Just like everything else in our world, technology is becoming an important part of the medical field. It is providing benefits to both medical professionals and patients that no one ever thought to be possible. There are many benefits to telehealth and it is a great way for a health professional to expand their business and to increase their patient list. Telehealth solutions allow patients to visit with a medical professional from the comfort of their own home. It allows them to seek medical consultation when they may not have transportation, time or the ability to travel to one. The advantages of telemedicine are expansive.

About 21% of patients who have used telemedicine services say that the quality of care was similar to or higher than an in person visit. In many cases, patients are finding minimal differences between the two types of visits. With telemedicine being more convenient in many situations, it is no wonder it is becoming very popular. In fact, 67% of healthcare professionals, physicians and others, either use some form of telemedicine now, or they are planning to in the next few years.

Telemedicine can be especially beneficial in telemedicine psychiatry. Mental health professionals may have difficulty in finding new patients. Many people who are suffering with a mental health disorder may be too ashamed or too embarrassed to seek the consultation of a therapist. The benefits of telehealth provide mental health patients with the confidentiality they desire. Additionally, some mental health patients may be suffering from extreme anxiety or cases of agoraphobia that make it difficult or prevent them from leaving their homes. In a trial of online therapy, patients averaged six sessions each and 73% re booked with the same clinician. Many patients find that meeting with and sharing personal stores with a therapist over technology is less intrusive than traveling to and then speaking with an actual person face to face.

Telemedicine doctors can continue to offer in office hours, while also scheduling time to work with their telemedicine patients. The future of medicine will probably entail both forms of medicine. Telehealth software programs allow for the benefits of telehealth to be easily reached. They make the entire process simple and confidential. The biggest concern with online therapy or online medical consultation is the concern of confidentiality. The internet is susceptible to hacking and viruses that could release and unprotect client?s private information. However, many telemedicine software programs protect clinicians from this and ensure that confidentiality is available.

The medical field is advancing and shaping into a more technological field. Machines and programs are already updated and more advanced than they ever were. Now, many health professionals and mental health professionals are actually seeing their patients over the internet. Telemedicine software programs allows for these professionals to provide confidentiality and support to those who are unable to visit an actual office. There are many benefits of telehealth available to those practitioners who wish to expand their businesses and to offer this type of a service to their patients.