Easy accessibility to Healthcare facilities is the fundamental requirement of the masses. Reaching out to hi-end medical technologies isn’t difficult for the urban inhabitants. However, for the rural dwellers, connecting with specialized treatments aren’t always effortless. The terms, “TeleHealth” and”TeleMedicine” evolved with the aim to bridge the vacuum between specialized health care facilities and rural accessibility. The idea was to help the rural community remotely connect to the earmarked health care options through various video conferencing solutions for Healthcare.
How video conferencing solutions for Healthcare achieve the TeleHealth goal in the rural sector?
The TeleHealth technology have helped rural care units have a raised standard. Earlier, critical patients were referred to the nearest town or city hospital to leverage the benefits of advanced medicare. Most patients failed to bear the strenuous journey and often succumb to it. Some could not afford the traveling expense and the cost of getting admitted and treated in a top-notch city hospital. Thus, loosing their confidence over local care units.
Video conferencing solutions for Healthcare have played a pivotal role in emphasizing the TeleHealthcare and TeleConsultation among the rural inhabitants. This advancement has equipped rural units to provide their patients with the most sophisticated medications through remote assistance from experts. Even the patient can directly have a TeleConsultation, through video conferencing with their preferred doctor without showing up physically
Remote monitoring and electronic communication through mobile devices, also referred to as mHealth allows healthcare providers monitor the patient’s health remotely and communicate to their local counterparts. Thus, creating a virtual medical professional community to assist patients regardless to their location.
The most effective care options available through TeleHealth for rural areas
TeleHealth technology with the help of video conferencing solutions for TeleMedicine and Healthcare can be effectively used for imparting audiological care, behavioral health care, chronic care management, Hepatology, home monitoring, long-term care, obstetrics, pharmacy, radiology, dentistry, dermatology,cardiology and many other care options.
TeleHealth implications for the rural healthcare providers
Rural health units often struggle to retain their physicians. Most doctors feel isolated when they are sent to work in a small village or some distant town. The concept of video conferencing for TeleMedicine and TeleHealth helps them to build up a peer network where they have a platform to share their experience, discuss and learn through various video conferencing solutions. Thus, letting out the sense of feeling deserted or isolated. They can even self-train themselves through various lectures and real-time training programs on medicine and health.
The probable financial impact of TeleHealthcare
The financial impact of TeleHealth mostly depends on the type of services offered and the population availing it. However, it is imminent that units employing the technology shall retain the revenue which they would have otherwise lost to specialized hospitals where they had to refer their patients for treatment. The rural medical unit shall have an increased number of patients with a restored confidence on local healthcare cells.
The infrastructural requisites for implementing TeleHealth
The infrastructural need depends on the type of care provided. However, there should be adequate space for stationing video conferencing and other required equipment. However, it is important that the staffs have a proper training to handle the technology within the facility available and also have a positive attitude and acceptability towards it.
Challenges that can strangulate the growth Of TeleHealthcare
The unavailability of affordable broadband is the biggest road block in the growth of TeleHealth in the rural sector. Most rural communities do not have the access to a high speed internet connection. However, some of the pioneers in the field of Unified Communication like PeopleLink, have brought in video conferencing solutions for Healthcare like Peoplecare that make HD video communication possible even on a low bandwidth. Thus, making TeleHealth and TeleMedicine more acceptable for the rural precinct.
According to the Global Revenue Forecast , the global TeleHealth market will see a steady growth and will reach $4.5 billion USD by the year 2018 (IHS Report entitled “World Market for TeleHealth-2014 Edition”). India’s share will also go up to round $32 million USD by 2020 from its present stand of $15 million USD. (Assocham)
With apt Video conferencing solutions for Healthcare and telecommunication support , TeleHealth and TeleMedicine can really be the future of the Healthcare delivery, especially in the rural front.