Going Virtual: 4 Benefits Of Implementing Virtual Medical Care At Your Facility
Virtual medicine is a popular trend for many medical centers and hospitals due to enhanced benefits for patients and professionals alike. If you are on the fence about your decision, there are multiple reasons you should integrate virtual care.
Better Learning Experiences
If your medical facility has a residency training program, telemedicine is an option to improve the quality of education for residents. In addition to hands-on patient interaction, residents can have the opportunity to act as consultants on unique cases they may not encounter during their rotations. The more residents encounter unique cases, they are better able to make quicker diagnoses for patients with rare conditions and improve treatment outcomes.
The use of virtual medicine provides unique opportunities for emergency and trauma. Depending on your training program and the trauma level of your emergency room, residents may rarely face certain types of injuries. Patients with certain types of trauma, such as brain and spinal cord injuries, may only be transported to a Level III or lower trauma center for stabilization, before they are transported to a Level I or II trauma center for care. Residents can have the opportunity to follow the patient's care beyond stabilization and obtain more real-world knowledge regarding the care of specific types of trauma.
Opportunities For Expert Advice
Even the most seasoned doctor or surgeon may encounter a situation where they are unsure of the best way to proceed with a patient's care. Since experts in specialized fields of medicine may be scattered across the globe, the ability to have a prompt virtual consultation can be invaluable to a patient's well-being or survival. Although expert advice is important for any area of medicine, one of the strongest benefits is in the operating room, when seconds matter. The use of high-definition cameras in real time can make it possible for a remote surgeon to see the procedure as it happens and help guide another surgeon through the process.
Improved Access For Patients
There are specialties of medicine that are limited in certain geographic locations. Specialties, such as rheumatology, sports medicine or gerontology may not exist in certain communities, or the wait times may be long when there is only one specialist. Additionally, the personal circumstances of your patients, such as difficulties with transportation, insurance or mobility, can exacerbate problems receiving specialist treatment.
By offering telemedicine options and collaborating with other medical facilities, you can give patients in your area the opportunity to receive care by a specialist without a prolonged wait. In many cases, the cost of a specialist appointment can be reduced for the patient by implementing virtual-based care. The doctor can speak with the patient via a two-way interactive interface. You may need a nurse to assist with checking vitals, and any testing can be performed at a local facility. Once all information is collected, you can quickly forward the patient's record to the doctor by using an electronic system you may already use.
Reducing Communicable Disease
Reducing disease transmission is just as important for patients as medical professionals. Many patients visit medical settings for ailments that may require treatment, but do not always warrant an in-person visit. If you can diagnose and treat sick patients without them visiting a medical facility, you can reduce the instance of spreading disease in your waiting rooms.
Even minor communicable diseases can cause serious consequences for people in the waiting rooms who may have a chronic disease and/or are taking immunosuppressive medications. Keeping disease transmission down also reduces the number of sick days needed by medical professionals and other staff member.
As technology improves and becomes more affordable, medical facilities are realizing the importance of virtual care. Implementing telemedicine and other forms of virtual care like TouchCare at your facility is an invaluable resource for patients and doctors.