Even before the COVID-19 pandemic sent normal life grinding to a halt, medicine was already becoming much more digitally-centric. However, the almost unprecedented need to keep as many people sheltered at home as possible forced what was a gradual transition into an immediate one. Medical needs don’t stop during a global pandemic, and thankfully, the infrastructure was already there to support many well-established and emerging forms of telemedicine. Now that we’re starting to see beyond the coronavirus threat, we may be at a critical turning point for the future of telemedicine.

The Future of Telemedicine is Digital

Telemedicine is not new. Both the telegraph and the telephone were utilized in the past 100+ years to offer medical services and advice at a distance. Digital technology and the invention of the internet created a significantly more advanced communication medium for rapid transfer of information on-demand, with obvious applications to medicine.

There are now numerous ways doctors and other medical providers can choose to provide medical services from afar. Phone calls have long been popular and still are. But emerging technologies and apps now allow for a more interactive experience and will become more commonplace in the backdrop of the global pandemic.

Video Chat

Connecting to patients via video chat can be comforting for the patients and make it significantly easier to diagnose problems or provide more accurate medical advice. Various video chat services already existed prior to COVID-19 , but many medical providers and patients have turned to HIPAA-compliant telehealth apps like Doxy.me. Some have turned to Zoom in a pinch.

Zoom made have generated more headlines as a fill-in for doctors and patients, but Doxy.me and several other providers were already delivering such services to the medical community for several years prior to the global pandemic. The founder of Doxy.me held a Reddit AMA in 2016 explaining how the company was revolutionizing telemedicine.

The more specialized providers also tend to have added features important to medical providers, such as digital waiting rooms.

(For its part, Zoom offers advice to medical providers who may want to use its video conferencing software for telehealth. Zoom notes that it is HIPAA compliant and that its software has an API that can be integrated into many healthcare apps, such as the online intake form service, intakeQ.)

Text Chat

Video chat can be an expensive route and can require a notable amount of extra technology for both medical providers and patients. Some medical providers are opting instead for text-based chat tools.

Medical apps like ZOOM+Care (which is consequently not related to the Zoom video conferencing tool) and its ChatCare service fill that need. These chat apps allow patients to schedule digital appointments and meet with their providers in a low-impact way. There are some limitations to this method, but apps like DoctoronDemand and Vida connect individuals to medical and health care professionals on-demand with both video and text chat options.

Separate apps are not the only solution. Medical providers can build a chat service on their own website, as well. While providers may find some additional restrictions under HIPAA regarding what type of services can be provided via website-based chat features, website-based chat serves as a fast method to interact with current and potential patients looking for quick answers after landing on a provider’s homepage.

Data Sharing

Medical providers can only do so much visually or over text. But fast access to health data is transforming contactless telemedical services. Many medical apps can now connect to health-monitoring devices and automatically update patient files with information providers need to accurately provide telehealth services.

Some health apps pair with fitness trackers like the ever-popular Fitbit, while others may require patients to have more specialized home health monitoring devices. Providers may need to help patients get set up with specialized monitoring devices, but there’s a growing demand and need for it.

Around 75% of all doctor, ER, and urgent care visits could instead be accomplished using telehealth services. All doctors need is access to current patient health data, which can be accomplished without patients physically visiting their provider.

Most consumers are open to the idea of telemedicine

A growing body of research reveals two important facts about telemedicine:

Most consumers would use telemedicine for a variety of needs
Telemedicine can produce better outcomes in some critical areas

A 2019 survey found that 66% of Americans would be open to the idea of using telemedicine services of some kind. Only 8% have visited their doctor using digital methods, meaning there’s plenty of growth for medical providers to meet a growing need.

Given the current environment imparted by the coronavirus pandemic, medical service providers may find a dramatically larger percentage of Americans not only open to the idea but actively seeking it out. This change is attitude is verified by an April 2020 survey that found two-thirds of respondents had increased their willingness to consider using telehealth services.

Beyond what consumers want, evidence-based research indicates that telemedicine can have a beneficial impact on patient care. This includes significantly greater access for rural patients, reduced costs for medical providers and patients, fewer hospital readmissions, and increased visit efficiency with a 20% reduction in visit times.

All medical providers, including family care doctors, pharmacies, and dentists, should consider increasing their usage of telehealth and telemedical technologies. Data shows patients want increased access at a distance, and in a post-COVID-19 world, that kind of access may become an essential feature offered by medical providers.

How to Offer Telemedicine to Your Patients

Dozens of video and chat apps are available that can connect individuals with all kinds of medical professionals and medical services. And as of 2019, 76% of hospitals were using digital methods to connect with patients virtually, reflecting widespread adoption of telemedical options.

This is not just an avenue for hospitals, however. Outpatient providers and elective providers can benefit from adopting virtual medical apps. Even if your business adds in an on-site chat feature or digital intake and schedule, these services can increase patient satisfaction and increase interest from new clients.

All that’s left is marketing your new technologies and telemedical services so that patients know what’s available to them.

If you’re a medical provider looking to advertise your telehealth services, Madison Ave Media can help. We have intimate knowledge of digital marketing and advertising through social media and Google Ads. We are also up-to-date on all of the restrictions you’ll need to understand as you navigate digital advertising with medical terms.

Contact Madison Ave Media today for a complimentary consultation.

The Future of Telemedicine