Electronic Health Reporter

Guest post by Karandeep Virdi, Progressive Markets.

In the current era, it is important to understand the role technology plays in different industrial sectors. The different verticals of the medical industry have adopted technology and identified the benefits associated to it. Healthcare and other medical services can be easily accessed with the help of a smart phone. It has become more convenient to track, regulate, and monitor several medical cycles such as medicine intake, therapy, and treatment. The communication gap between the patients and doctors has reduced over the years owing to advancements in technology. Progressive Markets recently added a market report that offers useful insights related to the global telemedicine market such as market share, size, and growth. The digitalization in medical field is set to facilitate enhanced healthcare and medical services in the coming years.

Technology has revolutionized several industries worldwide over the last two decades. The onset of innovative and modern technological advancements have made a notable difference in the medical field and has made telemedicine a game-changing way to serve people throughout the world. The adoption of telemedicine has increased significantly in the last decade although there are a few concerns regarding its reliability and precision. Approximately more than 70 percent urgent illness conditions can be taken care of with the help of telemedicine according to the American Telemedicine Association. A simple physician training enables providers to diagnose and treat minor problems such as pharyngitis, sinusitis and upper respiratory illnesses with the help of video chat.

General awareness related to telemedicine technology is growing
Telemedicine technology has not flourished largely yet as it is still in the nascent stage. However, as awareness related to the telemedicine is growing, the adoption rates are set to grow. The benefits associated to telemedicine are gradually making a mark in the medical industry. Telemedicine has largely helped to save time. With the help of telemedicine, a patient does not have to travel to the provider and save time.

Further, telemedicine eliminates any chances of transmitting infectious diseases from a patient to the health care professional. Telemedicine saves time and offers time-efficient solutions. However, there are additional benefits associated to it. It reduces costs significantly. The most important aspect of telemedicine is its ability to cater to the needs of the patients from any place at any given time. This is highly beneficial for occupational medicine. Telemedicine helps to formulate an efficient and reliable healthcare plan.

Benefits of telemedicine
Telemedicine is making its mark worldwide and it is important to realize that the technological advancement does not eliminate visits to traditional doctors. There are a few medical conditions that cannot be diagnosed without the presence of the patient. However, with data such as medical history of the patient, visual exam and an interview with the patient along with the providers training of pattern recognition, it is convenient to treat patients without them being physically present in the room.

In 2015, CoxHealth launched its first project in the field of telemedicine and achieved tremendous success. At times where telemedicine cannot be utilized to diagnose a problem, it proves to be a good entry point for intervention. According to Dr. Anjum Qureshi, physician leader, in the future, remote corners of the world will have access to certified physicians that will facilitate reliable and efficient healthcare services. A patient will no longer wait in a line or his/her turn with the onset of telemedicine.

The value of telemedicine is not confined to saving time and costs only. A study carried out by the Mayo Clinic Researchers has indicated that telemedicine has added value in coma assessment and care. Virtual care platforms are playing an important role in monitoring and analyzing comatose patients. It is further assisting these patients to plan their healthcare schedule. Digital health is an essential component in the ICU.

It is clear that the telemedicine market is set to grow in the coming years. R&D activities have increased in the last decade and advancement in the medical field have further propelled market growth. The telemedicine technology is expanding rapidly as the adoption rate is on the rise. The benefits of this technology are majorly boosting the prospects of the telemedicine market. Also, its adoption is higher in the developed regions such as North America and Europe owing to technological advancement and quality of general infrastructure. However, the adoption is growing in the developing economies in Asia-Pacific region such as India and China due to stability in economy and support from the government.