicament treatment. It is a very useful means of monitoring the recovery of a patient after an operation.
Doctors can also diagnose and treat common illnesses such as the flu, colds, diarrhoea, allergies, sore throat, or inflammation, in short general and non urgent cases.
However, new monitoring tools are finding their place! Technology is changing and new applications are being invented every day. For example, it is already possible to establish and assess the symptoms of asthma. Connected objects (smartwatches, bracelets, blood pressure monitors, thermometers, etc.) promise more and more remote health monitoring. This trend and all of these developments are expected to accelerate further in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis.
The advantages of a teleconsultation
It’s simpler than a conventional visit to the doctor for a consultation
For both the patient and the doctor, the advantage is significant, for example, less waiting and less travel, furthermore there are less administrative procedures and more time for the patient.
It makes healthcare more accessible
People with disabilities, i.e. those who struggle to move or patients who live in remote places will be much easier to seek treatment.
It takes the pressure of emergency services
A teleconsultation will reduce the number of patients with minor problems, so preventing the delay the management of more serious cases.
Reduction of contamination
Waiting rooms are centres of contagion, so the teleconsultation can solve this problem.
Where to request a teleconsultation?
Here are two teleconsultation services available:
