Telemedicine Benefits

The internet has impacted nearly every aspect of our everyday lives, from changing how we watch our favorite shows to making it easier to maintain contact with family and friends living far away. Now, it is even affecting how we meet with our health care providers and get treatment for illnesses, infections and other mild to moderate health concerns and conditions.

What Is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is the way that patients communicate with health care providers using technology instead of face-to-face office visits. This method of health care is not new; phone-a-nurse lines have been around for decades, and specialists often confer with primary care doctors to offer advice and guidance on treating or managing conditions. However, the increased use of smartphones and video conferencing has led to more health care providers using technology to provide convenient, affordable care.

Does Telemedicine Work?

Obviously, meeting with a doctor over a webcam does not replace every office visit. If you are experiencing symptoms of heart attack, stroke, significant and uncontrolled bleeding, or a suspected broken bone, you need to get to a hospital.

However, telemedicine is a great option for follow-up care. For example, if you have started on a new medication and your doctor wants to find out how it is working for you or what side affects you are experiencing. Saving the trip to the office, and simply discussing it on a phone call or video conference is appropriate. Telemedicine is a good option for getting fast advice when you have symptoms of a virus or infection, or if you have a skin condition such as a mole or rash. It is also increasingly used by mental health professionals for talk therapy.

Why Use Telemedicine?

In some cases, there’s no substitute for an in-person visit with your doctor. However, telemedicine can be used to treat a range of medical conditions and has benefits that make it an option worth considering next time you need to see your doctor.

Telemedicine Is Convenient

Telemedicine puts healthcare within reach of those who would otherwise have a difficult time visiting a doctor. If you have a severe sinus infection, the last thing you want to do is spend the afternoon in the doctor’s office. Visits with your doctor can happen right in the comfort and privacy of your home, eliminating the need to take time off work and figure out childcare arrangements.

Telemedicine Can Keep You Healthy

Doctor’s offices are germy places that can be especially dangerous for those who have underlying conditions or weakened immune systems, and during the winter flu season, skipping the in-person visit means that you won’t share close quarters with people who may be sick. On the flip side, if you’re the one who’s sick, visiting with your doctor remotely helps limit the possible spread.

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How Much Does Telemedicine Cost?

Along with its convenience, among the biggest benefits of telemedicine is its affordability. When chosen as an alternative for going to an urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room, telemedicine is considerably more economical. Just as the exact laws regarding what telemedicine services that health insurance companies must cover vary from state to state, out-of-pocket costs also vary. In some states, patients have the same co-pay for a video or over-the-phone visit that they do for an in-person office visit. Other companies charge a $0 co-pay and others a small, perhaps $10 co-pay.

You will need to call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to find out how much this visit is for you. Or you can log in to your “Member Portal” online where you can view your plan details. Even in states that don’t require that health insurance companies charge the same co-pays for telemedicine, many health insurance companies make sure that telemedicine services are affordable. Ultimately, telemedicine makes healthcare more accessible, leading to better care and healthier patients.​