Telemedicine: Pros, Cons, And The Future

The concept of telemedicine, or "medicine at a distance," has become popular in the last decade, peaking during COVID'19.

It is a part of a broader concept called "health telematics" that comprises all health-related activities undertaken over a distance using information exchange through technology.

Related terms:

Telecare is the delivery of nursing and social support to a patient over a distance.

Telehealth is the delivery of public health services over a distance to people who are not ill but want to maintain their independence and well-being.

Telemedicine in India:

With the Telemedicine Pilot Project, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched telemedicine in India in 2001. The National Telemedicine Taskforce was established in 2005 by the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Telemedicine was slow to take off in India due to a lack of protocols, regulations, and legalities until COVID '19 gave the country no other option. The telemedicine guidelines were issued on March 25th, 2020.

The Medical Council of India (MCI), in consultation with the country's top planning organization, the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), has made an effort to close a significant hole in the ethical practice of telemedicine by issuing guidelines.

Parts of telemedicine:

1. Type of interaction ( pre-recorded or real-time)
2. Information transmission (data, text, audio, images and video)

Let's take a closer look!

Mobile health applications

Both desktop and mobile apps for these are available. e-Health, or electronically managed health, uses cloud computing to create a virtual infrastructure for doctor-patient communication.
There are distinct categories for apps made for healthcare professionals in both the Apple iTunes App Store and the Google Play App Store for Android users.

Typical features of these apps include:

● Digital prescriptions
● Planned diagnosis and treatment via text chat, audio call, pictures, or video calls.
● Practice management for physicians and dentists
● Financial management through coding or billing
● E-learning or continuing medical education (CME).
● Guides to medication
● Health calculators
● Clinical guidelines
● Books on medicine

Doctors use telemedicine in the following ways:

● Patient management and administration
● Keeping and maintaining patient records
● Patient education and consultation
● Advertising and talent representation
● Technology and knowledge upgradation

The pros of telemedicine:

1. Real-time health - aid patients in need of support services and direction during emergencies like COVID'19
2. Triaging - selecting the appropriate course of action
3. Virtual post-treatment assessment
4. Efficient and fair use of healthcare personnel and resources
5. Offering doctors virtual observership

The cons of telemedicine:

1. Misdiagnosis brought on by insufficient examination
2. Misuse of prescription drugs
3. Forgery and fraud
4. Likelihood of patient privacy and confidentiality being violated
5. Wrong information

The Future of Telemedicine in India:

The ratio of urban to rural doctors is 3.8:1. More than 50% of doctors in rural areas lack sufficient exposure and direction. The potential for telemedicine to enhance medical workflow in rural India is enormous. However, effective government policies and political funding are essential for its success.