Perhaps Telehealth or Telemedicine becomes more familiar to almost everyone during this special year. It might be introduced through your insurance, employer, or your primary care provider. Do you know that virtual care opportunities extend beyond low acute diseases? Here are eight types of specialties to consider telehealth for promising clinical outcomes.
Tele-Radiology
Tele-Radiology has already been used by many healthcare institutions, such as mobile imaging centers and urgent care facilities. It is not always feasible for smaller facilities to employ a radiologist 24/7 when patient volumes are low. Remote night shifts and emergency department diagnoses are two areas where tele-radiology has caught on. Tele-radiology makes it possible for the images that the ER teams take to be examined by a radiologist in a different location. This is particularly useful in rural areas. No matter if you are a diagnostic radiologist, interventional radiologist, or radiation oncologist, you may read and interpret MRIs, CT scans, and X-ray images requested by remote institutions and make life-saving discoveries.
Tele-Cardiology
Cardiologists can review electrocardiograph recordings to remotely diagnose and treat heart diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, sudden cardiac arrest, and arrhythmia. Cardiologists receive patients’ ECG data remotely in real-time via a secure connection with the help of on-site healthcare professional. Equipment such as digital stethoscopes, exam cameras, and EKGs make this possible for cardiologists to treat and monitor long-term heart issues. This flexibility can reduce the number of missed cardiac events and decrease door-to-balloon time.
Tele-Neurology
There is a significant shortage of neurologists in nearly all high-income countries and wait times to see a specialist can be long. A lot of neurological problems require time-sensitive patient assessments prior to the treatment. But many of these assessments or diagnoses can be done remotely, such as headaches, dementia, strokes, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. Tele-Neurologists can practice across several hundred hospitals and rapidly build a population of disease-specific patients that can support their preferred sub-specialty practice. Hospitals can then have access, not just to a general neurologist, but to sub-specialists with deep and focused expertise. This is an ideal solution to deal with the current neurologist shortage.
Tele-Endocrinology
Remote monitoring of chronic disease is the trend of current and future healthcare. An endocrinologist can virtually treat and monitor many chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, and other diseases related to the endocrine glands and hormones. Study shows that there is a 17% higher rate of diabetes in rural areas than in urban areas. Remote care for diabetes sufferers in rural areas would be very welcomed.
Tele-Gynecology
Gynecologists can provide obstetrics and gynecological care for women’s health patients by reviewing test results, monitoring symptoms and medication plans, and delivering post-operative care via remote technology. Some specific conditions may be treated virtually with equivalent or even better health improvements rates, such as postpartum depression, gestational diabetes, hypertension, and preeclampsia. A prime consultation topic, birth control, can be 100% performed through telehealth. Virtual obstetric care may not replace traditional care but can increase female patients’ satisfaction rates.
Tele-Dermatology
Due to the visual nature of a skin examination, telemedicine, specifically, tele-dermatology, may be a valuable tool in the diagnosis and management of dermatological diseases for patients in rural areas. Tele-dermatology may also be useful in primary care settings to triage cases and limit unnecessary dermatology clinic referrals. Some findings indicate that dermoscopy provides a better view of the lesion than plain eyesight does. Like Tele-Radiologists, Tele-Dermatologists are required to have super high camera resolution and related technical support.
Tele-Allergy/Immunology
With the exception of many patients with primary immunodeficiency, patients on venom immunotherapy, and patients with asthma of a certain severity, there is a limited need for face-to-face visits under such conditions. The outpatient nature of allergy-immunology coupled with the ease of conducting many aspects of a routine visit via telemedicine makes the incorporation of telehealth training into fellowship programs highly desirable.
Tele-Psychology
Remote care is an excellent option for people who want to improve their mental health. Patients who are disabled, fear to talk in person, or reluctant to show their face, may find it attractive to see a tele-psychologist, tele-mental provider, or tele-therapist. Psychiatrists in a specific area, such as adolescent mental health or addiction medicine, may find it is more effective to treat their patients remotely because their patients express themselves in a more comfortable environment.
While the new normal, working from home, has been available to most occupations during 2020, physicians should have the opportunity to make it possible as well. Whether you’re looking for a supplement to your full-time job or a way to return to medicine after having kids, practicing as a telehealth specialist could be the way to go.
Contact MicMD team to explore opportunities!
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