Virtual Care
The internet has changed everything. From the way that we get basic information to the way that we interact with each other; the internet has reshaped our society. It would make sense that every aspect of our lives would be touched by the advancement of this technology, including health care.
One advancement that we have seen come into more Prominence is Telehealth. Telehealth can come in the form of a patient portal where health care members can sign in and:
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Opportunities For Health Care Members
The idea behind telehealth is to create more equal opportunities for Health Care Members to have access to care. If care members live in rural areas and don’t have access to care with ease, then telehealth can help. This can be especially helpful if a specialist is needed, but the doctors available in their system are multiple hours away. Telehealth can also help with more straightforward issues. A phone call to a nurse practitioner can help with simple cases where seeing a doctor is not needed. It can also assist in situations where mobility or transportation is an issue.
Some of the latest advancements are in virtual health. These are doctor visits that happen virtually; usually through a video conference call. Most of these virtual health meetings have taken place over the necessary treatments and not in-depth diagnoses or difficult treatments. There are some preliminary indications that if virtual health were to take over annual doctor visits, ongoing patient care, and self-care, then it could save $10 billion annually across the United States.
Overall, the future of health providers is very bright. There will always be times that seeing a doctor will be necessary. But if you require preventive and maintenance care, you can expect to see more telehealth and virtual health care options coming your way.
