10 Amazing Benefits of Telehealth
Benefits of Telehealth
By Brian James Rose
With the COVID-19 pandemic shocking our world since early 2020, you must have heard of telecommuting. Perhaps, you have even been one of the many employees who had to switch to remote working overnight.
But this was not the only technology trend brought about by the coronavirus outbreak. The healthcare sector experienced a huge transformation, too: we are talking about telehealth.
This refers to the provision of healthcare services by using technology devices. And while it had been around for a while, it wasn’t until the pandemic that telehealth experienced a real surge.
But what are the benefits of telehealth, and how can you take advantage of it for your own health issues? Just read on: you are about to discover ten of the main advantages of telehealth, both for the patient and for the healthcare provider.
1. It’s Cost-Effective
The cost-effectiveness of telehealth affects multiple areas, for both patients and professionals. For example, by removing the need to travel to a doctor’s office, patients can save money on transport as well as potential childcare.
Similarly, if fewer patients visit healthcare facilities, overhead costs go down. Benefits of Telehealth, One telehealth visit costs, roughly, around $80, as opposed to upwards of $1000 for face-to-face appointments.
2. It Saves Patients and Doctors Time
Not only does telehealth enable individuals to save money, but it also helps both patients and doctors to save time. For patients, attending a video appointment rather than an in-person one means no waiting times at the doctor’s office.
For doctors, it translates into a faster and more streamlined way to manage their bookings, as well as reducing patient no-shows.
3. It’s Hassle-Free
The convenience of telehealth is another great advantage, especially on the patient’s side. Because appointments take place via video call, patients have the possibility to remain at home when talking to their doctor.
This helps patients to feel more comfortable and at ease, as they don’t need to leave their house or arrange for childcare while attending their appointment. It also means that privacy will be fully protected. This can be very important particularly for people who need to discuss a delicate and confidential matter.
4. It’s Safer Than Visiting a Doctor’s Office
At the moment, most healthcare providers are putting in place rigid safety measures to slow the spread of coronavirus. However, this still doesn’t mean that going to the doctor’s office is entirely safe. Sitting in a waiting area in close proximity with other, potentially sick, people, can still put you at risk.
Choosing a telehealth consultation means that you won’t even need to leave your couch, and there’s nothing much safer than that.
5. It Reduces Feelings of Stress and Anxiety
Not everyone enjoys visiting the doctor’s office. People who suffer from anxiety, for example, might feel stressed and under pressure when they book an appointment.
With telehealth, these feelings are eliminated or at least largely reduced. Taking a call from your own couch immediately instills a sense of ease and familiarity that you won’t get by going to a clinic.
6. It’s Great for Patients Who Live in a Rural Area
People who live in cities or urban environments generally don’t have much trouble accessing healthcare services. This, however, is not true for patients in rural areas. Traveling to healthcare facilities can be difficult if not impossible, as well as financially unviable.
Thanks to the technology that powers telehealth, people in more remote parts of the country can enjoy quick, easy, and high-quality care from trusted providers.
7. It Helps Doctors to Be More Efficient
Telehealth helps clinicians to become more efficient and productive at managing and organizing their workload. This translates into increased efficiency and better mental and physical well-being for doctors.
And when medical practitioners are more efficient, the quality of the care that they provide is much better.
8. It Allows Doctors to Reach More Patients
Telehealth eliminates the physical distance between patients and care providers. All it takes is a good internet connection, and the delivery of healthcare services is guaranteed. This also enables doctors to reach more patients, regardless of their physical location.
9. It Increases Revenues
With its cost and time savings, great convenience, and potential to serve a much higher number of people, telehealth helps healthcare providers to increase their revenues. Doctors can also choose to work slightly longer hours on certain occasions, in order to secure more billable time.
Additionally, if a doctor’s practice becomes renowned for providing excellent telehealth services, it will inevitably attract a much larger number of patients, thus contributing to a swelling revenue stream.
10. It Boosts Patient Satisfaction
Ultimately, the benefit that encapsulates the nature of telehealth is higher satisfaction, both for patients and for doctors. No more waiting in crowded and potentially infected doctor’s offices, no more commuting, no more anxiety about being away from home, and no more money spent on childcare: telehealth truly is the way forward for healthcare.
Are You Ready to Experience All the Benefits of Telehealth?
From time and money savings to more efficient, widespread care and higher patient satisfaction, the benefits of telehealth are impressive. If you want to experience these for yourself, then why not book a telehealth consultation with one of our experienced professionals?
Whether you are concerned about your blood pressure, or if you want to learn how to boost your immune system or discuss your weight loss, telehealth is the ideal solution for your holistic healthcare needs.
To find out more about our team and how our services work, visit our website or get in touch with us today.