Telemedicine is a method of remote medical care that uses the help of technological advances through chat or video call features. With this feature, wherever you are, you can access medical help (for non-emergency situations).

Telemedicine has provided a lot of help, especially during times like the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, there are many other benefits that patients can enjoy.

Telemedicine Functions

You can enjoy telemedicine services using a computer, laptop, or smartphone. As long as your device can provide access to video calls, chats, or calls, then you can enjoy telemedicine. Doctors and patients can connect with each other remotely and from different places.

Telemedicine basically has several functions, including:

• Assessing whether or not a patient needs in-person treatment.
• Providing certain types of medical care such as mental health consultations or assessment of minor infections (infections that are not severe or life-threatening, such as colds or minor skin infections).
• Updating or providing prescriptions (written orders for medications or treatments).

Benefits of Telemedicine for Patients

Convenience and Accessibility

The biggest benefit that can be obtained when doing telemedicine is that there is no need to leave the house and get stuck in traffic. You can get the opportunity to consult a doctor from home or office without having to leave work or leave your children.

Easy Access to Specialists

Not everyone has free access to specialists like those who live in big cities. When you have to live in a remote place, for example, you may only be able to utilize telemedicine to be able to talk to a specialist via video call, voice call, or chat.

Telemedicine can also make it easier for patients who live in remote or hard-to-reach areas to access specialists. Patients can also feel more comfortable and secure to consult a specialist from the comfort of their own home.

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More Affordable Costs

One of the major advantages of telemedicine is that it is more affordable compared to conventional face-to-face medical consultations. Some of the factors that make telemedicine more affordable include:

• No need to travel long distances to the clinic or hospital, hence transportation and accommodation costs can be saved.
• There is no need to wait in the waiting room of the clinic or hospital, so the time spent can be more efficient.
• Doctors can give advice or prescribe drugs online, so that patients do not need to spend additional costs to print prescriptions or buy drugs at the pharmacy.
• Business costs incurred by telemedicine providers can be lower compared to conventional medical service providers, so that the costs incurred by patients can also be more affordable.

Reduced Risk of Pathogen Exposure

Remote medical consultations through technology allow patients and doctors to communicate without having to meet face-to-face. By using telemedicine, patients can consult a doctor without having to go to a clinic or hospital, which can expose them to pathogens (harmful bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms that can cause illness).

This has proven to be especially helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the virus can spread through airborne droplets (tiny particles of saliva or mucus that carry viruses and bacteria through the air when a person coughs, sneezes, or talks) and contact with contaminated surfaces. By using telemedicine, patients and doctors can limit face-to-face interactions, reducing the risk of spreading the virus.

Telemedicine can also reduce the risk of cross-infection (the transfer of infection from one person to another) between patients in the same waiting room or healthcare environment.

It is important to understand that telemedicine can only be used to access services such as the functions mentioned above. Telemedicine is not suitable for emergencies (situations requiring immediate medical attention). 

If you are uncertain about the type of care you need, you can consult a doctor via telemedicine first. The doctor will guide you on the next steps to take.

For medical consultations, you can visit a doctor in person or use the telemedicine features available in the Ai Care application. Download Ai Care from the App Store or Play Store for convenient access to healthcare services.

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