Not sure what telehealth is and how you can benefit from it? With COVID-19, delivering health care services virtually has been thrust into the spotlight. Here's what you need to know about it, and how you can benefit from it.
Our health care system is undergoing a major upheaval due to COVID-19. With everyone encouraged to stay home as much as possible, and many health care providers such as dentists or denturists being required to close except for emergency care, telehealth is taking on a prominent role when it comes to delivering health care services. But what does it entail? And what are its benefits? Read on to find out.
Are you experiencing a denture emergency Calgary? Future Smiles Denture Clinic is still here to help during COVID-19. We're also offering FREE telehealth consults and denture care advice over the phone for all patients — new or existing.
What is telehealth?
Telehealth is the delivery of health services via virtual means. Much like you may have digital work meetings during COVID-19, telehealth is like having a digital doctor's appointment. While some diagnostic methods are certainly out of reach due to the physical separation, your virtual health care provider can still provide triage, referrals, requisitions, prescriptions, and other important health care services through telehealth.
Main benefits of telehealth
By far the biggest benefit telehealth provides, given our current circumstances with COVID-19, is its ability to be conducted without in-person contact. This allows for the health care provider to be protected from infection, as well as the patient, who would otherwise have to travel to a health care facility which could put them at higher risk for contracting the disease. Some of the other main benefits of telehealth include:
Improved access to care
Travel-related obstacles to care are greatly reduced thanks to telehealth. With travel time and distance acting as barriers to receiving health care, especially amongst the elderly, telehealth removes the need for costly transportation when it comes to routine or follow-up appointments. It can also provide timely access to highly specialized health care practitioners who may otherwise be inaccessible due to geographic constraints.
Reduces the time spent receiving and delivering health care
Instead of having to take a whole day off of work or school, telehealth appointments can be conducted extremely efficiently. They also allow health care practitioners to see more people safely in a shorter period of time. If you have a rather routine inquiry or concern, your doctor, dentist, or denturist can address it immediately and determine whether further care or diagnosis is necessary.
Are you experiencing a denture emergency Calgary? Future Smiles Denture Clinic is still here to help during COVID-19. We're also offering FREE telehealth consults and denture care advice over the phone for all patients — new or existing.
Fosters enhanced relationships between patients and practitioners
Instead of replacing traditional care, telehealth provides an opportunity to enhance the relationships between patients and practitioners. By lowering the threshold for engaging with your health care provider, you can begin to feel more comfortable about bringing up issues or concerns you might otherwise keep mum about were you to only see them a couple times a year. It also provides the practitioner with further insight into their patients, and allows them further opportunities to educate their patients and ensure they're receiving the appropriate care they need.
Reduces the overall burden on our health care system
By diverting patients away from walk-in clinics or hospitals when it isn't immediately necessary for them to go there, telehealth helps reduce the overall burden upon our health care system, which is extremely important during a global pandemic. Using telehealth services to triage a patient's concerns or health issues can free up scarce resources during times such as these, and ensure those who desperately need care receive adequate intervention.
Call Us Today
If you have any questions about how our telehealth services work, or are exploring the possibility of getting dentures, get in touch with our helpful team at Future Smiles Denture Clinic by calling 403-475-0016 or by booking a FREE consultation today.
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