Telemedicine is the portal through which patients communicate with doctors via the internet chat system. Though relatively new, many medical professionals are beginning to investigate the effectiveness of such a medium. Patients who are either located rurally or are physically disabled may benefit the most from consulting a doctor from the comforts of home. However, those doctors who do use the technology to consult with patients cannot gauge how satisfied their patients are with the tools. Discovering whether patients are actually satisfied with distance medicine consulting, requires ongoing studies.
Wootton (1996) admits that telemedicine is particularly beneficial in “case of emergencies in remote environments such as the Antarctic, on ships, in aeroplanes, and possibly on the battlefield.” In such remote locations, having access to medical care is crucial, and not only is distance a factor in receiving care, but money as well, as it can cost patients a sizeable fee to travel to a hospital. Much needs to be taken into consideration before a proper distance communication is established. One obvious consideration must be made regarding the price of obtaining the software, both for doctors and patients.
In addition, both practitioner and patient must be trained in how to operate required equipment. Typically, telemedicine tools should be free of complication. How and where this training is implemented is also a focus of consideration. Though many patients are unaware of exactly what telemedicine is, Wootton presents this option as an alternative to traditional health care, as opposed to replacing such care.
What medical professionals are left to ponder is the actual impact telemedicine has made on patients. In other words, there needs to be clear measurements on whether it has been considered effective by patients. The fear of telemedicine replacing traditional medicine is not being felt within the medical community, because it exists solely as a tool for advice and consultation. Nothing will ever replace face to face medical treatment, telemedicine “offers a method of seeking that [medical] opinion quickly and cheaply” which allows medical professionals to export “their expertise (for money) (Wootton, 1996).
According to studies, patients were genuinely satisfied with telemedicine. They understood consultation with a doctor was a combination of both face to face and distance consultation. The main concern patients had with telemedicine was not being able to communicate effectively with doctors. Patients experienced “increased accessibility of specialist expertise, less travel required, and reduced waiting times” (Mair et al., 2000). It is noted healthcare is a billion dollar industry that results in high co-pays among patients, and waiting to see a specialist can take months. Receiving consultation are always a matter of patient and doctor confidentiality.
In conclusion, telemedicine is a new method that allows patients to forego meeting with their doctors face to face, in lieu of online video chat technology. Although this medium can feasibly work successfully with patients who are living in remote areas, far from the luxury of a traditional hospital or doctor’s office, there are a series of challenges in presenting this to such patients. Barriers to successful distance consultation is primarily communication. While customers expressed genuine satisfaction with short wait times, access to quality specialists and reduced travel times, they seek to find better ways to overcome language and cultural obstacles that exist when dealing with new doctors. Although not widely used as of yet, telemedicine stands to present more options to patients in hard-to-reach locations.
References
Wootton, R. (1996). Telemedicine: a cautious welcome. Bmj, 313(7069), 1375-1377.
Mair, F., & Whitten, P. (2000). Systematic review of studies of patient satisfaction with
telemedicine. Bmj, 320(7248), 1517-1520.
