Telemedicine is all about the exchange of electronic information between medical care professionals, or between medical care professionals and patients. Telemedicine was born out of a necessity to ensure that doctors and patients in rural areas had access to pertinent medical information, but these days telemedicine has evolved to make it convenient for patients to seek basic medical care without ever leaving the comfort of their own home. This is ideal for patients who are unable to drive, or cannot travel to their doctor’s office due to small children, inclement weather, or other concerns.
For physicians, telemedicine can be a lucrative choice. Most doctors will find that they can supplement their existing medical income with telemedicine – meaning that they can continue their regular practice and simply add to it with telemedicine. They can check emails in between seeing patients, and use their breaks and free time on holidays and weekends to schedule telephone and video calls. Telemedicine jobs for physicians are becoming increasingly available as more practices and facilities become interested in what they have to offer.
For patients, telemedicine is a convenient option that may be ideal for simple questions. Why travel to your doctor’s office and pay an expensive co-pay if you can simply upload a picture of a rash or an infected wound that needs antibiotics? This is the thinking that is pioneering the evolution and increased implementation of telemedicine.