Why people are moving towards online consultations

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to adapt to doing things differently, including the way we work, study, shop and interact with others. Technology has allowed us to access basic goods and services, while decreasing our risk of contracting Covid-19. This has now extended to online medical services.

With the advancement of technology, there are easier ways to communicate with doctors. For those living in rural and urban areas, online doctor consultation is a big advantage. Patients can chat directly with the doctor and ask questions through a video call. 

Through online doctor consultation, patients can get professional medical advice, in less time, wherever they are. It gives a bedridden patient, who needs doctor consultations at regular intervals, access to medical services when they need it. It’s also helpful for people living in places that doctors can’t reach.

Privacy is another advantage of online consultation. People can get professional advice from doctors they’ve never met. There are many forums and apps that provide online doctor consultations without any fraud. Apart from the consultation, a digital record for reports can be maintained. Patients can provide a complete description of their medical condition and submit their previous medical reports.

The advantages of online doctor consultations include:

• Cost: Online doctor consultation is cost-effective for patients who need regular doctor’s visits, reducing consultation fees and transport costs. People can get quality medical advice, consultation, treatment and diagnosis under one roof with affordable costs, regardless of the location.
  
  
• Access: Patients can use the service whenever they need it. A cellphone and internet connection are enough to get quick medical advice from a doctor. Online consultation is particularly useful for people living in remote and rural areas, where there is no scope for multi-specialty hospitals. 
  
  
• Time: With online doctor consultations, patients don’t need to wait for hours to consult the doctor. There’s a facility for booking an online appointment. The platforms that provide online doctor consultation maintain a high level of confidentiality in patients’ records. When seeing a doctor face to face, patients sometimes find it difficult to discuss their health issues: online consultation provides an option for reporting their problems in complete privacy. This makes it easier for people who need advice for mental conditions, as the patients’ records are kept private.

The use of online medical services is growing quickly around the world, with many benefits to patients.

Read more about online consultations or for more information visit the Discovery Connected Care platform.

This article was paid for by Discovery Health.