Experient Health Helps Explain Trends in Telemedicine in Latest Blog Series
Richmond, VA (PRWEB) November 24, 2013 -- As technology has developed, so has people’s ability to overcome the traditional communication barriers of time and distance, Experient Health wrote in its launch of a new short Blog series on telemedicine.
The practice of telemedicine is a step forward in the health care industry to use telecommunications to bridge the gap of time, distance and affordability to reach patients in need of medical attention.
But what is telemedicine?
"Telemedicine uses technology to facilitate communication, whether real-time or delayed, between a doctor and patient who are not in the same physical location for the purpose of evaluation, diagnosis and treatment," Experient Health wrote on its web site. "Advances in telecommunications allow the exchange of medical information from one site to another to serve patients in a clinical setting."
Although the terms are occasionally used interchangeably, telemedicine is distinct from telehealth, which refers more generally to health and medical services including medical education and research.
Telemedicine is commonly categorized into the three areas of interactive care, store-and-forward care and remote monitoring.
"Interactive care occurs when telecommunications are used to facilitate real-time interaction between a doctor and patient," according to the health insurance group. "Live video, patient data transfer and audio are a few of the elements used to open simultaneous communication between a doctor and patient. The doctor can perform a history review, physical examination and other evaluations and assessments in a manner similar to that of a face-to-face clinical visit."
With store-and-forward care, or asynchronous, telemedicine, one doctor will store pictures, video, radiology images and other information and then electronically supply all of this patient data to another doctor, usually a specialist. The specialist can then remotely diagnose and recommend treatment for a patient.
Telemedicine can also include remote monitoring or home health telemedicine. In this scenario, patients who are under general observation can be supervised from their own homes, or patients who suffer from a chronic condition can have a doctor manage their care from a distance. Equipment for this care might provide video conferencing, vital signs capture and patient statistics that can be transmitted to the hospital, as well as a system to set off alarms if something goes wrong with the patient.
Experient Health's other posts in its telemedicine Blog series include the advantages and disadvantages of the practice.
ABOUT EXPERIENT HEALTH:
For years, Experient Health, a Virginia Farm Bureau company, has helped people find the right insurance coverage and get the most for their health care dollars. The Richmond, Va.-based group is dedicated to providing high quality health insurance options to customers in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. As a result, its consultants, with an average of more than 20 years experience, are intimately familiar with the states’ provider networks, products and regulations.
Representing the top national insurance carriers, Experient Health provides customers with multiple policy options designed to meet wellness needs and financial requirements.
Experient Health grew out of Virginia Farm Bureau and is a “hometown agency” in that it operates a network of more than 100 offices. However, it boasts the resources and technology of larger firms.
Consultants are available online, via phone and through their offices.
Learn more at http://www.experienthealth.com, utilize the online health insurance quote calculator or contact a consultant directly at 855.677.6580.
Stephanie Heinatz, Consociate Media, +1 (757) 713-2199, [email protected]
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