Telemedicine offers a channel for delivering quality care that can bridge the gap and provide care across the entire continuum.

As we are moving deeper into a digitized world, we come across numerous innovative technologies that are transforming every aspect of everyday life. The prolific use of digital health technologies is one smart manifestation of technological innovation, which is radically transforming healthcare. From artificial intelligence to robotics, and from smartphones to wearable technology, there are several case points of digital technologies altering the healthcare landscape. In a similar context, telemedicine has evolved as a new care delivery model, thanks to the rapid digitization of healthcare.

Telemedicine has been around for decades. But the last few years have witnessed the widescale adoption of this innovative technology. Interestingly enough, telemedicine has realized its true potential only in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which laid paramount emphasis on healthcare alongside considerable pressures to deliver quality care. Hence, telemedicine is transforming the entire healthcare canvas, paving the path for a paradigm shift from the conventional in-office patient visits to remote video consultations.

Here are four reasons how telemedicine is expected to transform healthcare:

Increasing Need for On-Demand Care

Only a few years ago, on-demand care meant visiting the retail clinic located down the street to get a regular checkup done or to get a prescription. Today, however, on-demand care means an online checkup, from the comfort of your home, and regardless of your physical location. More and more patients are now preferring sending out a text message or an email to their providers to seek solutions to their healthcare needs instead of dropping by a nearby clinic.

Healthcare reform has provided insurance to over 40,000 individuals who earlier did not have a formal source of care. Such patients are the primary candidates for telehealth. Additionally, the growing demand for primary care physicians is exerting increasing pressures on the current physician base, while a shortage is foreseeable soon. Telemedicine then offers a lucrative opportunity for primary care providers to expand their practices, address the physician shortage, and provide convenient and affordable care.

Empowered Patients

Healthcare consumers are increasingly becoming tech-savvy. They are leveraging their resources and directing their care. They are today more empowered than ever before to take responsibility for their preventive care plans. Hence, telemedicine is just the right option for them to seek solutions to their healthcare needs. As they enjoy the convenience of seeking care while they juggle their busy lives, telemedicine appears the only plausible option for them.

Relaxation of Regulatory Barriers

With a continually changing regulatory environment, telemedicine has knocked down several obstacles that initially posed impediments to its widescale adoption. Reimbursement eligibility for telehealth services is expanding geographically, and new legislations are being imposed to ensure easy reimbursement of televisits. Moreover, government mandates and professional healthcare groups are striving towards setting guidelines for evidence-based telemedicine. And insurers are collaborating with telehealth vendors to offer state-of-the-art virtual care.

Patient-Centric Approach

The healthcare industry is increasingly becoming patient-centric, and telemedicine is playing a pivotal role in emphasizing the healthcare consumer experience. With telemedicine, patients no longer need to wait for long hours before they can see a healthcare provider. Instead, they can schedule their appointments online and interact with their physicians in real-time while at the comfort of their homes. Telemedicine offers a channel for delivering quality care that can bridge the gap and provide care across the entire continuum.

Telemedicine is essentially the new face of healthcare. Healthcare providers must leverage it to transform their business models to not only improve the quality of care but also to tackle the rising healthcare costs.