Telemedicine Revolution: Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Healthcare

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Let’s explore the benefits and challenges of Virtual Healthcare. Telemedicine can transform the world’s medical structure, especially in India. Telemedicine aims to allow medical professionals to diagnose and treat patients from a distance and in remote areas. Telemedicine increases access to health care for people who would otherwise be unable to obtain it. In a world where convenience often dictates our choices, healthcare is no exception.

The rise of virtual healthcare, commonly known as telemedicine, has revolutionized how we access medical services. Whether it’s a late-night consultation for a feverish child or managing a chronic condition from the comfort of home, telemedicine offers unprecedented convenience and accessibility. It allows patients to connect with healthcare providers virtually anywhere, eliminating the need for long waits in crowded waiting rooms or travel stress.

However, this innovation is not without its challenges. Questions about the quality of care, data security, and the potential loss of personal connection between patients and providers are all valid concerns that need addressing. As we embrace this new era of healthcare, it’s essential to weigh the benefits and the obstacles that come with it. This article delves into the advantages that telemedicine brings to the table and explores the complexities that need to be navigated to ensure it remains a viable and effective option for all.

What is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is derived from the Greek term “tele” meaning “covering distance” and the Latin word “medicus” meaning “healing”. This means resolving health-related issues virtually between patients and doctors who live far away. In simple words, telemedicine is also known as e-health. E-health means internet-related services. So, with the help of telemedicine or e-health, you can now get all the information related to your health on your smartphone while sitting at home.

All of this information will be provided by top hospitals and health departments throughout India and the world. AIIMS has already launched the e-Dant Seva website and app in collaboration with the Health Ministry, which will provide us with all health-related information. Additionally, AIIMS started the telemedicine Virtual Outpatient Department (OPD) in Rishikesh to defeat Corona.

As we all know, during the Corona time, the Government of India launched an app called Arogya Setu that provided us with all Corona-related updates. As a result, we were able to feel somewhat safer. The Aarogya Setu app is an excellent example of telemedicine. Read more about how it works here: How India’s Coronavirus Contact Tracing app works

History of Telemedicine

Telemedicine emerged before the Internet era. While we try to understand the Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Healthcare let us first know that Telemedicine was started in 1968 by America’s space agency, NASA. To know about the activities of their astronauts and spacecraft in space. Later, it was tested in 26 villages in Alaska by the National Library of Medicine in 1971 to make it useful in rural areas. After this, NASA officially established a telemedicine centre with computers, internet, and all facilities in the city of Yerevan, Armenia, in 1989.

In 2001, India’s space agency ISRO launched telemedicine as a pilot project, linking Apollo Hospital in Chennai with Apollo Rural Hospital in Argonda village in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Following the success of the project, the Government of India established the National Telemedicine Taskforce in 2005 and also issued guidelines related to it.

In view of the increasing demand for teleconsultation during the Corona pandemic, On March 25, 2020, the Central Government made several changes to the guidelines of telemedicine and established the necessary protocols for patients, physicians, and healthcare professionals.

Benefits of Telemedicine

1. During the COVID-19 epidemic, telemedicine was considered the safest way of providing effective treatment while maintaining social distancing. Instead of going to the hospital, it is better that we can consult a good doctor through telemedicine while sitting at home.
2. It also helps to reduce the expenses of hospital visits while keeping away from contagious environments and mentally ill conversations.
3. Telemedicine is extremely beneficial for those patients who are uncomfortable visiting the hospital.
4. Telemedicine has also proven useful in emergencies, and digital monitoring has improved the overall health of the patient.
5. It is also beneficial for those people who have been confined to their homes during the COVID lockdown and have reported higher rates of depression. Tele-counseling has proven extremely useful for those patients.
6. During the Corona pandemic, when many hospitals were filled with patients, many people recovered at home through telemedicine.

Various Challenges of Telemedicine

1. Telemedicine is not suitable for everyone or every situation. Telemedicine is claimed to be the most effective method for patients living in remote areas where virtual communication is facing great difficulty due to slow internet and server problems.
2. Some patients are less comfortable providing their personal information due to the rise of cybercrime.
3. In some cases, if a patient requires critical care, he prefers telemedicine consultation rather than hospitalization. This situation can be quite dangerous.
4. Due to telemedicine, doctors sometimes face the main problem of collecting the histories of patients, so they provide treatment and medicine based on the symptoms reported by the patients. If a patient skips even one critical symptom, there is a risk of the entire treatment being compromised.
5. In virtual communication, the doctor cannot use a stethoscope to listen to your heartbeats. They are unable to assess your blood pressure or sugar levels. For this, they will have to rely on visual assessment. For example, if you have vision problems, the doctor may be unable to see with a torch. The doctor will have to start treatment based on the symptoms mentioned by you.
6. There are still many people who are not able to explain their symptoms properly. To avail of this service in rural areas of India, proficient knowledge of network, computer, or mobile is required, which is still sorely lacking.

How to find Telemedicine Providers

It is so simple that it is available on Google search. The Union Health Ministry has launched a free national telemedicine service named “Sanjeevani”. This service is available in the form of an “e-Sanjeevani” mobile application and website. Apart from this, there are also some paid apps, which are being used mainly in India. Apps like Practo, 1mg, Apollo 24/7, Docs App, Tata Health, and Lybrate are being used for e-OPD.

Helpline numbers are also being issued by medical colleges and district hospitals for telephonic consultation. Usually, this contact number is available on the website of the district administration. Along with this, telemedicine consultation centres have also been established in rural areas by the state governments in many states.

Telemedicine technology is still in its early stages in India. Therefore, do not put your entire trust in any Internet health service provider. Because misinformation and advice in India run deeper than we realize. Therefore, protect yourself wisely. Hope this article explaining Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Healthcare has helped you in one way or the other.