Covid-19 has acted as a catalyst for boosting healthcare resources and services through telemedicine all across the globe. With social distancing, wearing a mask, and avoiding crowded places, telemedicine has come as an essential step in strengthening health system responses during these trying times. Amidst the growing risks of this deadly virus, teleconsultation, or virtual doctor consultation, seems to be a blessing in disguise, both for patients as well as medical practitioners.
To beat the risks of catching the infection, you should be consulting a doctor online to save yourself from stress and uncertainty. But before diving into the benefits of teleconsultation, let us first understand what it means.
What Is Teleconsultation?
Telecommunication refers to synchronous or asynchronous online doctor consultations on a digital platform, using information and communication technology. It eliminates the need to geographically visit a hospital or healthcare centre in person.
Benefits of Teleconsultation
Offers Easy Access to Specialists
In the prevailing pandemic crisis, it can be quite risky for critical patients who need special medical advice to travel to hospitals to meet the respective specialists every time. With virtual doctor consultations, this comes as a respite to individuals who are already fighting serious health issues.
They can connect to senior and experienced consultants, anytime and from anywhere, without travelling long distances and wasting their energy levels for the same.
Eliminates the Need to Venture Out From Home
The highly contagious virus limits people to stay indoors at all costs. Even for availing of medical aid, stepping out of the house would impose high risks, especially on people who are already low on immunity and health.
Teleconsultation enables access to the best medical guidance right from the comforts of your home over a voice or video call.
It opens doors to receive advice and opinion from the most certified and the best-experienced specialists from any corner of India and even abroad.
Addresses a Wide Range of Health Complications
You can consult a doctor on the virtual forum for various health conditions. Be it a dental issue, a physio assessment, or nursing requirements for your nutrition issues, any and every health query can be addressed by opting for online doctor consultations.
Saves on Time and Transportation Costs
For consulting a doctor online, all you need is a laptop/smartphone or any other digital device with internet connectivity. It saves on commuting time, fuel cost, and the harassment of getting stuck in a traffic jam. Hence it protects you from wasting your precious time, energy, and money to quite an extent.
Open to Frequent Consultation Requirements
Chronic health condition patients like those with cancer or other severe diseases may need frequent consultation with their specialists. An online doctor consultation mode can enable you to receive the best specialists’ advice, along with proper medical attention, without having to rush to the hospital now and then.
No Need to Take Leave From Your Work
A physical doctor appointment would require you to take a half-day leave from work. A virtual doctor consultation eliminates this inconvenience as you can connect online from any place that provides you privacy at a time that suits you the best.
All you need to do is schedule an online doctor consultation during your office break hours and have a one-to-one interaction with your preferred physician right from the comforts of your office cabin. This way, you can follow up with your doctor without wasting a day of your leave.
Rules Out Elderly and Child Care Issues
Aged parents of infants need to be physically assisted to a hospital. Also, they are most vulnerable to catching infections. Under such circumstances, when stepping out of the house is quite dangerous for everyone, taking senior citizens and children to hospital premises for a check-up can be quite daunting and dangerous.
Teleconsultation options resolve these issues by letting you visit a doctor virtually from your place of abode, without questioning the safety measures for your near and dear ones.
Final Take
Teleconsultation is a part of telemedicine. This revolutionary measure reduces the burden on healthcare infrastructure to provide the best medical services without imposing the risks of exposure to infections or the possibility of contracting the deadly Covid-19 virus.
Apps like Bajaj Finserv Health can connect you to the best physicians and specialists at any hour, as per your convenience and requirements.