Telehealth is a vital tool to ensure accessible healthcare to all, regardless of geographical location. Ever since the pandemic, there has been a surge in telehealth and virtual healthcare. Video conferencing is the key behind this traction as healthcare service providers can interact with their patients as long as the provider and patient both have a reliable internet connection.
The ability to diagnose and provide treatment for patients remotely through information and telecommunication technology has been instrumental in providing immediate and reliable healthcare. Through advancements in video conferencing technology incorporating AI technology, users easily communicate via healthcare system integrated apps or web browsers using webRTC. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a communication technology that provides web browsers and mobile applications real-time communication (RTC) capabilities via application programming interfaces (APIs).
Telehealth improving communication and care delivery
Advancements in integrated VC technology provide simpler ways to deliver a better healthcare services system for the people and patients served. Video conferencing in telehealth is economical and helps healthcare professionals offer high-quality patient care, benefiting checkups with general practitioners, counseling sessions, and beyond. Multiple benefits include
Cost-effective and time-saving
Removing historical physical and logistical barriers, VC provides a capability to reach and serve more than previously possible. With telehealth, doctor and patient visits are more convenient with the use of video calls. With this technology, healthcare professionals reduce their operational and administrative costs. The doctors and the patients reduce their travel costs and save time in commuting to physical locations. Telehealth also increases access to care for those living far from a doctor’s office.
Enhanced patient care
VC enhanced with AI features facilitates having immediate access to tests, reports, and healthcare service professionals improving service levels. Doctors can communicate directly with the nurses and other staff administering care and giving treatment to patients within an expansive or remote location, thereby enhancing treatment delivery.
Improved communications
Integrated video conferencing connects professionals and enhances communication and collaboration. Doctors collaborate with other professionals to facilitate learning, share knowledge on the latest trends and new findings in treatments, and generally improve patient care. In addition, new employee onboarding and training sessions are conducted expeditiously, covering hospital policies, billings, scheduling, etc., quickly, effectively, and comprehensively.
Expanded healthcare coverage
Video conferencing critically impacts geographical landscapes where healthcare services are not readily available or evenly distributed. For instance, while urban areas offer better healthcare services, rural areas have fewer healthcare services and facilities available. With VC, doctors and other healthcare professionals serve rural populations and help rural patients receive specialized treatments where they might not otherwise have access.
Security and data privacy
According to Accenture, nearly 70% of healthcare consumers are concerned about data privacy and tracking at some level. Sensitivities can arise as patients' data is shared in many forms between doctors, hospitals, clinics, advisors, and other healthcare organizations and professionals, triggering fears of potential privacy and security breaches. Conversely, with advanced video conferencing solutions incorporating AI, such concerns are materially reduced as data transmissions between involved parties are encrypted end-to-end, making online video consultations safer and more secure, ensuring patient privacy is upheld.
The 2021 Accenture Health and Life Sciences Experience Survey in the United States revealed that while 7% of people accessed virtual doctor consultations in 2020, the rate dramatically increased to 36% in 2021. With this increasing trend, digital services like VC-powered online appointments play a significant role in augmenting the healthcare service offering. Telehealth is proving to be a very effective tool in expanding and improving traditional healthcare making elevated service available to the masses.
If you are interested in learning more about how integrated video conferencing incorporating AI can power the healthcare sector, email us at intellect2@intellectdata.com. Intellect Data, Inc. is a software solutions company incorporating data science and artificial intelligence into modern digital products with Intellect2TM. IntellectDataTM develops and implements software, software components, and software as a service (SaaS) for enterprise, desktop, web, mobile, cloud, IoT, wearables, and AR/VR environments. Locate us on the web at www.intellectdata.com.