Telehealth — Surge In Online Doctor Consultation Amid Coronavirus
Healthcare with no address is the need for the hour!
As the name suggests, telehealth is the use of digital technology for providing healthcare facilities remotely to the patients. Telehealth has been making its mark on the healthcare community for decades. According to intouchhealth.com, over 90% of healthcare executives say their organizations are developing or have already developed a telehealth application for online doctor consultation.
There is no doubt that telemedicine is considered a popular offering in the healthcare industry. A recent Global Market Insights report found that the sector was worth about $38.3 billion in 2018, and that figure is projected to swell to $130.5 billion by 2025.
History of Telehealth
Let’s take a look at the brief history of telehealth technology with the help of this infographic.
Role of Telehealth Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
As more and more people with symptoms seek checkup, the virus could spread rapidly in health care settings. In such uncertain and exceptional times, online doctor consultation services are becoming a convenient resource.
Here are a few updates about the telehealth industry amid coronavirus outbreak:
- In the first and second weeks of March 2020, President Trump expanded multiple benefits in favor of telehealth.
- On 27th March, Congress approved a $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Out of the total amount, $185 million was to support telehealth programs for rural critical access hospitals.
- Some U.S. hospitals and health systems had rolled out free and discounted telehealth services since the start of the pandemic. The services were provided for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related issues.
- Online healthcare-related visits in the U.S. are expected to exceed 1 billion in the year 2020, out of which 900 million will be for COVID-19-related care.
Opportunities in Telehealth Industry in 2020
Venture capital funding for telemedicine companies surged in the first quarter of 2020 to $788 million. — fiercehealthcare.com
According to intouchhealth.com, the telehealth industry is expected to grow exponentially over the next eight years, reaching $32.71 billion by 2027. As the industry continues to grow, more and more companies are planning to make a profit by bringing in new innovations for the healthcare sector. Also, the healthcare providers are getting prepared to adapt the technology so that they can serve the patients according to their needs and preferences.
Conclusion
Telehealth is the most valuable addition to the healthcare system right now and it is important that every healthcare organization, as well as doctors, go online. Online doctor consultation can act as a great help for flattening the curve of the spread.
Let’s fight this together!
