Telehealth and telemedicine trends are taking the healthcare industry by storm. Previously, FaceTime, Skype, and other applications on the virtual medium were used only for social, personal, and professional interactions. Owing to COVID-19 and the importance of social distancing, there has been a drastic increase in telemedicine and telehealthcare.
It was there before too. Telehealthcare was previously recommended for patients, who were recovering from surgeries or ones with mobility issues. The elderly population also used this medium to communicate with their doctors and continue with their treatments. But now, almost everyone is opting for telemedicine appointments to avoid leaving the safety of their homes. And just like remote working, this trend too is here to stay.
So, what can you do to enhance the experience, especially if you’re attempting it for the first time? Scroll on!
Check all your equipment beforehand
Bad internet connectivity, loose wires, malfunctioned webcam, all these are disruptions to your appointment, which should be taken care of beforehand. To have a seamless experience of consulting with your doctor over a video conference, you should check all necessary equipment a day or two before the scheduled appointment. That way, you can take care of any issue when there is still time.
List your questions, symptoms and everything else
Write down all your symptoms, questions that you have regarding them, or anything else on a piece of paper before you sit down for the telemedicine consultation. This will prevent you from forgetting anything important. As most appointments are time-bound, you may have to make another appointment if you miss out on something. And stating your symptoms properly will help the doctor diagnose your problem better.
Find previous medical references
If you have been going through treatment before, you should let your doctor know all about it in the telemedicine appointment. You can either send the documents and references to him/her before the scheduled appointment, or you can share the screen during the same. The experts at nobhill medical suggest that you should find those documents, even if you had the treatment years back, scan them, and keep them in a folder on your system for ready reference.
Get your vital signs
You can either get all your vital signs before the appointment, or you can get them in front of your doctor, whatever they ask you to. Keep your sphygmomanometer, thermometer, and other medical equipment in hand, so that you can take the measurements when asked. Further, take pictures of physical symptoms, like rashes or any other thing to share with your doctor during the appointment.
Select a secluded place
Treat your telemedicine appointment as a real-time doctor’s check-up, when there are least disturbances. You should pick a secluded and peaceful spot, where the domestic and other sounds are a minimum. Also, make sure you inform your roommate or whoever you’re living with, about the appointment, so that they don’t disturb you during that time.
You should also clear all payments and complete the paperwork on time, as instructed by the telehealthcare provider. While doing that, make sure you go through the website of the telemedicine provider, read reviews, and get an idea about their authenticity. Do your homework properly before taking an appointment for the first time. It will protect your resources from unlawful practices on the internet.
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