What are virtual doctor’s appointments?
Virtual appointments, virtual visits and telemedicine all refer to the same thing: a remote consultation with your doctor. You receive the treatment you need by video or phone from a place that is convenient and comfortable for you, instead of coming to the doctor’s office. All you need is a smartphone, a computer or a tablet and an internet connection. If a video call is not possible, you can also speak to your doctor by phone. A virtual appointment saves time and money because you don’t have to come to the practice.
Although virtual appointments are not appropriate for all types of health problems, there are many reasons why people see their doctor remotely. For example, if the person finds it difficult to get to the surgery because they are not mobile, or if one is too ill to get to the practice themselves. Virtual appointments are also useful if you can’t visit a doctor for work or family reasons.
Virtual doctor’s appointments as an alternative in the UK
This model has already been implemented, rather involuntarily, in the UK due to the shortages of the medical labour market. A study by Health Hero, which is working with Tesco health partner YuLife to offer the new service, found that 84% of patients needed an appointment last year, but only 53% of patients who wanted a same-day appointment got it. In the UK, Tesco employees and managers, as well as their immediate family members living in the same household, can use the service package and make a virtual GP appointment now.
Slow implementation in Germany and Switzerland
The virtual doctor’s visit, on the other hand, won’t catch on in Germany and Switzerland in the next 12 to 18 months, according to a Deloitte study. This is because of the legal framework, open liability questions, and the medical professional code of conduct.
Analysts also say that German and Swiss doctors are hesitant to e-visits.Still, the need for quick care and the fact that there aren’t enough doctors in some places will make the e-visit the norm in the long run. Still, e-visits will become more popular in the long run because people need better ways to get treatment and because there aren’t enough doctors in some rural places. The rules are already being broken by the first providers, who are giving advice and medications from other European countries. The trend study says that the long-term success of ideas from this unclear area could lead to new rules.
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In the already mentioned TNT Predicitons Study, Deloitte also surveyed managers on this topic. These predict that health management and health care will change significantly by 2040. About half of the executives surveyed expect that at least a quarter of all outpatient treatments, preventive measures, long-term care and wellness services will be provided virtually in the next two decades. It is likely that even some of the inpatient care that still takes place in physical facilities today will be transferred to virtual facilities. About 25 % of the managers surveyed believe that at least a quarter of all inpatient services will be provided virtually in the future.
In the future, the patient experience could become much more seamless and connected if the focus is on virtual care and linking different platforms. Therefore, it is likely that more attention will be paid to virtual consultations in the coming years.
