If you are Dr. Ask Peter Yellowlees, Professor of Psychiatry at UC Davis, about the future of medicine, he'll tell you it's online. "The new normal is that people are increasingly receiving medical care over the Internet," he says. Instead of sitting in a waiting room and then doing a physical exam, we're more likely to meet with one at some point Doctor through a video call.
In the early 1990s, long before Zoom and FaceTime existed, Dr. Yellowless videoconferencing to meet and treat patients in Australia. So it's safe to say that he was one of the first telemedicine pioneers. Although technology has changed, there are many today Companies and providers offer the same experience.
Dr. Yellowlees compares telemedicine to home calls, a practice that has largely died out in the last century. While the experience is not exactly the same, most of the benefits of home calling remain. "We see people in their own environment [and] it actually improves the relationships we have with them, "he says.
With telemedicine, he argues, the experience of seeing a doctor is less inconvenient and intimidating because the patient does not have to travel and is in his own space where he is comfortable. This can be especially helpful for patients dealing with it fear, Agoraphobia, or post-traumatic stress disorder, says Dr. Yellowlees.
Aged COVID-19Many of the barriers to telemedicine have fallen. Doctors face a lot of privacy regulations that can make telemedicine difficult, but since the pandemic started, Dr. Yellowlees, massive regulatory changes have been made to address this.
There are still privacy and security regulations in place, including the use of secure messaging systems and measures to protect patient data. But during the pandemic, the U.S. government isn't legally going after doctors and medical offices who don't use technology that is fully compliant with HIPAA, the federal privacy law, says Dr. Yellowlees. This makes it easier for doctors to connect with patients online for immediate care without having to invest in an entirely new system.
Dr. Yellowlees has a lot more to say on this subject. Check out the interview above to read the full story.
What now is a video interview series with industry leaders, celebrities and influencers covering trends affecting businesses and consumers amid the "new normal". There will always be changes in our world and we will be here to discuss how to navigate everything.The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions about a disease or health goals.
