Telehealth can be defined as the usage of digital information and communication technologies to access healthcare services remotely. These may be technologies patients use from home or doctor uses to improve or support healthcare services. It is an undisputable fact that the telehealth revolution has just begun in the wake of Covid 19 and doctors have turned to emerging technology solutions to keep up with growing demand for services. The adoption of telehealth is helpful in expanding access to healthcare facilities at a time when traditional in-person visits need to be avoided. It has been estimated that 46% of Americans replaced cancelled healthcare visit with a telehealth service during the pandemic. There has been a significant increase in the number of patients opting for telemedicine during the Covid 19 times. According to McKinsey report, up to $250 billion of American healthcare spent may be virtualized due to telemedicine.
Combining Convenience and Safety
Telehealth is undoubtedly a high pitched initiative which has created ripples in the healthcare sector. It has been given a red carpet welcome by the medical field and telehealth combines convenience, safety and insight in one solution. Telehealth options feature texts, phone calls, image forwarding, video visits, robust patient health portals and remote monitoring. A large number of suspected and Covid 19 patients can quarantine in the safety of their sweet home using telehealth solutions. Another elegant feature of telehealth is that patients suffering from non covid afflictions can seeking treatment without stepping into vulnerable environments.
The Relevance of Artificial Intelligence Powered Telehealth Solutions
Keeping clinicians healthy, managing their case load, and lessening the backlog of future demand for services are the key applications of telemedicine. According to prominent medical experts, telehealth is as good as in-person visits and it is superior to in-person visits where there is no need of physical copresence. Artificial Intelligence empowered telehealth solutions can drive deeper insights and streamline routine services. Advanced cameras equipped with Artificial Intelligence can detect fever and Artificial Intelligence driven automation allows machines to make immediate adjustments in response to changes to the heart rate, breathing and temperature of patient. Providers can better predict behavior and organizational needs using Artificial Intelligence powered telehealth solutions.
In Intensive Care Units, telehealth can be used to create a complete picture of patient for their clinician. The data collected in telemedicine can be captured, stored and analyzed to drive predictions in the future. It is a well known fact that telehealth provides patients with faster, accurate and complete care. Telehealth benefits of today will be at the center of reimagining what healthcare will be tomorrow. Telemedicine will make remote management of chronic conditions with convenient check-ins from the comfort of patient’s home. Secure and effective telehealth should be encouraged and it should be made a permanent part of the healthcare toolkit. Making healthcare accessible to people who live in rural or isolated communities, making services readily available for people with limited mobility, and providing access to medical specialists are the ultimate goals of telehealth. Telemedicine focuses on improving communication among members of a healthcare team and a patient. Patient portal, virtual appointments, remote monitoring, personal health records and personal health apps are the classic examples of telehealth services.