Telemedicine Companies in India are at boom because of the increasing concern towards satisfaction of patients. Here we are going to discuss about the complete guide of Telemedicine and how to develop a telemedicine app.
What is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one location to another utilizing electronic communications to make the better health status of a patient. Telemedicine provides a growing variety of software and services that use two-way video, e-mail, mobile phones, wireless devices and other types of telecommunications technology.
Starting over forty years ago with hospital experiments providing services to patients in remote areas, the use of telemedicine has expanded exponentially and is now being incorporated into the daily operations of hospitals, specialty divisions, home health agencies, private physician’s offices, as well as consumers ‘homes and workplaces.
Telemedicine is not a separate medical discipline in its own right. Telemedicine related products and services are also part of a broader commitment by health-care institutions in either information technology or clinical care delivery. In fact in the reimbursement fee structure, generally no difference between on-site and those provided services by telemedicine, and often no separate coding needed for remote service billing.
How to develop a telemedicine app
Telemedicine app development steps are divided into many parts. Here is all steps are given by which you will learn how to build a Telemedicine Platform:
#Step 1: Business analysis
This step enables you to assess the market for your app and identify the persona of your customer, which will identify your target audience. The foundation of your approach should be market analysis. Your audience has issues, and those issues are solved by your product. Knowing who your client is will also allow you to successfully market your app after launch.
#Step 2: Design
The design of the user experience is the most important feature of the entire stage of app design. Many developers come up with excellent app ideas and create apps that perform very well from a technological point of view, but fail because the user experience is out of contact with the target audience.
#Step 3: Development
Corresponds to the coding phase of the app. The phase can focus on providing the first version of the app with key features to release it more rapidly to the market and then scale the project further with the next versions. Alternatively, a completely featured telemedicine program can be deployed at once, albeit at higher prices.
#Step 4: Quality assurance and UAT testing
Processes that ensure the telemedicine application’s high-end efficiency, output, and proper functioning.
A team of needed tech specialists-iOS and/or Android telemedicine app developers, back-end developers, and QA engineers-are allocated by the software development vendor.
#Step 5: Security checks
Compulsory and requires security testing for telemedicine applications.
#Step 6: Deployment
Finally, it’s time to move it to a live environment and into the app stores where users can download it once the app has been created. Release of the app to app stores and search optimization of app store profiles.
#Step 7: Maintenance and support
Per year, iOS and Android receive updates. To ensure that it continues to have the best user experience, it is necessary to update the app appropriately, Including bug fixes, enhancements, and current function tweaks.
Types of Telemedicine
There are three major forms of telemedicine including store-and-forward, remote monitoring and digital services in real-time. Each of these has a valuable role to play in overall healthcare and can offer measurable telemedicine benefits for both Clinic Staff and patients if properly used.
#1 Store-and-Forward” Practices
Store-and-forward telemedicine surpasses the need for the medical practitioner to meet in person with a patient. Instead of this, when obtained from the patient, data such as medical images or bio-signals can be sent to the specialist when appropriate. This practice is common in the dermatological, radiological, and pathological medical fields.
This technique may save time with proper planning and treatment, and allow medical practitioners to serve the public more fully with their services. This depends, though, on a background report and written facts or photographs rather than a physical examination that may cause misdiagnosis like complexity.
#2 Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote monitoring also known as self-monitoring or self-testing uses a variety of technology tools to remotely monitor a patient’s health and clinical signs. This is used widely for chronic disease control, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and asthma.
Remote monitoring advantages include cost reduction, more frequent monitoring and greater patient satisfaction. There is a possibility that the tests conducted by the patients themselves might be unreliable, but the findings are usually considered to be comparable to the tests performed by the professionals.
#3 Real-Time Telemedicine
Interactive services may provide direct care to patients needing medical attention. There are many different media for this purpose are used, including television, internet, and home visits. A medical history and consultation about presenting symptoms can be undertaken, followed by assessment similar to those usually conducted in face-to-face appointments.
Teleneuropsychology is an example of this type of telemedicine which includes neuropsychological consultation and phone assessment with patients who have a cognitive disorder, or are suspected to have one. Standard evaluation techniques are implemented through video technology to assess the patient. A 2014 study found that this approach offers a viable and effective alternative to conventional in-person consultations, although it was noted that it is important to maintain quality standards and administration.
Read Also: Telepsychiatry- Mental Healthcare from Distance
Telenutrition is a way to use a Skype-like network to hold a diet therapy session entirely over the phone. From the safety of your home, you can undergo a nutrition therapy session. Telenutrition is the best choice for you if you live outside Warrenton, in remote areas or if you think this platform suits your lifestyle better.
Telepharmacy allows patients to seek prescription advice when direct contact with a pharmacist can not be made. This allows tracking of drugs, and advice can be given to patients over the phone. Based on the legislation, refill authorization can be provided to allow patients to receive medication regularly when appropriate.
Teledentistry can make dental care more accessible. It allows the dentists to meet patients with oral health needs in real-time. Teledentistry eliminates travel time, reduces the cost of transportation, and minimizes time off work or school.
Read Also: What kinds of Features, telemedicine app should have?
Advantage of Telemedicine for Patient:
1. Telemedicine increases access to care
Distance and travel time between patients and care providers can limit access to care. Fortunately, telemedicine can overcome geographic barriers to healthcare, especially for specialized providers. Telemedicine can be particularly beneficial for patients in medically underserved communities and those in rural geographical locations where clinician shortages exist.
2. Less Time in the Waiting Room
If you choose a video visit via telemedicine technology, you’ll eliminate all that time spent looking at old magazines in a doctor’s office. Even if you don’t use telemedicine, choosing a practice that offers it will reduce your wait time by letting other patients be seen from home.
3. More Convenient and Accessible Patient Care
According to a recent Cisco global survey, 74% of patients prefer easy access to healthcare services over in-person interactions with providers.
Adding virtual care to your practice offers patients simple, on-demand care – without the usual wasted time and cost of most in-person visits. Patients who live in remote locations, or who are homebound or just can’t take off time from work, can access care virtually. Video conferencing, smartphone apps, and online management systems connect more patients with providers than ever before.
Read Also: Questions to ask your Telemedicine Vendor
4. Extended Specialist and Referring Physician Access
With telehealth, patients in rural or remote areas benefit from quicker and more convenient specialist access. In the U.S., for every100,000 rural patients, there are only 43 specialists available. These patients endure longer appointment commutes and have trouble accessing lifesaving consultations for specific diseases or chronic care plans.
Telemedicine offers better access to more specialists. You can refer your patients to the specific physicians they need, regardless of location.
5. No transportation time or costs
When you see your doctor on your mobile device or computer, you can save money on gas, parking, and public transportation. Even better, you don’t waste time traveling or risk running into a traffic jam that makes you late for your appointment, or worse, late getting back to work.
6. Telemedicine improves patient engagement and satisfaction
Telemedicine makes it easier and more convenient for patients to stay healthy and engaged in their health care. Patients love the convenience, flexibility and real-time care with their providers.
7. No need to take time off of work
Speaking of work, video visits largely remove the need to take time off. You can simply schedule your visit during a break, or before or after work. You can be anywhere that offers sufficient privacy. You can comply with your doctor’s follow-up instructions and maintain your health without missing a day of work or wasting your precious paid time off.
Read Also: What Are The Benefits Of Telemedicine App In Healthcare Industry?
8. Better Patient Care Quality
Telemedicine offers patient-centered approaches, such as improved timeliness of care. This is critical to quality patient care. Patients can address healthcare issues quickly with real-time urgent care consultations and learn about treatment options within minutes. A new study shows that telemedicine patients score lower for depression, anxiety, and stress, and have 38% fewer hospital admissions.
9. Slowing the spread of infection
Going to the doctor’s office means being around people who may be sick, often in close quarters. This can be particularly dangerous for people with underlying conditions or weak immune systems. Telemedicine eliminates the risk of picking up an infection at the doctor’s office.
10. Convenience
Telemedicine allows people to access care in the comfort and privacy of their own home. This may mean that a person does not have to take time off of work or arrange childcare.
Technical Infrastructure Requirements of Telemedicine
HIPAA Compilent Telemedicine software has become the valuable medical software for health providers, especially in rural areas. A technical infrastructure requirement varies depending on the particular telehealth services of the organization, but some of required telehealth programs are common such as:
- Access to Broadband Internet: Sufficient internet speed must need for the telehealth services. Sufficient bandwidth must be needed to transmit video and audio data.
- Imaging Technology or peripherals: These devices are the backbone of telehealth. They allow rural health organizations to see and hear patients even when they are miles apart. Digital stethoscopes, for instance, can transmit heart and lung sounds to remote providers.
- Access to Technical Support Staff: To help with efficiency, technical support staff may be shared across collaborating organizations. Technical support staff members can help answer questions about telemedicine programs.
- Staff training: You will need to train your staff to use telehealth technology, which may take time. You should consider whether workflow changes may be required and train accordingly.
Telemedicine Clinical Guidelines
While the industry is still a long way from a standard set of established guidelines for telemedicine, the American Telemedicine Association has put together guidelines for a range of specialities based on survey hundreds of research study.
1. When to use telemedicine
While many conditions not on this list can be treated via telemedicine, these conditions are an especially good fit for telemedicine: Allergies and asthma, Chronic bronchitis, Conjunctivitis, UTIs, Low back pain, Otitis media, Rashes, Upper respiratory infections, Diabetes, Hypertension, Mental illness/behavioural health, prevention and wellness services.
Telemedicine should not be used for any condition where an in-person exam is required because of severe symptoms, certain protocol-driven procedures, or aggressive interventions. Also, for a medical emergency patient should go to the ER or call 911. Healthcare providers should use their professional judgments to decide when telemedicine is appropriate.
2. When to prescribe
Prescription is acceptable for live video telemedicine sessions, where the visit can replace an in-person examination. As long as the doctor has a pre-existing relationship with the patient, prescribing is also appropriate for telephone consultations.
3. Informing the patient
Only some states have regulations requiring healthcare providers to get patients’ informed consent to use telemedicine. However, this is always a good practice, whether or not your state requires it. Before the first telemedicine appointment, clinicians will clarify to patients how telemedicine functions (when service is available, scheduling, privacy, etc.), any confidentiality restrictions, and the risk of technological malfunction, virtual appointment communication protocols, policy orders, and the coordination of treatment with other health professionals. We should describe everything in a simple, straightforward language.
4. Set-up the right space for telemedicine visits
Healthcare facilities should create a designated area for access to telemedicine to ensure anonymity, clear audio and lighting, and prevent interruptions. Providers will their camera on a level stand where possible, and aim the camera at eye-level.
Read Also: What is Telemedicine Services and How does it work?
How Does Telemedicine Work?
While you were reading this a question is clicking in your head that how does telemedicine software works. Below is
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How is Telemedicine Impacting the Global Healthcare Trends?
Inequitable distribution of health professionals: Most health service providers live and work in large urban centres. This contributes to the acute shortage of health professionals in many smaller communities and rural areas where the provision of equitable access to health services is increasingly challenging.
1. An ageing population:
As the healthcare environment resumes to improve, this means patients will continue to receive better care over time. Because of this, global average life expectancy rates are rising. Facilities need to make moves to help relieve providers of the strain that comes with treating more patients.
2. Shortage of health professionals:
There is a general shortage of healthcare professionals. That threatens the provision of some healthcare services and extends the waiting lists.
3. Limited integration:
Care silos fail to provide timely and easy access for patients and providers to the information they need and cause delays and excessive duplication of service.
4. Fragmented funding:
Health service funding is a complicating factor, and is currently a matter of intense scrutiny and considerable controversy. The separation of political, managerial and fiscal responsibility across provincial and federal lines has generated tensions particularly around the issue of the current level, and the most acceptable level of potential funding.
5. Budget constraints:
New therapies and technologies are costing more and putting additional demands on the budgets of stressed health care.
6. Increasing cases of chronic conditions:
Did you know that chronic disease is responsible for 70 per cent of deaths every year in the U.S. alone? Patients have historically only had the option to visit doctors by in-person appointments, but many of today’s chronic illnesses are avoidable or treatable by doctors using video appointments to “check-in” and monitor patient’s remotely.
What Services Telemedicine Offer
You must be wondering what services must be provided by Telemedicine; well it can be used for a wide variety of health services. Telemedicine services can range widely by specialty. An endocrinologist might use it for doing a video call with patients, dentists can use it to encourage preventive care and appropriate follow-up, and a gynecologist might use it to provide birth control counseling.
Below is a list of common conditions a primary care doctor may treat via telemedicine:
- Cold and Flu
- Skin Treatments and Infections
- Infection
- Food poisoning
- Sprains and Strains
- Throat infections
- Allergies
- Counseling
- Rashes
- UTIs
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- Tuberculosis
- Hepatitis C Virus
HIPAA and Telemedicine
HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is designed to protect patients’ medical record and other health information. Like all the technologies in the healthcare industry, telemedicine software need to be in compliant with HIPPA in order to protect patient’s privacy. There are certain rules and regulations applied by HIPAA Security Rule on Telemedicine.
Conclusion
Are you the one, who are looking for HIPAA Compliant Telemedicine app Development Company?
We can Help!
Dreamsoft4u Pvt. Ltd. is one of the Best Telemedicine Companies in India and the USA. We maintained a highly favorable rating among dentists, physicians, and patients.
We have client range from dental clinics, hospitals, rural clinics, blood processing agencies, individual physician, and full-service hospitals. We offer planning, system integrations migrations, and many more. Our Healthcare IT Solutions make your staff hassle-free so they can focus on patient and client requirements.
