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Telemedicine: The Doctor of the Future

As telemedicine continues to grow, it is becoming easier and easier to see a doctor. Now, thanks to various websites, it’s possible to visit a doctor without even leaving the comfort of your own home.

Patients communicate with a doctor via instant messaging and the phone, and can receive diagnosis and medication prescriptions. The service is quick, easy, available 24 hours a day, and is much cheaper than a regular doctor’s visit.

Companies such as General Electric and Delta Air Lines are also embracing telemedicine, encouraging employees to explore telemedicine as an alternative to a visit to the doctor. Because of large corporation adoption, it is projected that the telemedicine industry will triple to $27.3 by 2016.

Obstacles to Overcome
As telemedicine continues to grow in popularity, telemedicine companies such as NowClinic and Virtuwell are still finding that there are some major obstacles to overcome.

Many states have strict laws regarding interstate doctor visits, which is preventing telemedicine from spreading. In 2010, the Texas Medical Board passed a ruling that prevents doctors from treating new patients via telemedicine, unless the patient has been evaluated and referred by a physician that has seen the patient in person.

While telemedicine proponents say that these antiquated laws prevent the spread of the field, state boards insist the rulings are there to ensure accountability. If a telemedicine doctor were to prescribe the wrong medication to a patient, there would be no state board to answer to. Despite this, medical boards in places such as Tennessee, Nevada, and New Mexico are loosening restrictions on telemedicine.

Despite more and more people turning to online telemedicine, companies insist that their service is not intended to replace face-to-face doctor visits. In fact, representatives for VirtuWell say they have turned away more than 45,000 perspective patients because their problems required in-person consultations. Telemedicine websites tend to treat illnesses such as pink eye, sinus infections, and skin rashes.

Insurance Companies Embrace Telemedicine
Despite the growing pains of the industry, insurance companies such as UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, and Cigna are jumping on board with telemedicine.

Because telemedicine websites typically only charge about $40 per “visit,” insurance companies see it as a cheap alternative to doctors visits. Some insurance companies, such as UnitedHealthcare, are even offering their own versions of telemedicine. UnitedHealthcare runs NowClinic, a telemedicine website that treats thousands of patients.

As more and more people begin to see the benefits of telemedicine, analysts predict that the industry will continue to grow. While there are some real problems to conquer, proponents for the industry are optimistic for what the future holds.

originally posted on apexrx

New Projections for Telemedicine: 2012 – 2018

Next time you have a headache, you might be able to see a doctor without having to drive, sign in, and sit in a waiting room.

Wintergreen Research has recently published a new in-depth analysis of telemedicine and it’s prospects, position, and potential for growth in the market over the next few years. The study has been titled “Telemedicine. Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2012 to 2018.”Wintergreen Research’s study on telemedicine is massive, totaling 509 pages, with 206 tables throughout the document.

What Are The Predictions?
Essentially, Wintergreen Research is convinced that telemedicine is poised to grab a major share of worldwide markets over the next few years.

They also predict that telemedicine will shift away from proprietary devices. As these devices become obsolete, consumer tablet computers and smart phones will be given software that can help repurpose them for telemedicine. Much like cell phone service, telemedicine will simply be a fee for a monthly service, with no extra complicated technology or devices to bring into the home.

What Factors Are Being Considered?
Wintergreen Research emphasizes the fact that chronic disease care plays a huge role in our healthcare expenses. And treating these conditions can be frustrating because patients tend to follow paths that lead inevitably to their own demise. Either a patient takes care of his or herself, and stays healthy, or he or she doesn’t, and they repeatedly visit the hospital with worsening condition.

When Wintergreen Research states the benefits that telemedicine brings to the fight against chronic disease, they do not overstate their case. The benefits are massive. As they phrased it, when “left to their own judgments, some patients typically are apt to make terrible decisions relating to their personal health.” They continue to say that people make these decisions out of either “ignorance, genetic inheritance, or … lifestyle habit.”

But telemedicine can be used as a “way to extend clinical to make them part of lifestyle consultation.” Following this path is one of the only ways we can start to make progress in the face of our financial healthcare crisis, and Wintergeen Research’s report reflects an acute awareness of that fact.

Other Benefits of Telemedicine
Wintergreen Research also mentions another important factor, which is that physician care can be much more responsive to the changing needs of a patient based on their ongoing health changes.

Many of these changes will occur through the use of FDA-approved software that can be downloaded on typical mobile devices. Much of this software isn’t available yet, but as it becomes available, a free download will replace an expensive home installation. This simple difference will revolutionize telemedicine delivery.