As tools such as online banking, shopping and travel booking have become commonplace, more and more consumers expect the same convenience from their physicians. Telemedicine offers “immense” advantages to patients, says Karen Edison, MD, chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Missouri. She has been offering telehealth services for more than 20 years and also served as director of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2019 teledermatology course. “For patients, it’s wonderful because it’s taking care to them where they are,” says Dr. Edison.
Telemedicine can also be a positive for practices and providers. Virtual visits can reduce the rate of no-shows. If patients don’t have to leave work, school or home, they are more likely to keep their appointments. And for lower risk, straightforward cases, physicians can free up valuable appointment time by using tools including videoconferencing, email, Facetime or Skype.
Read more at MedEsthetics >>