Remote Practice: Telemedicine Changing Healthcare Work Trends

Table of contents

• The Evolution of Remote Practice in Medicine

• What is Telemedicine?

• The 5 Aspects of Telemedicine Today

• Virtual Consultations

• Mobile Applications and Patient Platforms

• AI and Machine Learning in Healthcare

• Remote Patient Monitoring and Wearable Devices

• Data Privacy and Blockchain

• Does Telemedicine Work?

• Adopt the Changing Work Trends with Anastomos

The Evolution of Remote Practice in Medicine

Healthcare’s dynamic frontier is always in a state of flux. It's best if you, as practitioners and healthcare providers, roll with the punches and strive to match the breakthroughs. Although telemedicine in healthcare seems like a fairly recent concept, it dates back to the 1960s. The official term ‘telemedicine’ cropped up in an article authored by Dr. Kenneth D. Bird, a physician and radiologist, in 1970. In India, the idea appeared much later, in the 1990s, when esteemed organizations like ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) launched pilot projects to provide healthcare services to remote and underserved areas through their satellite networks [1],[2],[3].

Telehealth services are essentially any tool that connects a healthcare professional (HCP) with a patient who is physically at another location. It could be anything from a simple audio call, a patient engagement platform, to a remote patient monitoring device. Stay with us as we discuss this powerful intervention tool that has and will prove to be a game-changer in the medical landscape.

What is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine in healthcare is an umbrella term to denote any form of medical care and health services that can be offered remotely using technology. As strange as it may sound, telehealth services have immensely benefited many, especially during the recent pandemic.

Here are a few types of remote practice in health and wellness:

• Telehealth

This is a broad term that can cover all online consultations, diagnoses, prescriptions for medicine, and guidance. Apart from clinical medicine, this term can also be used for non-clinical medical education like webinars and online conferences.

• Telenursing

A fairly new concept, remote nursing services can be a useful guide for the geriatric and remote population, where a trained nurse can guide local healthcare workers and caregivers in doing their jobs more scientifically and hygienically [4].

• Teledentistry

Immensely popular since the pandemic scare, teledentistry is being practiced worldwide. However, the oral cavity has limited visual access, making it a challenging option for both the dentist and the patient [5],[6].

• Telepsychiatry

Perhaps the most celebrated field of virtual telehealth, psychiatric services like counseling sessions, therapy, and medicine prescriptions can be conveniently performed from the comforts of your home [7].

• Telerehabilitation

Walking the line of telepsychiatry, mental and physical rehabilitation can be practiced remotely. Be it therapy for de-addiction or a remote physiotherapy session—virtual communications in this arena can yield successful outcomes [8].

• Teleradiology

This includes the transfer of X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, etc. from one site to another for radiologists to analyze remotely [9].

• Telepathology

Here, the pathologists use digital imaging and communication technology to remotely examine and diagnose pathology specimens (such as tissue samples or slides) [10].

• Teledermatology

Another highly popular virtual telehealth service is online video consultations for hair and skin issues, which happen round-the-clock. As a dermatologist, your client base can grow from national to international with time; you are expected to work hard towards ethical and patient-centric practices and an effective branding strategy [11].

• Teleopthalomogy

Modern medicine does have digital equipment and telecommunications to check your eye health remotely. The fundus camera and subsequent AI and machine learning in healthcare are the mainstays here [12].

• Real-Time Telemedicine

These include live text, video, or audio consultations with the patients.

• Asynchronous Telemedicine

These refer to communications that are not recorded in real time. For example, you can be on the panel of HCPs in an online forum, where you can respond to patient queries and earn online credibility.

• Telepharmacy

These remote pharmaceutical services, such as medication consultation, prescription verification, and medication monitoring, are provided via virtual platforms [13].

• Tele Diet

Perhaps the most used telehealth service worldwide—availing a virtual diet plan and a dietician’s guidance is a stepping stone towards better health. Remote diet plans are easy to follow, monitor and are budget-friendly.

You, as an HCP or a paramedical service provider, can have promising career options in remote patient services. To learn more about this, let us hop on to the next section about the five basic aspects of telemedicine.

The 5 Aspects of Telemedicine Today

With affair idea of the big picture of telemedicine in healthcare, let’s hop onto the ins and outs of the concept. In this section, we will discuss the key features of telehealth services that apply to the different types of telemedicine practices.

• Virtual Consultations

A picture is worth a thousand words! Rightly so, a video consultation with the HCP is more effective than a text chat or an audio call. COVID-19 catapulted the adaptation process of virtual consultations for both the HCP and the patient; after all, there was no options for a physical check-up unless an emergency occurred. Several authorized patient engagement platforms have emerged, streamlining the process for both parties. A quick 30-minute call would include a thorough discussion about the chief complaints/follow-ups, a quick visual examination, and a prescription of basic medicines [14].

• Mobile Applications and Patient Platforms

Almost all patient engagement platforms have mobile apps for easy access. These are specifically designed software programs that include chatbots and personal guides to help you with the registration process, profile creation, time tracking, and payments. They also have tools for tracking appointments, setting reminders, storing medical records, and interacting with colleagues [15].

• AI and Machine Learning in Healthcare

AI is not a silver bullet, but it could help us view the challenges in healthcare through a new lens."

 - Fei-Fei Li

AI and machine learning have already sewn themselves into everyday life—and healthcare is no different. It streamlines and completes projects that once seemed tedious and complex. Isn’t that great news for the HCPs?

Today, AI and machine learning in healthcare are a part of every biomedically engineered product you use! Come to think of it, this human-like critical-thinking synthetic brain is sensational at reading bulk data, identifying patterns, putting the two and two together, and suggesting tentative ideas to you. And all this is discreet and end-to-end encrypted. Whether you are organizing patient records, preparing for research, skimming through your mock surgery, or simply writing your resume, a machine learning in healthcare tool can fast-track the process [16].

• Remote Patient Monitoring and Wearable Devices

Patient monitoring forms the basis of successful treatment plans in healthcare. It maintains consistency. Be it portable cardiac monitors or wearable devices like smartwatches, these gadgets record every bit of detail about the patient’s regular health—hydration status, heart rate, blood sugar, respiratory rate, etc. This can be a game-changer when monitoring chronic diseases like diabetes or cardiovascular events [17].

• Data Privacy and Blockchain

From crypto to care—blockchain, along with its related technologies, AI and machine learning in healthcare, promises a new level of accuracy, security, and privacy for both you and your patients.

Running a regular healthcare information system involves tasks like storing backups, ensuring top-notch recovery plans, and ensuring data security. With blockchain, data isn't stored in just one place/one node/one drive, so there's no single point of breach.

"Data is spread across every block or node of the chain, acting like a constant built-in backup."

Each part of the blockchain has the same data. This helps decrease the total number of transactions or digital data in each system. This makes the salesforce health cloud less burdened. Sounds too complex? Well, What if I say that you have been using this concept unknowingly for years now? Electronic medical records (EMRs), Genome storage, wearable devices, remote patient monitoring, etc. are the critical areas in healthcare that use blockchain [18].

All said and done, should you be leveraging virtual telehealth? Stay tuned!

Does Telemedicine Work?

The market for telemedicine in India was valued at $1.10 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.2% from 2022 to 2030, totaling $5.15 billion [19]. The introduction of cutting-edge technology and an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and lifestyle-related illnesses are two major factors driving the growth of this industry.

On a global scale, the telemedicine market was valued at $87.41 billion in 2022 and is expected to increase to $286.22 billion by 2030, from $94.44 billion in 2023 [20].

Honing skills in telehealth services can be the next in-demand career leap for you!

Adopt the Changing Work Trends with Anastomos

Anastomos as a platform is the latest entry to telemedicine in healthcare. Our USP is that the portal was created by HCPs for all healthcare practitioners. Hence, we balance your career prospects with patient care in anything we devise. Our telehealth collaborations encompass everything from patient consultations and radiology film reading to ECG interpretation and pathology report approval. Technology has made everything possible with the push of a button.

Are you a specialist looking to add a feather to your skilled hands? Sign up with us and help us create a digital practice for you. </b>