The use of telemedicine has increased during the pandemic
gained both the acceptance of the medical profession and the buy-in of patients themselves .
Nanobots for stomach conditions , smartwatches to measure oxygen saturation , and kits with medicalgrade handheld spirometer and medication-tracking sensors for the continuous observation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients are all common devices now in wide use , together with Web apps to record all these data .
Figures show that in the first two months of the pandemic alone , insurance claims for medical services provided remotely via telemedicine rose by 8,000 percent over the previous year in the United States .
In the United Kingdom , technology is now routinely used in triage , with 24-hour telemedicine being increasingly available for emergency patients .
“ So it ’ s all changed . Many of our hospitals that have embraced tele-healthcare are now empty ; we don ’ t need that space anymore , and it ’ s not going to go back to how it was before the pandemic now that we ’ ve seen how people are actually using telemedicine appropriately ,” said Dr Ahmed . “ Who would have thought that this would be happening a year ago ? Just look at what happens if you can challenge the dogma within the practice .”
He now predicts that community providers will follow larger institutions in embracing digital healthcare . He foresees a time , not far off , when patients can “ pop into a booth for a telemedicine consult ”, where they can have basic measurements such as blood pressure and pulse , along with more complex diagnostics , done on the spot .
If a prescription is needed , the patient can use a smart card at an automated dispensary . “ Actually , do we really need big hospitals ? We could just do it all remotely and have mobile centres for point-of-access improvement ,” Dr Ahmed added .
Despite all the widespread changes that healthcare has ushered in over the last year , it ’ s only on the cusp of what future progress will bring now that health providers are armed with the confidence to pursue this new approach to diagnostics and treatment .
Some challenges , however , will have to be faced down amid the rush to embrace this new digital era . For example , it ’ s important for healthcare institutions and service providers to be careful not to create a digital divide , since many patients will be vulnerable to changes in their therapeutic routines , such as those who may not have access to the necessary technology or are unable to use it even when available .
“ What we need to do as a society , as a healthcare system , is take all patients on this journey with us , so that we don ’ t create any divides that cannot be overcome ,” he said .
Another challenge is the age-old “ paternalistic ” approach to healthcare that tells patients what is best
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com AUGUST 2021
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