Telemedicine is helping to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare providers. However,
did you know that there are several different types of telemedicine? Here are some of the key
differences between traditional telemedicine and Horizon Virtual Telehealth services.
What is Traditional Telemedicine?
Traditional telemedicine services are designed so patients can communicate with their doctor from the comfort of their home. Instead of driving across town for a checkup, they can simply log in to their computer and communicate directly with their doctor. Oftentimes, even the doctor is in
the comfort of their own home.
This service has been very popular lately, with the rise of the COVID-19 virus. Patients do not have to risk exposure by traveling to a hospital or doctor’s office and doctors don’t have to risk exposure by interacting with dozens of patients per day. Telemedicine has made it easier to connect with your doctor.
What are Horizon Virtual’s Telehealth Services?
The huge difference between Horizon Virtual’s services and traditional telemedicine services is that patients will still be visiting a hospital. The telehealth cart assumes full care for the patient as a credentialed on-staff physician. We can provide coverage for a full 12-hour shift, something most other E-Care telehealth providers do not typically do. Horizon Virtual provides the telehealth cart and all the equipment needed to set up in your critical access hospital. It is a turn-key operation that also includes training for all the on-site staff. Our care provides a hospitalist (board-certified internal medicine physician) that is qualified to admit the patient, take orders, review X-rays, MRI’s, and other labs to create a care plan.
What are the Benefits of Horizon Virtual’s Telemedicine
Our telemedicine services create solutions for critical access hospitals to get the coverage they need throughout the night. Here are some of the reasons other hospitals are using our equipment:
Limited Exposure
As we mentioned earlier, telemedicine has helped keep doctors and patients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the patient may still be at the hospital, they will not come in physical contact with the doctor and vice versa. During these times, it’s more important than ever that we take all the steps necessary to take care of our healthcare workers.
The best way to prevent the spread of the virus is to limit our exposure to people surrounding us. There have been studies that have pointed to people’s reluctance to go to hospitals because they are scared of contracting the virus. With telemedicine services, patients can get the care they need without having to worry about exposure.
Helps Rural Hospitals
Our main goal with these services is to help rural hospitals who are struggling to get patients the help that they need. Too often, these hospitals struggle to find local physicians to help take care of the patient load. Our services ensure that there is always someone available to help no matter the location of the hospital.
This can help keep your local rural hospital functioning. Year in and year out local hospitals lose tens, even hundreds, of thousands of dollars because they have to transfer patients. They simply don’t have the manpower or the resources to provide them with the help that they need. Luckily, our telemedicine services can help.
Eliminate Transfer Times
Distance and travel time between patients and care providers can limit access to care. This is especially true in rural areas. Consumers wait longer for health-related services than they do for any other type of service.
When patients are transferred from a local critical access hospital, patients spend around 55 minutes traveling and waiting for health-related services. This includes an average of 44 minutes of travel, to and from, and 11-minutes of waiting in waiting rooms. These waiting times account for more than 50% of the time spent receiving care.
We’re Here to Help
Our team here at Horizon Virtual is ready to help your hospital provide its patients with much- needed assistance. We offer a non-traditional method of telemedicine services, designed to help rural hospitals. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.