Online medical consultation has been a boon to the world population. Many people are turning to remote doctor consultations because they are short on time or have to travel long distances to the hospital. Seeing a doctor online appears to be an excellent option for chronically ill patients, those who want a follow-up examination, and those who wish for periodic consultation.
The first step in treating any illness is to see a doctor. The majority of online doctor consultation services were designed to allow people to discuss and consult with doctors from the comfort of their own homes. There are numerous advantages to using this facility. This service is available to anyone who is experiencing a non-emergency medical problem.
Benefits of Online Doctor Consultation
With smartphones in every hand and the availability of the internet, e-visit or remote medical consultation app launches have been on the rise. Besides, the Covid-19 pandemic boosted the online consultation market and made it more relevant than ever. Realising that your health issue requires immediate medical attention and treatment, can cause anxiety. Rather than visiting the doctor and describing your symptoms, seeing a doctor online for any quiet periodical consultation seems to be an excellent option now. The number of benefits to booking a medical consultation online is numerous:
1. No Transportation
You have to travel to your doctor’s office every time you want to visit. However, you don’t have to wait for the bus or the cabbie to agree with an online consultation. You simply go online and start. You can communicate with highly trained medical professionals without leaving your room. This free online doctor consultation is beneficial if your condition limits your mobility or perhaps you don’t have access to transportation. Whatever the reason, you can get medical help from the comfort of your own home.
2. Safe and secure
You can be confident that the free online doctor consultation service you are using is a secure system. The privacy of your information is maintained and is always kept safe and secure. Everything you discuss with your doctor online is, as always, private.
Your online doctor will adhere to the 1996 HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This ensures that your medical information is secure.
3. Prevention of self-misdiagnosis
Many people are unfamiliar with communicating with their doctor over the internet, and they end up using the internet to misdiagnose themselves. Hence, it becomes critical to ensure that you speak with someone who has the medical expertise to advise you on your health condition. You can book a free online doctor consultation to get an expert’s opinion on your health issue.
4. Anytime anywhere
A medical crisis always doesn’t come with a warning. It can knock at odd hours like in the middle of the night. Usually, you would have to wait until the next day for the doctor’s clinic to open or rush to a 24-hour clinic. However, in the case of online consultation, a physician is available seven days – day and night. Besides, it is a problem for most to take time out of their hectic schedules and full-time jobs to visit the doctors on their time. But e-visits or remote consultation lets you see the doctor without disrupting your routine. You are no longer required to wait in the doctor’s waiting room for a consultation. You can now wait in the comfort of your own home with free online doctor consultation.
5. Convenience at its best
Free online doctor consultation is a very practical option. When you talk to an online doctor about your symptoms, your medical history is conveniently saved online for future reference, so you don’t have to spend time answering the same questions over and over.
6. Priority to your preference
When you take a free online doctor consultation, for your comfort and preference, you can request a doctor based on gender, language, and hospital affiliation- something that can make you feel more at ease when discussing personal medical issues. If your online doctor believes that a prescription is necessary, they can prescribe a wide range of medications, including antibiotics, antihistamines, and other drugs for allergies.
7. Cost-effective
The Health Affairs journals published an article as early as 2013 stating how cost-effective and cheaper online medical consultation is compared to a doctor’s visit or a trip to the hospital. Besides the travel cost, free online doctor consultation is an excellent option if one does not have medical insurance or a health card.
8. No exposure to infections
Visiting a doctor’s chamber exposes you to many other sick people, bacterias, and viruses. You are at a high risk of catching an infection. The long hours at the physician’s chamber or the hospital waiting room until your turn comes could put your health at risk with a contagious disease. Free online doctor consultation eliminates all such risks. And the pandemic situation proved it best as many hospitals and doctors shut down OPD services and picked up e-visits as the only plausible alternative for those suffering from any health issues.
However, this entirely virtual affair has limitations that should be kept in mind while taking an online consultation. If the doctor requires, then you will have to visit them. If your problem does not require surgery or laboratory tests, online medical consultation is as convenient as it gets with today’s technology.
(India CSR)