Telemedicine | Healing at a Distance

Telemedicine refers to the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for the exchange of valid diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health care providers. All these services are aimed at advancing the health of individuals and their communities.

Although initially labeled as ‘futuristic’ and ‘experimental’, telemedicine has planted its feet firmly in the Public Health Sector and it is here to stay. The concept of telemedicine is still new to providers and physicians. However, the continued advances in technology and healthcare innovation have greatly aided in expanding its usability. Today, telemedicine is popular among all age groups due to the convenience, cost-effectiveness, and intelligent features that it offers.

There are numerous applications of telemedicine in patient care, education, research, administration, and public health. People living in rural and remote areas have also greatly benefited from it since they usually struggle to access timely, good-quality specialty medical care. Telemedicine can potentially eliminate the barriers that stand between an individual and world-class medical services.

Telemedicine aims at providing clinical support to users by overcoming geographical barriers, connecting those who are not in the same physical location without compromising on quality. It has the potential to improve health outcomes globally. It’s now a matter of time before the healthcare system, medical group, providers and independent practitioners integrate telemedicine as part of their medical services offering.