Telemedicine has the potential to make quality healthcare accessible to more people than ever before, and to ease pressure on busy healthcare practitioners. We look at why embracing video technology in healthcare makes sense for you and your workforce.
While some aspects of ‘normal’ life are returning, two major pandemic-related changes are here to stay: remote/hybrid working and telemedicine.
These two trends are connected. As more businesses move towards having a distributed workforce, how do they go about offering their employees – who may previously have all worked onsite in the same location – access to quality organisational healthcare services?
The solution lies in telemedicine.
Simply put, telemedicine (also known as ‘telehealth’) refers to the use of telecommunication technology – in particular, video technology – to provide healthcare services.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the rise of virtual healthcare consultations, as doctors and patients practised social distancing and avoided in-person contact. More than two years later, the telemedicine business is booming.
While virtual consultations are not a replacement for all types of doctors’ visits, they do offer an easy, convenient way to get advice on general health concerns or existing medical conditions.
Aside from the obvious benefits for patients – saving time getting to and from the doctor, avoiding time spent in waiting rooms full of sick people, not having to take time off work or arrange childcare to go to the doctor – virtual consultations also have benefits for health practitioners. Doctors are able to work from their home offices too if necessary, and are freed up to focus their in-person consulting time on patients who specifically require it.
Telemedicine also makes it easier for people living in rural or remote areas to consult a doctor – all that’s required is a decent internet connection, rather than a day’s travel.
A healthy workforce is a happier, more productive one – something every business strives for. Life Health Solutions believes in making life better for as many people as possible. Embracing digitisation in healthcare is one more step towards that.
Our recently launched Primary Health app (available from App Store and Google Play) gives remote and hybrid workforces access to virtual primary clinic services. Backed by our global hospital group, the app connects employees – no matter where they are – to healthcare practitioners, and handles everything from booking appointments to storing data.
The app saves employees time – and time away from work – and provides a vital service when unforeseen circumstances arise that make it difficult to get to a doctor or nurse in person.
How does the service work?
To find out more about Primary Health and how your workforce can get the most from the app, contact us at sales@lifehealthcare.co.za
