Online Doctor Consultation service – A growing era of Medical practices

What’s the most constant in the world? Changes. This Pandemic has changed the new normal for so many industries. The world is moving towards digital life day by day. Most of the day to day tasks which people used to do are happening now with a single tap on mobile or clicking on a computer. There is no industry that remains unaffected by this.

A doctor consultation service is also one of them. It’s not that before the pandemic that practice was not in existence. It’s a pretty old practiced concept. But especially in the Indian market, it’s been preferred more after COVID-19. Let’s see some statistics on how people prefer their routine tasks with online practice.

As we can see in the above statistics, more people prefer Online Booking or Medical appointments than any other bookings. But nowadays people prefer online doctor consultation too in addition to online appointments.

I just liked the concept a few years back when I heard about it but never thought it really works. I started digging more into it. I am sharing my notes here for you all.

What is Online Doctor Consultation?

Online Doctor Consultation is an information sharing and consultation of medical knowledge, advice, and prescriptions from Doctors or specialists to the patients in absence of a physical place via an electronic medium or through the internet.

This is a concept grown due to so many drawbacks and issues people face in a couple of years to get the treatment and sometimes the unavailability of the right doctor or specialist at the needed place.

The biggest concern people always have when they visit a doctor, especially a specialist i.e., an appointment. They have to book the appointment well in advance and then sit there till their turn comes up. In this mentality, people got in the habit of going as early as possible to a doctor’s place to get an early appointment to avoid the waiting period.

Another most important drawback is not getting the best medical personnel when needed. If you live in a city and the needed specialist is in another city which is one of the best you need to go there or you have to adjust to the best available option in those places.

Likewise, there could be countless reasons why people come up with a solution. As technology is growing people make a very smart use out of it and found an out and out solution to the issue i.e., online consultation of the needed doctor. Get the best person at the best of your time.

Here we discussed why people liked this concept but you must be thinking why doctors are ready to do the same. Let’s take a look at the perspective of a doctor.

How Online Doctor service can be Beneficial for Patients?

• Ease of access:

Most of the time when you go to a doctor’s place the biggest headache is to get an appointment at your convenient time or we can say getting the appointment itself. In most cases, you have to book the appointments within the working hours of the doctor’s clinic. If you miss those hours you will lose your appointment.

With Online Doctor consultation you can get the appointment without visiting the physical place and also you can book the appointment at your convenient time. Based on a study it’s noted that so many people book appointments after visiting hours when online consultation and appointment booking is available.

• Avoiding Risky Transportation:

While you are not Physically fit, driving yourself and going to a doctor’s place can be risky. Especially in this Pandemic situation where the chances of getting infected with a virus are higher, online doctor service is one of the best options to avoid risk and maintain social distancing.

• Instant Advice and Prescription on Health issues:

With Online Doctor Consultation you get the immediate diagnosis of your health issue. With the Diagnosis, you will get instant advice and a prescription on the solution of the issue. During treatment, if you need your doctor again in an emergency you need not run here and there. Just reach your doctor online and solve your doubts.

• Instant Referral of Specialist:

If your doctor thinks you need the advice and consultation of any specialist regarding your health issue, he can immediately refer you to him/her as well as help you to set up a quick appointment with a concerned doctor.

• Avoid Waiting lounges:

The biggest thing that people want to avoid when they are visiting a doctor’s place is waiting. Waiting lounges can be one of the horrible places when you are not well and keep waiting for your turn. With online doctor consultation, you can avoid this very easily.

• Avoid the Panic Environment of Hospitals:

So many people have fear of the environment of hospitals and want to avoid it. The kind of Panic and somewhat negative feeling you get there can make you believe that you are having a very serious health issue. Online Doctor consultation can help you to stay at your home and maintain the familiar and homely atmosphere

• Record keeping of Consultation:

Online Doctor consultation through Phone, Email, App, video calling can help you to keep a record of what you have discussed with your doctor and can be useful for future reference.

• Access your Doctor when Travelling:

Online Doctor service allows you to travel with your doctor virtually anywhere in the world. Your doctor is just a click away when you need it.

• Stay in touch during Pandemic Situation:

So many cases have come across during this COVID-19 where people are stuck at far places from their homes and cannot take guidance from their regular or family doctor. But those who were using online consultations never missed their doctors. Even doctors were very much supportive and adoptive now to this new technology.

• Maintain Confidentiality:

Sometimes you want to keep some of your treatment and discussion confidential. Only between you and your doctor. Online consultation is the best way to practice that. Where no one knows who visited which doctor and what’s the cure given by the doctor.

• No Geographical Barriers:

Some places are sometimes that much remote or less developed which keeps you away from the best of the doctor for your disease. That geographical barrier can be eliminated with online doctor service. The patient can reach the best of the available doctor for himself.

How Online Doctor Consultation can be Beneficial for Doctors?

Easy to start for new practitioners:

New doctors can easily start their practice with online consultation. Also, they will face less competition as still, it is a growing concept in the Indian Market.

Get Larger Exposure:

As there are no geographical barriers doctors can treat the patient anywhere from the world. This expands their actual market from where they can get exposure.

No need for Investment in Hi-Fi Clinic:

Most of the time after done with Medical graduation doctors have to invest a lot if they want to start their own practice and clinic. But with Online consultation, they can start their career without any heavy investment. There is no need for a well developed and well-designed clinic in a well-maintained area. They just need appointments and a few digital equipment and software.

Can help Patients when they actually need:

Online consultation doctors can really connect with their patients when they really need them in an emergency. Instant advice and prescription in such cases can be a life savior.

How to put it into practice?

New technologies that support alternatives to Physical presence for medical consultation are potentially improving Financial and as well as clinical effectiveness. There are so many ways through which doctors can put online services into practice.

Telephone:

On-Call doctors can take to their patients and prescribe them the medicines. But most of the time it’s not advisable. Only if your doctor is your Family doctor and knows your body and it’s the reaction from North to South.

Video calling:

This is a much better option in comparison to Phone consultation where a doctor can observe the patient and his postures and gestures and identify and make his judgment proper and based on that give a prescription. For such consultation, they can use so many free available video calling applications. The only thing that bothers me, in this case, is the lack of security and confidentiality.

Online Consulting Website:

Doctors can be part of some open online consulting website which is popular among the patients in general and consult them and prescribe them.

Mobile Application:

The best way is to create your own mobile application where patients can register themselves and share all the details in a different manner. You can hire a Mobile app development company to fulfill all your need for an online doctor consultation app They can share all the details, create their database, make video calls, record keeping, etc.,

Text messages and Email consultation: It can be used for simple reminders and appointment confirmation and sometimes regular prescriptions too.