Can be online: why telemedicine is effective

Telecommuting, food delivery services and online movie theaters have already become an integral part of everyday life. Online services have gained trust, but there are still questions about some of them. In particular, it concerns medicine. Are online consultations effective, or is it better to come to a face-to-face appointment? How true are the myths that have developed around telemedicine? Anastasia Goltsman, a doctor at the European Medical Center (EMC), answers these and other questions.

Myth 1: telemedicine services cannot be considered highly professional

The professionalism of a consultation is determined not by its format (face-to-face or remote), but by the person who conducts it. To make telemedicine work, you need to choose a doctor responsibly. Just as we carefully choose a specialist for a face-to-face visit, we need to choose a clinic with online services.

It is important to remember that remote consultations do not require a separate license. But at the same time, remote communication with the doctor is possible only in areas for which the clinic has a license. So you can always ask the doctor for certificates confirming his qualifications, and check the documents of the medical organization (this information is usually in the public domain).

Myth 2: telemedicine removes the doctor’s responsibility for the result

Anastasia: The doctor’s responsibility when providing services online remains the same as at a face-to-face appointment. The specialist must be sure that the patient has understood the recommendations and what his/her further actions should be. If he/she sees that the situation requires face-to-face presence, he/she will organize a home visit or the patient’s arrival at the clinic and will definitely supervise the provision of the necessary assistance in an emergency situation.

Myth 3: Telemedicine allows a lifetime of online treatment

It may be possible to be treated online for a long time, but telemedicine services alone will not do. After all, there is one important restriction in the law on telemedicine: a doctor cannot make a diagnosis remotely. For this purpose, it is necessary to conduct a face-to-face examination. But it is possible to prescribe treatment, correct it, monitor the condition in dynamics, even write an electronic prescription without personal visits to the clinic.

Myth 4: telemedicine and medical confidentiality are incompatible

Again we remember that a remote doctor’s appointment is actually no different from a regular one. This means that the specialist is obliged to observe medical confidentiality even during online consultations. Only before the appointment it is worth clarifying the channel of communication and making sure that personal data is safe.

Myth 5: telemedicine is available only to those who have good computer skills

To receive telemedicine services, today it is not necessary to have a computer, a cell phone is enough. By installing a special application on it, the patient can be in touch with the doctor.

Modern gadgets maximize the possibilities of telemedicine. For example, TytoCare, which is popular in many European countries, Canada and the USA. This device allows the doctor to fully examine the patient from a distance. TytoCare can measure heart rate and temperature, as well as listen to the bronchi and lungs, examine the ears, throat and nose. Another convenient feature of the device is the ability to take pictures. This is necessary when a patient is concerned about a rash, for example. All TytoCare records are saved, which makes it easier to follow the progress of the treatment.

Anastasia: This is a real breakthrough in medicine. In any unclear situation – a baby has a fever or a sore throat – parents can contact a doctor and understand whether it is necessary to go to the clinic or whether it is safe to stay at home. The quality of the examination is practically as good as face-to-face.

Soon such medical technologies will become quite commonplace. Already now it is possible to do ECG, wearing a special T-shirt with sensors. A panic button to call an ambulance and fall sensors that transmit a signal to doctors help elderly patients or people with serious illnesses to feel safe.

Telemedicine will continue to evolve. For example, in 2020, the Ministry of Health officially authorized online appointments for patients with acute respiratory infections, influenza and coronavirus; other areas will gradually be added. According to the Ministry’s forecasts, the volume of patient monitoring will quadruple over the next three years.