11 Telemedicine Tools Transforming Healthcare
March 23, 2012 08:00 AM We haven't figured out how to teleport patients into medical offices. But telemedicine technologies link patients and clinicians in ways Ray Bradbury would admire.
TeladocConnect
TeladocConnect, another telemedicine service, lets patients and clinicians communicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through telephone or secure online video, giving physicians the flexibility to offer a higher level of personal service. When patients request a consultation with their primary care physicians, the physicians are alerted and can respond. If the physician is unavailable, the consultation request is routed to Teladoc's national network of U.S. board-certified physicians, which acts as an extension of the physician's practice and gives the patient access to physicians in their state. While the program is available nationally, patients and doctors from the same state communicate via the services to abide by state licensing rules for physicians, said a Teladoc spokesman.
Each Teladoc consultation includes a comprehensive review of a patient's electronic health record. If a Teladoc-network physician performs the consultation, the consultation record is provided to the patient's primary care physician, providing continuity of care.
For patients, the service is a more affordable and convenient alternative to costly urgent care and non-emergency ER visits. For providers, the service also addresses access, patient volume, and reimbursement challenges.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Global Telemedicine Market Headed For $27 Billion
9 Tech Innovations For Your Health
How To Achieve Better Patient Engagement
Major Telemedicine Roadblock Could Clear With Proposed Bill
Roomba Maker Sets Sights On Telemedicine
VA Division Saves $742,000 With Telehealth
