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Something that I tell myself and whoever cares enough to listen is that you can never be doing too much when it comes to taking care of your health – physically and mentally! This is where I love the idea of telehealth or telemedicine.
The first time I got introduced into the world of telehealth was after receiving my benefits information for a new job I had recently started once I was done with my Post-Graduate. As an immigrant, it was new to me. I remember being told that I could download an app and will have access to a number of doctors for listed health issues.
I never really got around to using it as much as I should have, but I was able to use it for prescription deliveries when needed. It was a way to stay on track of my health needs and reading about other benefits fascinated me at the time.
The internet has indeed transformed modern life through telehealth. Yes, there are disadvantages to the internet just like any other thing on earth but it doesn’t change the fact that life is so much easier as a result of the ease and possibilities it brings.
In a previous article, I shared a story of how I was working on improving my use of technology. In this article, I’ll be sharing how you can use technology to improve your health after all we shouldn’t forget to mention the positives.
Telehealth is simply the use of digital information and communication technologies, like computers and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely and manage your health care. Basically, it improves a number of areas of healthcare like access to care, distribution of limited providers, access to medical specialists and cost-effective delivery.
It also helps improve communication and coordination of care among members of a health care team and a patient. Let’s not forget the fact that you will also have the ability to monitor and manage your health care yourself and at a much more self-regulated pace. This means that it’s now more convenient to track, regulate, and monitor several medical needs like medicine intake, therapy, and treatment.
This is particularly of importance at a time like this where many workers are busy with little time to find good healthcare and mental health is now something to be more conscious of for an improved well being.
According to the American Telemedicine Association, approximately more than 70% of urgent illness conditions can be taken care of with the help of telemedicine. A simple physician training enables providers to diagnose and treat minor problems such as pharyngitis, sinusitis and upper respiratory illnesses with the help of video chat.
It’s important to understand that technological advancement does not eliminate visits to traditional doctors as there are a few medical conditions that cannot be diagnosed without the presence of the patient. However, with data such as the medical history of the patient or an interview with the patient along with the providers training of pattern recognition, it is now convenient to treat patients without them being physically present.
Learning about BetterHelp, an online portal that provides direct-to-consumer access to behavioural health services was an interesting experience for me. BetterHelp boasts of providing access to affordable, private, professional counseling from a licensed therapist. The online counseling and therapy services are provided through web-based interaction as well as phone and text communication.
From what we can tell from the news lately, it appears that people struggle with life’s challenges and find it difficult to talk to someone they trust. You can get help, anytime, anywhere making use of telehealth opportunities. This is particularly encouraging as from the comfort of your home, you can still take a little step towards improving your health.
Will you be trying out telehealth anytime soon? Feel free to subscribe to the blog for exclusive updates and information in your inbox.
