At the height of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, health experts devised measures to curb the spread of the novel viral infection. One such measure required that people observe social and physical distance. Social and physical distancing aimed to prevent people infected with COVID-19 from coming into close contact with healthy people. Coronavirus transmission mainly occurs through airborne particles and droplets generated when an infected person speaks, coughs, or sneezes. As a result, many health providers and clinics started adopting telehealth in Fort Worth. Telehealth or telemedicine is the use of digital technologies by doctors and their patients to communicate remotely.
Subsequently, below are a few things you will need to remember about Telehealth
A brief history of telehealth
The earliest record of telehealth applications in America traces back to the 1960s. During that period, NASA medical teams utilized telemedicine to monitor the health of its astronauts during America’s first crewed space program called Project Mercury.
The goal of Project Mercury was to determine the effects of being in space for minutes to hours at a time.
In the subsequent years, other government agencies, including the Public Health Department, also started heavily investing their resources in research about the potential of telemedicine.
Modern telehealth devices are similar to the equipment used many years ago. However, modern telemedicine devices have incorporated many features and are relatively smaller.
Many private and government-owned research firms are increasingly heavily investing in telemedicine research. As a result, you can expect faster development and adoption of the technology by healthcare centers in the coming years.
Technologies involved in telehealth
There is a need for reliable internet connectivity, computers, and mobile devices like tablets and smartphones.
Moreover, you may need to install software on your computer or install an app on your smartphone. You can also log into a web portal or videoconferencing service like Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
When registering on a telehealth platform, you may need to provide information about your medical history, personal identity, and symptoms of the underlying health problem.
Your doctor can also manage your medications and send your prescriptions virtually to a nearby pharmacy.
Common telehealth services
Consult your doctor to know the healthcare services available through virtual appointments.
Services your healthcare provider can offer remotely include monitoring of your blood pressure and blood sugar (glucose), obesity and overweight management, monitoring of your progress when recovering from COVID-19, and monitoring the healing of a wound.
You can use telehealth devices to record measurements of your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and blood glucose levels.
Benefits of telehealth
Virtual health visits or telehealth has various benefits, including less risk of getting infections in the hospital, greater convenience and flexibility in virtual visits, and reduced expenses as you do not incur tolls, gas, and parking costs.
For instance, in-person hospital visits put you at risk of coming into contact with patients affected by other infectious diseases. Getting infected by other illnesses while you are sick will make it difficult to recover quickly.
Contact Clover Internal Medicine Associates today to schedule an appointment and learn more about telehealth services.
