In recent years, one concept has emerged as a transformative force in the healthcare industry – telehealth. If you’ve ever found yourself grappling with doubts about how to better serve your young patients while adapting to the changing landscape of medical practice, then telehealth might just be the solution you’ve been seeking. In this blog we will present you with some information to help you navigate your way through this modern field.
The Concept of Telehealth
To provide you with a clearer grasp of this concept, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines telehealth as: delivery of health care services, where patients and providers are separated by distance. Telehealth uses ICT for the exchange of information for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health professionals.
How it benefits you
The burden of handling patient appointment bookings and modifications can be a substantial source of stress for many healthcare providers. This process involves patients reaching out to the clinic to ascertain the available time slots and mode of appointment for their chosen doctors.
However, the advent of telehealth has effectively addressed these tedious tasks. Patients now have the convenience of visiting the clinic’s website and selecting their preferred date, time and mode, eliminating the need for administrative assistance. Moreover, telehealth offers other advantages for pediatricians, and some of these include:
Proper records keeping: Telehealth has significantly increased the probability of effectively maintaining records and documentation, primarily due to the prevalence of digital forms. For pediatricians, this translates to seamless access to documents when you need them to verify patient history.
Appointment Management: Telehealth has also proven to be a transformative tool in healthcare, particularly in the context of appointment management. By integrating telehealth into your practice, you make way for a more streamlined and efficient scheduling process. This technology enables you to optimize your daily schedule, allocating your time more effectively and accommodating a broader range of patients.
Disease and infection control: Telehealth has proven to be a powerful tool for infection prevention, particularly in the case of infants and young children who are highly susceptible to diseases. By minimizing in-person contact, telehealth helps to curtail the spread of infections among both healthcare workers and patients, enhancing safety and healthcare outcomes.
Reduction in no-shows: lastly telehealth has effectively addresses the issue of patient no-shows, a common challenge in healthcare. By offering convenient virtual consultations that eliminate transportation and time constraints, patients are more likely to engage in their healthcare when the process is streamlined and accessible, ultimately leading to fewer missed appointments.
Conclusion
Being a medical professional, prioritizing your patients’ requirements holds paramount significance. The inclusion of telemedicine serves to support your endeavor. Bear in mind that a comprehensive telehealth solution like the Porton Suite not only delivers convenience to clinics and patients but also seamlessly integrates the entire process – from booking appointments to the final consultation – directly into your Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system.
Additional resources
https://www.portonhealth.com/5-ways-to-improve-patient-attendance
https://www.portonhealth.com/ensuring-data-security
https://www.portonhealth.com/how-online-appointment-scheduling-system-benefits-a-medical-practice
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