My primary care physician who I used to see on a regular basis recently made the transition from family medicine to telemedicine. For those who are not aware of what telemedicine is, it is an up-and-coming concept in medicine where a physician essentially works remotely via the internet and telephone, providing medical care from a distance. I am extremely interested in this concept of telemedicine and truly think that it is a great benefit to the medical community today.
One benefit of telemedicine is that you can work from virtually anywhere. My PCP went from an office with traditional 9-5 work hours, to working in an office space in the comfort of her own home. This was great because she was able to “see” and treat patients from all across the country. She could talk to them via a microphone on the computer with a video chat, or on the telephone. This concept is great for those who are not in close proximity to a physicians’ office and need medical care. Another benefit of telemedicine is that you can create your own work schedule and do what you need to do when you need to do it. My PCP was able to set her days off due to the flexibility of telemedicine.
I have noticed that more and more physicians are getting involved with companies who provide telemedicine because of these benefits listed above, as well as being able to help a wider spread of patients.
