What is telemedicine? According to the American Telemedicine Association, “telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status.” Essentially, telemedicine is a way to communicate with qualified health professionals over your webcam. It’s just like a doctor’s appointment, except you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home office for a doctor’s.
How then is telemedicine beneficial, particularly over getting a checkup in person? The Wellness Council of America has determined that, “over 70% of all ER, urgent care, and doctor office visits could be safely handled over the phone.” Often times, a doctor simply needs to hear a clear description of symptoms to properly diagnose what is ailing their patients. If one could reach the doctor at any hour of the day then, they would be saving time and money, particularly on expensive ER visits. In fact, among the top conditions Americans seek treatment at an ER are headaches, coughs, fevers, and infections such as the cold or flu (Wake Forest hospitals). While a serious emergency should always be treated in person, many minor visits would be faster and cheaper if done over telemedicine.
Telemedicine is a particularly great tool for those who are in remote locations and cannot get the professional medical diagnoses or treatment they desire. If they were on travel in a less developed nation and felt ill, a patient could simply connect to their preferred physician and get help right away. This also means that those less fortunate could have access to the professional medicine many take for granted.
Seniors would also benefit from the services telemedicine can provide. When they are not feeling so well, it can often be difficult to get them from their residence to the doctor’s office. Visit-in doctors seem a thing of the past, but a video chat would eliminate the distance and be virtually the same as a family doctor stopping by for a check up.
The question now is where can one find telemedicine services? Nutrealife is a new, affordable telemedicine service that provides all of the above benefits with added ease of accessibility. Even the lowest priced subscription service provides 24/7 access to their network of board-certified, state-licensed medical doctors. The doctors can diagnose a patient’s symptoms and then write discounted scrips for print to take to a local pharmacy. They’ll even help setup medical supplies such as equipment for diabetics, hearing, and access to lab testing. For more information, just visit Nutrealife.com.