Introduction
Imagine this: calling your general practitioner’s office and booking a doctor’s appointment for a health concern. Most patients wouldn’t receive an appointment for several weeks, and when they did, the cost of generalized therapy was high. These are two problems individuals seeking healthcare have with the industry. Long wait times and a lack of democratization because of the lack of access to quality and cost-effective healthcare. Such healthcare industry critiques increased ten-fold with the COVID-19 pandemic severely testing the public health industry.
COVID-19 served as a pivotal moment in human history. The world grappled with unfathomable challenges, but this also spurred incredible innovation in the healthcare industry. With the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology, healthcare services were digitized. Known as ‘telehealth’, healthcare providers care for you without an in-person visit. This is usually conducted online via messaging. (video) calling or remote monitoring of progress.
Ido Schoenberg, Amwell chairman and co-CEO exclaimed, “We can cure many more people with technology than we can do in person.” This is known as democratization, where actions give rise to access for everyone. This article seeks to investigate whether this statement is true or whether there are significant challenges with telehealth.
Telehealth: Treating Patients Over the Internet
Telehealth allows healthcare professionals to treat patients remotely, through consultations and treatment. Advanced technology allows professionals to monitor patients remotely, with detailed reports being communicated online between parties. There are several leading telehealth companies, namely Amwell, Teladoc and Healthtap. These companies provide consistent care, general medical care and nonurgent medical care, covering a range of treatments online. The Stanford Medicine 2020 Health Trends Report affirmed the transformation the healthcare industry is undergoing, stating how clear it has become that technological advancements will rapidly change the healthcare landscape.
Benefits of Online Healthcare
1. High Efficiency
Compared to in-office visits, online healthcare is unparalleled in its efficiency in the delivery of care. Appointments taking hours can now be scheduled instantly and conducted in a thorough and efficient manner. Doctors can take multiple patients in a small amount of time. This saves time for patients but also allows healthcare professionals to focus more on the patient and less on logistical and administrative tasks associated with offices.
2. Democratizing Access
The reason why telehealth is so important and popular is because it is revolutionizing access to healthcare. With telehealth care, doctors and medical professionals truly act ‘without borders.’ Experts and specialists are not confined to a geographic area and are able to provide care for those in need. Similarly, patients don’t need to travel far and can save on costs and time, receiving much-needed treatment faster. This shift is transformative in making healthcare a universal right, rather than a privilege.
3. Diversity of Professionals
Increased access to healthcare also means increased access to healthcare professionals. Online platforms provide patients with an extensive network of professionals to choose from. Such platforms also benefit professionals, who collaborate and conduct knowledge sharing. This achieves accurate treatment with fewer doubts. This is most useful with complex cases and patients, where knowledge sharing is incredibly important.
For patients, especially those with different cultures and lifestyles, connectivity means they can receive treatment in a safe environment with a professional they are comfortable with. This is reflected in patient satisfaction. One study of Penn Medicine patients stated that 67% of respondents considered an online visit ‘good or better’ than a standard in-person visit.
4. Preventing Fragmentation
Fragmentation of healthcare refers to the scenario where patients can’t receive full treatment with one specialist. This means multiple specialists need to be consulted, which becomes difficult with geographic constraints. This becomes a larger, more important issue for lower social classes who can’t afford to see multiple specialists. Virtualization of access to services eliminates these barriers completely. Patients can now seamlessly access a network of healthcare providers, creating a more streamlined and integrated approach to healthcare.
5. Personalized Medicine
With increased knowledge sharing, healthcare professionals can collect and exchange vast amounts of patient data. This translates into a large collection of patient data being stored online. This information can be accessed without any geographic or time limitations, allowing professionals to tailor treatments to individuals’ needs. This also aids professionals in creating a personalized approach which maximizes effectiveness and minimizes side effects. Such data wealth also aids professionals in tackling complicated and rare cases which they haven’t encountered, drawing upon the data for guidance. Such a leap in patient care is monumental, opening access to personalized care to all patients.
6. Cost Savings
As mentioned before, online healthcare not only saves patients and professionals time but also reduces costs for both. Several forms of administrative fees associated with logistics are eliminated, contributing to a cost-effective healthcare system. Reducing such overheads makes quality care more accessible to more people.
‘Unmasking’ Telehealth
However, telehealth is not yet the answer to all healthcare industry issues. Some challenges persist. The structured coding of data for effective AI implementation remains a hurdle. It requires an overhaul of existing healthcare infrastructure, which can take a large amount of time. Implementing such technology would also require large amounts of start-up capital; funding that most smaller hospitals in rural areas don’t have.
Another challenge is in building the database itself. Technology in practice is a very democratic tool but due to privacy reasons, it must be used limitedly. Not only that, but the interpretation of incomplete datasets also requires rigorous clinical trials and research to complete and present to other peers.
The biggest challenge preventing a complete democratization of healthcare through technology is stakeholders’ mindsets regarding the shift. The commonly held notion is that there is a strained relationship between patients and clinicians. Both believe that the other doesn’t cooperate in the process or tries to rip the other off monetarily. However, by collaborating and sharing essential information, clinicians and patients can define a healthcare model for the future. A future where patients don’t receive care because of how much they pay and what hospital they go to but catered to their individual needs. By leveraging knowledge and technology, a more inclusive and democratic healthcare system can be forged.
Conclusion
The digitization of healthcare has propelled us into a new era of medical care. Telehealth and online medical platforms increase knowledge sharing, democratize access to healthcare and provide personalized medicine. They do this whilst also decreasing costs and increasing efficiency. Such platforms democratize healthcare for people of all backgrounds and locations, resulting in better healthcare for everyone. Some challenges do persist, mainly the rigid attitudes of stakeholders in the medical industry. Furthermore, the startup capital and time required to set up the technological architecture are immense. However, as the medical industry navigates this transformative journey, healthcare will be reshaped for the better. In the future, quality care will be an accessible right for all.
Many hospitals and healthcare institutions across the United States choose Cogent Integrated Business Solutions, Inc. as their reliable healthcare staffing partner to address the severe lack of healthcare experts. We give renowned personal service along with top-notch, pre-screened healthcare personnel. In order to guarantee that patients receive treatment when and when they need it, healthcare organisations, hospitals, and other facilities can discover skilled temporary and permanent workers with the aid of our staffing, search, and technology services.
By Meharbash Kashif