Telemedicine is a relatively new tool that has gained popularity in recent years and offers several advantages:
1. Reduces healthcare costs
2. Makes healthcare more accessible
3. Increases patient engagement
Telemedicine first appeared in the healthcare landscape in the 1950s. It opened previously closed doors to many, by making it possible for the elderly to stay independent longer and by bringing healthcare to rural areas virtually.
Telemedicine enables physicians to consult patients over the ether. Using telemedicine software, patients can save themselves the trouble of driving to an appointment and can now ask a physician from the comfort of their home.
Even though telemedicine is not a particularly novel invention, many physicians are still not familiar with the concept. Similar to other healthcare-specific technologies, the wide-spread adoption of telemedicine has been quite slow.
As the popularity of handheld devices increased, so did the utilization of health apps and other healthcare-specific technologies amongst consumers. The demand from younger generations for more convenient, less expensive healthcare delivery methods put telemedicine in the spotlight. More and more providers are now beginning to use telemedicine to answer the growing need.
Portable telemedicine kits enable physicians to perform specific diagnostic tests virtually. Examples of such tests are an ECG or other vital sign measurements. The kits typically include a computer and certain mobile medical devices. Physicians can not only use telemedicine to conduct video consults but to transmit imaging and diagnose remotely.