

Remote patient monitoring, which lets your provider check on you while you are at home.A "virtual visit" with a health care provider, through a phone call or video chat.These technologies may include computers, cameras, videoconferencing, the Internet, and satellite and wireless communications. Estimates produced by virtual care technologies are anticipated to be about five minutes per encounter per physician.Telehealth is the use of communications technologies to provide health care from a distance. Direct virtual care communication with a patient before an office visit creates time savings for a medical practice and the patient. By collecting this patient information in advance, physicians save time to review possible treatment options and interact more with the patient. Virtual healthcare also can streamline in-person exams by collecting patients’ information, gathering symptom data, and identifying potential options of care before the actual visit. An additional benefit of virtual healthcare is that it allows health systems to move patients to become more involved with their care. Virtual healthcare can augment human resources, expand clinical capacity, and improve efficiencies, as well as provide the above-listed benefits for patients. By doing so, they reduce the need for in-person encounters.įor health systems, the benefits of virtual healthcare are slightly different. For example, individuals with diabetes can use mobile technology to manage their life, diet, and health. Those are wins for everyone.īetter self-care of chronic conditions: Self-care is more efficient with virtual care. The reason: Better management of chronic diseases, reduced travel times, and fewer or shorter hospital stays. Reduced healthcare costs: Virtual healthcare could result in $6 billion per year in savings, according to Towers Watson. Virtual visits make it easier to coordinate care with those on the go. For example, retirees tend to travel a lot and may need care from home. In-person follow-up care may be required, but patients can get a quick start on the initial process from wherever they are.īest care anywhere: No matter the patient’s location – another city or in another country - telehealth is helping to expand access to doctors and services.

Treating urgent symptoms: Patients can gain almost immediate access to caregivers for an initial appointment. Managing chronic conditions: Virtual healthcare is being used by many health systems to monitor ongoing health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and even COPD. Additionally, the AMA says patient-physician relationships are stronger as access expands and more services are available remotely.Ĭonvenience: According to AARP, patients waste more time than one might think on routine doctor visits, whether it’s sitting in stop-and-go traffic or a waiting room. Virtual healthcare technology can open care channels too, the American Telemedicine Association says.īetter quality of care: The American Medical Association says virtual healthcare can improve the quality of patient care. Virtual healthcare can become a lifesaving offering for many people, especially true, when there is a shortage of qualified providers near their homes. The benefits of virtual healthcare are numerous for patients and health systems.īetter access to care: Virtual healthcare appointments are promising for patients living in remote, rural, or underserved areas. The findings also found that without “telemedicine” service, 28 percent of parents would have visited the ED. One large health system reported in a peer-reviewed study that direct-to-consumer pediatric telemedicine, for example, reduced emergency department and urgent care utilization, along with the associated cost. Studies suggest that providers can save money costs, improve clinical outcomes, increase patient engagement, and expand access to care through virtual health programs. Virtual health improves the delivery of care, using technology to do so. Virtual healthcare provides real-time communication between an actual provider and patient, leading to better care, especially to underserved areas.

Telehealth technology provides the ability for the connection with the patient, whether via telephone or videoconferencing equipment, encompassing the tech that connects a provider with a patient. Virtual healthcare is a range of categories and solutions designed to service remote-based patients. Virtual healthcare includes the entire provision of care. Telehealth is a component of virtual healthcare. Virtual healthcare is often referred to as “telehealth,” “telemedicine,” and “telepractice.” While closely aligned in theory, they are not the same thing. How is virtual healthcare different from telehealth?
