Consumers look for convenience in every part of their lives, but they’ve also long accepted that getting healthcare will be a difficult process. Some doctors and health companies are beginning to embrace telemedicine to make healthcare more accessible, affordable and easier on patients. Scroll down to see these doctors’ thoughts on the emerging technology.
Dr. Tania Elliott, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI, associate attending, NYU Langone Health
The biggest barrier is lack of familiarity; once somebody does a video visit, they’re hooked. It’s the behavior change initially that’s the biggest challenge, getting people to buy in. It is inducing a behavior change in the patient initially. If my doctor says the next time we interact it’s going to be through video, that’s going to work because it’s from a trusted person in the healthcare system. If they just see an ad, there’s not going to be much buy in.
Dr. Prentiss Taylor, VP, medical affairs, Doctor on Demand
Telemedicine has ramifications for chronic care, where you have people that ought to be coming in to see a physician three or four times per year. If you have convenience and you connect with a primary care physician so much faster, that allows people to access the system more. Patients with chronic conditions will be accessing the system more and their measure of quality and the effectiveness of care will fall into line.
Dr. Sylvia Romm, VP, clinical transformation, American Well
Telemedicine means actually having to engage with patients. So much of what you do in medicine is based, ironically, on all these devices in the room that distance you from the story of patients. Having the modality of seeing patients over video forces you to focus on their history. In practicing with telemedicine, you come back to that personal connection because it’s focused on the story and getting information that way.
Chris Cullmann, head of innovation and engagement, Guidemark Health
Patients are going to feel a sense of partnership with the manufacturer and a different kind of emotion participating in treatment with the physician. There’s interactivity with someone being on their device, even if it’s only a few more minutes of engagement.
