The telemedicine industry has seen exponential growth over the past few years. This has significantly improved patient care, making it possible for individuals to have access to the best healthcare specialists. Patients who live in rural areas or far off towns can make use of video conferencing technology or remote physician consultations for an accurate diagnosis.
Aside from the made benefits of telemedicine, it’s worth noting that health apps have also improved patient engagement. It has done so by allowing patients to keep track of their medical conditions, overall wellness, and other outcomes.
Patients can also use these health apps to stay in touch with their physicians, boost engagement and receive answers to important medical related queries. Here’s how telemedicine apps have improved patient engagement:
User-Friendly Methods
Health apps offer user-friendly services that encourage real-time interaction with medical professionals. This enhances communication and collaboration between doctors and patients. At present, healthcare facilities are focusing on establishing safe cloud-based communication systems. This makes it possible for patients to communicate with medical professionals in a secure environment either through instant messaging, SMS or via video chat.
While it was previously presumed that only youngsters and millennials are comfortable using online technology, these services are now commonly being used by older generations. To improve usability, healthcare services are setting up online portals to keep track of patients. According to a report published by the Harvard Business Review, older patients who are in their 60s use these portals roughly the same amount as younger individuals.
Convenience
It’s worth noting that most individuals follow a tight work schedule, putting off their doctor’s appointment until the end of the week. With so many commitments to pursue, most people find it difficult to show up to frequent doctor’s appointments, and that’s precisely where telemedicine can help patients.
Telemedicine apps have made it possible for patients to schedule video meetings according to their convenience. These conferences can be attended from remote locations, strengthening patient care and engagement.
Building Lasting Relationships with Health Professionals
While there’s no replacement for face-to-face contact, health professionals can build strong relationships with their patients using telemedicine apps. However, this depends on how the platform is being utilized by medical professionals and patients.
For optimal results, physicians should schedule regular appointments with their patients to build a healthy ongoing relationship. This would help improve coordination and enhance follow-up care which is required when dealing with chronic illnesses.
Physicians need to focus on investing their time and efforts on patient care. If handled the wrong way, telemedicine apps can resort to patients feeling depressed and isolated. The good news is, all these red flags can be avoided if appropriate measures are taken to provide better outcomes.
Improves Accessibility
For people who live in rural areas, frequently visiting or getting to know their doctors personally can seem like an overwhelming task. Fortunately, telemedicine has offered new forms of patient engagement, making it possible for patients to connect with their physicians in a matter of seconds. Thanks to mobile services and could-based platforms, patients have the power to oversee and contribute to all aspects of their care.
Apart from boosting patient engagement amongst people who live in rural or suburban regions, telemedicine apps have also helped bustling professionals and busy parents. This offers patients the time and energy to focus on more productive tasks instead of rushing around the city to manage minor health problems.
Aids healthcare providers
Telemedicine apps have made long-distance health care a possibility. Apart from aiding patients, this relatively new phenomenon has created new opportunities for health care providers who would like to improve patient engagement and diversify revenue.
With the help of mobile technology, providers can reach out to patients, keep track of records and asses care without any physical barriers or hurdles. While telehealth is a relatively new concept, its success has empowered several healthcare providers and physicians who are now incorporating the technology into their existing practice to assist patients around the world. This has completely altered the shape of healthcare and is sure to bring forward more improvements as time goes by.
To provide quality care, telemedicine healthcare providers are investing in state of the art patient portals, improved electronic medical records and clinical dashboards to improve their services. It should be noted that such investments are paying off promptly and is also paving the way to better patient life.
So the answer is, yes, telemedicine apps can improve patient engagement. In the next few years, experts are predicting to see a boom in patient engagement as the healthcare industry flourishes and introduces new advancements. In the meantime, healthcare providers must focus on improving security aspects of patient portals and mobile health applications to improve patient care and health policies.
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