Medicine is constantly changing and developing, as is technology. For the modern healthcare practice to remain sustainable in the future, it is crucial to keep up with medicine and technology as it advances in order to future-proof your practice.
For orthopedics practices, in particular, implementing the right technology is critical to ensuring that your patients receive the most optimal care. In doing so, you can improve the accuracy and efficiency of care and withstand whatever the future of medicine may hold.
Telehealth and Orthopedia
Telehealth technology, in particular, is especially beneficial in the orthopedics field. As orthopedia is a field devoted to treating disorders of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons, it can be hard to imagine how telehealth applies. While it is true that treatment must be conducted in person, orthopedia extends far beyond physically treating patients.
While a significant component of orthopedia does include performing surgery and other procedures, that is only the tip of the iceberg. Orthopedic physicians also deal with helping to prevent and diagnose these disorders, in addition to conducting follow-ups and simply educating patients on their options. With telehealth and accompanying technology, orthopedic physicians can improve care for their patients while also improving the efficiency and reach of their practice.
Safe, Consistent Access to Care
One of the greatest benefits of telehealth technology is its ability to improve patient access to healthcare. When healthcare practices adopt a telehealth platform, they open up endless possibilities for remote care. Patients can access your practice from anywhere in the world, and at any time, by simply logging in to your platform.
Within the telehealth platform, patients can schedule appointments, access health records, communicate with their physician, and gain access to other healthcare resources. Not only does this make it drastically easier and more convenient for patients to get the care they need, but it makes it easier for your physicians to provide care.
With both synchronous and asynchronous tools, patients and providers can communicate whenever is necessary. If a patient has a problem or a question, rather than scheduling an appointment for weeks or months in the future, they can quickly find a time and hop on a video call with their provider. As a result, patients get the care they need without tedious commutes or frustrating scheduling conflicts. Patients can simply get the care they need - when they need it.
In terms of orthopedics, many of the conditions that patients have require ongoing care and frequent follow-ups and post-care. Instead of meeting with a patient in person every few weeks, physicians can simply schedule a synchronous video call and chat with patients in minutes. Providers can discuss with the patient how their recovery or treatment is going while also reviewing any pertinent images or files during the call.
For patients with ongoing conditions, commuting to their physician frequently can be tedious and taxing, especially if the visits are routine. This is why telehealth and remote visits are so highly demanded by patients. With telehealth, patients can minimize their number of doctor's visits while still getting the care they need. As such, they can manage their health without putting their lives on hold.
Telehealth technology can serve as a significant time-saver for both parties while still ensuring that patients are cared for. As patients have greater access to healthcare, practices will ultimately have happier and healthier patients.
Telediagnosis
While remote visits are highly beneficial for follow-ups and post-operative care, they can be used for so much more. An excellent use of synchronous telehealth resources is telediagnoses. Whether patients are facing a minor injury or living with an ongoing bone disorder, meeting with a new orthopedic provider requires a consultation. This initial meeting often includes reviewing medical images and discussing previous treatment.
While these meetings are traditionally conducted in person, they don’t have to be. With telehealth solutions, patients can have the option to complete these consultations remotely. Patients can meet with their providers remotely, discuss their medical history or discomfort, and receive a telediagnosis.
Advanced telehealth technology allows physicians to diagnose patients remotely. In orthopedia, a provider can even diagnose a fracture via asynchronous telehealth call. If patients need to come in for additional X-Rays or treatment, they can do so, but if it turns out a patient only has a minor bruise or sprain, then the remote call saved them an unnecessary visit.
Optimize Your Imaging Department
Yes, it is possible to diagnose an injury such as a bone fracture remotely, but physicians still require X-Rays and medical images to do so. As an orthopedic practice, medical imaging is a significant component of your practice and how you treat patients. In order to understand a patient’s injuries or condition, you need medical images. Fortunately, telehealth is the key to optimizing your imaging department.
Telehealth solutions make uploading, storing, and sharing medical images easier than ever. Patients can simply upload any preexisting images to their telehealth portal for their physicians to access whenever necessary. This significantly improves the storage process of EHRs and images, ensuring their preservation and security while also optimizing the sharing process.
Consequently, patients and providers can access medical images quickly and easily, ensuring that physicians have the information to treat patients accurately. As an orthopedic practice where treatment depends on medical images, having an efficient imaging system is vital.
Grow Your Practice
In certain areas, orthopedic surgeons and providers may not be in high demand - no matter your level of expertise. As such, it can be challenging to get the patients necessary to grow and maintain your practice. Even if you have patients traveling from far away for your services, it’s inconvenient and expensive, adding a toll on the patient’s care. But, with a telehealth platform in your toolbox, this is not the case.
Telehealth platforms open both patients and providers to a global healthcare network. Patients seeking an orthopedic specialist are suddenly no longer limited by geography and can access your physicians from anywhere in the world. The same goes for your practice. With a network of patients, you can offer your expertise from any location. As a result of telehealth, your practice has the means to spread your expertise and grow tremendously.
Telehealth: The Key to Longevity in Medicine
It should come as no surprise that technology is the future, and that includes the future of healthcare. To combat the challenges that healthcare practices must face today and in the future, adopting technologies such as telehealth is essential.
With telehealth, orthopedic practices, in particular, can provide their patients with higher quality care that is more efficient, accurate, and convenient than ever before. In optimizing your imaging department, improving access to care, offering telediagnoses, and spreading the reach of your practice, there is no question that your practice will not only survive in years to come - but thrive.
