Tag Archives: telemedicine

Telemedicine: The New Face of Healthcare

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For a long time, the normal way to access healthcare required scheduling time off, commuting to a healthcare facility, and sitting in a waiting room. Now, thanks to telemedicine, patients can not only speak with healthcare professionals, but also access care, ask questions, and receive advice remotely. Telemedicine serves more purpose to more patients than ever, but just like traditional in-office healthcare, it, too, comes with unique advantages, opportunities, and challenges.

Quality Healthcare, Anywhere

While telehealth had been steadily rising over the past few years, the COVID-19 health crisis drove record numbers of patients to start leveraging remote healthcare services in 2020. Even after the threat of COVID-19 subsides, it’s predicted that a lot of patents will continue to consult physicians via phone or video chat because of benefits including:

  1. Quality care — An increasing number of patients using telehealth services are satisfied and continue to use such services as a mode of care.
  2. Lower costs — Remote visits with a physician can alleviate the expenses of commuting and missing work, and they can even help lower the number of costly ER visits.
  3. Greater access — Patients without personal modes of transportation or accessibility issues don’t have to travel to receive telehealth services.

Out-of-Office Healthcare Issues

Telehealth is a more convenient and cost-effective alternative for many, but it isn’t free of flaws. For example, not all healthcare insurance plans even cover telemedicine services, which can make it difficult for some patients to visit a physician remotely. In addition, without a physical examination, physicians may easily overlook troublesome symptoms that might be easy to identify in person.

Remote Job Opportunities

The benefits of telehealth are seemingly endless for patients. However, this remote mode of care also presents new opportunities for workers in the healthcare field. Many physicians and other clinical practitioners now offer telemedicine service in tandem with standard, in-office care options. And as telehealth becomes more prominent in existing clinical positions, it also establishes demand for brand-new ones. For example, a surge in telehealth-exclusive medical facilities has led to the creation of fully remote physician and nurse practitioner positions.

Start Your Career in Telemedicine

Whether you’re looking to branch out into new roles in telehealth or are trying to start your career in telemedicine, you’ll have access to interview prep and industry connections when you partner with the healthcare recruiters at HealthCare Support. Join our Talent Network and our team of recruiters will find openings to match your interests, desired location, experience, and education. To get started, contact us today at 407-478-0332.

COVID-19 and the Future of Healthcare

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Healthcare organizations continuously adopt new technologies and modify practices on their own. But in spite of the industry’s initiatives, no medical facility could have predicted the impact of COVID-19 and what it would reveal about the current state of medicine. While it’s unclear when the pandemic will ultimately pass, let’s take a look at how it might influence healthcare in the near future and far down the line.

Patients Leveraging Telemedicine

Social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home mandates will eventually lift, but telemedicine is predicted to remain as an empowering healthcare tool — especially for patients in rural areas with limited healthcare access. Although telehealth technology existed long before the onset of COVID-19, it’s expected that patients will leverage this healthcare tool more than ever as a result of the pandemic. For primary care specifically, telemedicine can virtually eliminate the need for most in-person visits through remote doctor access and prescription refills.

Facilities Prioritizing Preparation

Pandemic preparedness can take many forms — each of which requires preemptive planning. To prepare for the possibility of another pandemic, every healthcare facility should first start by mobilizing a task force dedicated to organizing and allocating resources. These types of preparedness committees must include disaster coordinators along with select members from each facility department. Similarly, hospitals and private practices may improve their pandemic preparedness by forming or joining coalitions to widen the scope of planning.

Employers Accommodating Professionals  

Growing the healthcare workforce has long been a priority for individual practices and healthcare groups. However, COVID-19 presents many organizations with the challenge of instead maintaining their workforce. As clinical workers face a higher risk of infection, healthcare facilities face a higher rate of turnover. Therefore, during and after the pandemic, it’s predicted that healthcare facilities will begin to offer more flexible solutions, amenities, and benefits to retain and protect medical staff, such as:

  • Access to new childcare programs
  • Improved training processes and practices
  • Medical daycare for family members

Your Long-Term Healthcare Partner

Change is imminent in the healthcare industry, which is why the team of healthcare recruiters at HealthCare Support wants now more than ever to make a difference. Our experienced staff is dedicated to closing talent gaps and filling voids across hospital networks and individual organizations. To learn more about our services, contact us today at 407-478-0332.