5 Ways Telemedicine Helps Seniors

For seniors, managing chronic health conditions means frequent hospital visits and regular general checkups that not only cost a lot but also take up too much traveling and leisure time.

For many seniors, a regular doctor’s visit could be a big struggle due to lack of mobility and a decent transportation. It could be equally difficult for caregivers to get an adult with various illnesses, dementia, or limited facilities to the doctor’s clinic.

This is why Telemedicine has proved truly beneficial. It not only reduces time and cost but also the energy required for regular checkups and hospital visits with the doctor.

In this blog, we’ll summarize what Telemedicine is and how it can help seniors improve the quality of their life.

What is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is one of the biggest by-products of technology. It has made a significant impact in the health industry by transforming the way doctor and patients interact. Through this latest innovation patients can consult doctors via video conferencing.

Telemedicine also helps in monitoring remote patients- patients who use special devices at home to check their vital signs like (blood glucose levels or heart rate). This information is then directed to the specific doctor.

Many insurance companies and hospitals are now delivering telemedicine services. Seniors can use technology to consult their physicians sitting comfortably at home.

Here are 5 reasons Telemedicine is important for seniors and how it can improve their health.

Significantly Reduces Time, Cost and Energy of Doctor’s Appointments

Many seniors have multiple doctors or specialists they visit for several different chronic conditions. Lots of doctors mean lots of appointments, lots of time wasted in waiting rooms and hefty medical bills.

Frequent doctor visits can be challenging for both seniors and caregivers. Some of the most apparent reasons are:

• Living far from health facilities and driving long hours to see the doctor.
• Lack of reliable transportation facilities
• Frequently taking off from work and risking their earnings
• Have a hard time leaving for checkups due to serious illness like dementia or other health conditions.

Telemedicine is the answer to all the problems adults may have to face. Patients can directly video call their physicians and stay up to date regarding their health and vitals. Few minutes of video conferencing from the comfort of your home can save you a lot of time, money and energy.

Save Money on expensive Healthcare Services

Telemedicine helps both patients and doctors save a large amount of money on healthcare services. Physicians can save the need to spend on expensive machines and tools while. patients save money on reduced healthcare.

By the use of remote monitoring devices and video consultations, patients can benefit from extremely low costs of ongoing treatments and regular clinical visits.

Efficient Monitoring of better Health

Frequent check-in or the ability to collect more information on a patient’s health (heart ECG, blood sugar level, and blood pressure) allows doctors to accurately examine and make conclusions regarding a patient’s health condition.

This gives the doctor insight about your current treatment and if it requires any amendments. It also allows the senior patients to ask questions and understand their treatment details.

Research suggests telemedicine has a variety of positive effects. It fastens the recovery time, reduces travel cost and time, and encourage patients to seek treatment at home without the hassle of waiting rooms.

24/7 Doctor’s Opinion

Some health providers work with best telehealth company and provide telemedicine services 24/7. Since the health of senior patients is always critical and uncertain, telemedicine provider is always available to consult and offer their services as compared to a local clinic that may not be available at a required time.

The benefit of talking to a doctor when symptoms get worse is very crucial to a patient’s health, especially when you don’t know whether to call the emergency number or drive them to the hospital. In most cases, the caregivers can handle the situation with simple instructions from the doctor via video call.

Less Stress for Caregivers

Seniors most likely end up being taken care of in retirement homes or left alone on their own terms. By the help of Telemedicine, taking care of a senior in your home has become less stressful and more convenient.