6 Advantages To Handling Your Healthcare Online
It seems like an increasing amount of things can be purchased and tasks can be accomplished online — and now you can even have a visit with your doctor via the Internet. Telemedicine is a convenient way to check in with your healthcare provider, particularly for quick visits where an in-person meeting is not required. If you are considering making your next visit with your doctor a virtual one, here are some reasons why this is a great idea.
Security and Privacy
Only you and your doctor will be on your telemedicine call, so there is no risk of anyone, aside from people in your home or office, hearing what you have to say. No one from the next exam room will overhear your confidential medical information like sometimes happens when you are at a doctor’s office. You also won’t have to worry about any security breaches or issues with your financial/insurance or medical data, because all of the confidential data you need to exchange with your doctor is managed by secure EDI software.
Keep From Catching What Other Patients Have
If you have a simple question for your doctor that does not require an in-person exam, scheduling a visit via telemedicine is a great idea. You won’t have to sit in a waiting room and be exposed to the illnesses of other patients or sit on an exam table that others have sat on. You will still be able to see your doctor through your computer screen, so it will be just like an in-person visit with way fewer germs.
You Don’t Have to Miss Hours of Work
In the past, you would have to take significant time off of work for a doctor’s appointment, even if it was a short visit. You had to factor in driving to the office, inevitably spending time in a waiting room, finally having your time with the doctor, and then driving back to work (or home if the workday was over.) Sometimes, you even had to drive elsewhere for imaging or bloodwork. Now, you can take your appointment right from your desk if you’re lucky. If you’re even luckier and are able to work from home, you can meet with your doctor from the comfort of your own comfy chair.
Shortened (or More Productive) Wait Times
Typically, telemedicine visits run on time (or at least closer to on time than in-office visits). Even if you do end up waiting for your doctor to sign on, you can use that time to do work on your computer or catch up on tasks at home. When you are stuck in a waiting room, it can be tough to focus on work — or connect to decent WiFi that allows you to do anything but scroll through social media.
No More “White Coat Syndrome”
For some people, a visit to the doctor can cause a significant amount of anxiety and panic, no matter the reason for the visit. A telemedicine visit is a great way to get access to medical care without the stress and worry of having to go into an actual office setting. Of course, sometimes an in-person exam can’t be avoided, but telemedicine is a great alternative when physically being with your doctor is not necessary.
Easy Access No Matter Where You Are
Whether you live far away from your doctor or simply cannot get to your appointment because of bad weather, telemedicine is a great solution. Telemedicine also gives opportunities to those in underserved communities or those who live in more rural areas for quick access to healthcare that they would likely not be able to get otherwise.
Preparing for your first virtual visit can seem daunting at first, and learning how to connect to the video stream may be a challenge. However, once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing virtual visits all along.
