With the advanced technology infiltrating nearly every aspect of life, it comes as no surprise that it is changing the way we encounter health care. Telehealth is the use of telecommunication and electronic information to engage in long distance health care. It provides many benefits to the patients, family members, and even the health care providers.

Essentially, patients can experience a visit to the doctor without actually having to leave their home with Telehealth. Traditional methods would mean having to pay for the fuel to drive to the doctor, take time out of the day to travel and wait for the doctor, and possibly become infected with another illness whilst at the surgery. Telehealth allows patients to stay in the comfort of their own home, save time and money, and eliminate the risk of exposing themselves to other germs, especially if they already have a compromised immune system. However, some patients may feel as though they can connect more fully with their doctors if they experience face to face communication. For those that are less mobile or do not feel the need to connect on this level, Telehealth can promote health while decreasing stress.

Another positive benefit of Telehealth is the decreased cost. As was already mentioned, the patient will not have to spend the money on fuel for travel, but there are several other ways it saves money. Many people have busy schedules. The amount of money they make to provide for their family is directly related to how much time they spend at their job. Even though the actual time with the doctor may only be a half an hour, spending time traveling, waiting at the office, and waiting even longer for prescriptions could cause an employee to lose precious hours. Also, while the patient can save money in these ways, they also have to spend less. Telehealth doctors are able to charge less because there are far fewer overhead costs. They do not have to accommodate hundreds of people who may visit the office each day, fewer supplies are needed, and unnecessary tests do not have to be performed.

Telehealth also benefits the health care providers, not just the patients. Just as they do not have to be physically in the room with their patients, they do not have to be in direct proximity to their fellow healthcare professionals. Greater collaboration between doctors can take place without any inconvenience at all. This in turn means greater advancement for health care as a whole as professionals across the country can be in constant communication with each other in order to diagnose tricky patients and discuss treatment options. Healthcare professionals that work in the traditional setting can still utilise technology to communicate with those outside of their area, but it is more likely that they will restrict themselves to their metropolitan area. If the traditional doctor does recommend treatment from another doctor, the patient must physically travel those miles to get the second opinion. This is especially important for those who live in rural or remote areas.

The loved ones of patients can benefit from the use of Telehealth. Oftentimes, when a patient is sick, for example, an elderly family member, others take on part of the responsibility of caring for them. These responsible family members can also be in contact with the doctors more easily through Telehealth and can even be directly involved in the video conference appointments without leaving their home either.

While Telehealth is a great advancement in medical technology and is beneficial to the patients and their families, traditional methods may still be preferred by others. It is important that everyone involved is comfortable in order to receive the best possible outcome. For many, this comfort comes from Telehealth.

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