Your health has not been left behind either. You can no longer blame distance, time or other physical barriers for your failing health.
You can take advantage of the increasingly available e-health platforms to keep yourself in good health.
In many cases, you will be able to avoid physical visits to your doctor’s office or to hospitals for mundane symptoms or screening tests. Where you are doesn’t matter so much. Your office, home or wherever will do just fine.
Virtual exam
E-consults are now routine for minor symptoms. This can be by email, phone or videoconference. In most cases, what will be required is just simple advice on what further measures to take.
A virtual exam may sometimes be possible, but mainly limited to just looking via a high-resolution webcam. In some cases, photos of whatever it is can be uploaded and reviewed by your physician.
If you are due for routine screening tests or a lab test, simply look out for e-lab services. Many common tests are now so simplified that you can take most of your own samples.
The e-lab will send you instructions and sample collection kits, which you can use at your convenience and send back to them. You won’t need to go anywhere for your results either. A simplified interpretation of the results will come your way electronically, and further advise on anything that requires treating.
A link to your doctor and pharmacist for filling an electronic prescription will complete your consultation, all at the comfort of wherever you choose to be.
The trail of your e-health encounters doesn’t have to go cold.
You can have a virtually stored medical records folder, encrypted for access to only you and your healthcare providers.
This way, cross-reference for ongoing consults is always available. It won’t matter where you are and who you consult, access to your records remains seamless.
Caution
Maintain some level of caution with virtual health. Some symptoms require physical assessment to exclude serious conditions. Equally, some treatment options are not possible to offer electronically.
If your e-gynaecologist advises physical review with good reasons, it’s in your interest to honour this.
What about doctor’s fees, or is for free? There are costs associated with e-health at either end.
You should expect to pay a fee for the service, more or less equivalent to what you pay for physical consults. But you accrue savings with time and convenience, and get to keep your health on tiptop.
Quick facts
• Use e-health whenever appropriate.
• Physical health reviews still have their role.
Photo: scottpublicrelations.com
