Over the last few months, the need for virtual care has grown exponentially. COVID-19 has pushed us all way out of our normal routine and has required us to live our lives in different ways. We’ve had to acquire new skills and adopt new ways of doing things–and this is rarely easy. Virtual healthcare is one of those areas that we’ve had to quickly learn.
Luckily, this was already something that existed. A lot of doctors, particularly those that focused on elderly, home-bound patients, had already started incorporating virtual care–or telehealth–into their practices in some ways. Not all service providers were completely unprepared for using virtual components in their practice. However, what the vast majority of people were unprepared for was the demand for virtual services. Having one or two virtual appointments per week is very different from having 100. Many providers were unable to effectively use the established model.
But, like the cliche indicates, necessity is the mother of invention. As the times have changed, we have been quick to improve technology. Virtual appointments have become the norm for many. In fact, in a recent survey across all ages, it was found that about 70 percent of people preferred virtual appointments to going into the doctor’s office–even if they were not mandatory because of COVID restrictions. They save time, money, and energy.
But to make this possible, wider access to technology and education is needed. Not all people have smartphones or tablets. Not everyone that has one of these devices has the knowledge or ability to use it in a way that will help connect them to the help that they need when they need it. This is definitely a big area of improvement for the healthcare industry as a whole. Luckily, we are headed in that direction–although many would argue that we’re not doing this as quickly as we should.
Additionally, telehealth can–and should–be used more frequently to help improve monitoring of known pre-existing conditions. For example, if someone has a history of high blood pressure, it’s necessary that they are receiving continual monitoring–but it’s not absolutely necessary that they go into the office for this to be checked. Likewise, there are a lot of seniors that would benefit from having some sort of smart technology in their home. They might not have needs that require in-home care, but having someone notified if an accident occurs will still be beneficial for older folk that live on their own.
Making these types of services more easily accessible and well-known is a big step toward improving the quality of care that all of those in need will receive.
Not all care can be accommodated virtually, but a lot can. Minor things that normally someone wouldn’t consider leaving the house for can be checked on virtually. Things like checking up on a sore throat or a short social call can easily be done virtually with no inconvenience to the person needing care. However, more intensive needs, such as a blood draw or help transferring to the bathroom cannot be accomplished with virtual care. In these cases, in-person services, like in-home care, are needed.
Give us a call today to learn more.
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