Coronavirus and the Rise of Telemedicine

Coronavirus has flipped our lives upside down in more ways than one. One of the biggest changes is the expectation that nearly everyone stays at home as much as possible. Social distancing measures are currently being enforced in order to slow the spread of the virus, which has caused a major spike in the use of telemedicine resources.

Despite the emphasized concern for those infected by COVID-19, people with healthcare concerns and issues still need to regularly see their doctor, as well. This is where telemedicine can come into play — people who do not need to receive treatment in a hospital or doctor’s office are able to talk to their doctor and get what they need virtually from the safety of their homes.

Doctors’ needs for additional resources to treat and see their patients have put the spotlight on telemedicine in a big way. Doctors are now able to use secure, virtual consultations to keep both their patients and themselves safe. Coronavirus has made it imperative that health care workers are able to keep in touch with their patients in a way that keeps both of them safe from any unnecessary contact with others.

Government leaders, public health authorities, insurers, and hospital systems have all been working diligently to give people as many health care services as possible virtually. This will likely become one of the new normals we will see after the pandemic is over.

Telemedicine and virtual healthcare have been around for years, but the coronavirus is forcing people to utilize this great tool and is driving employers and insurance agencies to include this technology in their plans.

As a society, our acceptance of technology as an integral part of our everyday lives has made it possible for telemedicine to eventually replace in-person preventative medical visits completely. As our dependency on technology continues to grow, telemedicine will gain more and more traction with the vast majority of patients.

In order to keep everyone safe, we need to continue implementing social distancing measures. For more information on virtual health services and how you can start using it, visit us!

For more information, check out our guide to the pros and cons of telemedicine, here.