Telehealth is an increasingly popular way to receive health care. It gained widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re discovering that it has continued benefits even outside of the pandemic.
Having medical visits using the technology available to us by video conference allows you to schedule appointments much more easily than if you have to come into one of our offices.
In this blog, our providers at Orange Coast Dermatology explain more about the benefits of telehealth and why it could be right for you.
Telehealth uses video conferencing technology that’s already available to you on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. You get a visit with your doctor in real-time; they can see you and you can see them.
Obviously, they can’t touch you to examine you, but in many cases, we can resolve your health issues without you having to be physically present in the office.
Because it’s so flexible, telehealth has many advantages over office visits. Here are some of the benefits it offers.
Especially if we’re treating you for an ongoing condition, such as acne or psoriasis, we might not need you to come to one of our offices. We can use technology to monitor your condition from a distance.
This means that you don’t have to take time off work to drive to our office. Considering commute times to and from our office, this can often save you several hours.
Child care can be difficult to arrange, especially if you’re the primary caregiver of young children. And if you have to bring your kids with you to an appointment, you know how inconvenient and time-consuming that can be.
You may not have to make such arrangements if you choose telehealth. You might even be able to schedule your appointments to line up with their nap times.
You get the same one-on-one attention from your doctor that you would receive if you were physically present in the office.
We can still view your condition over the video conference and prescribe medications accordingly, if needed. You don’t have to worry that your quality of health care would be compromised in any way.
Telehealth is much more accessible, especially if you live in a remote area, if you have mobility issues, or if you have other concerns, such as fear of crowds (or even fear of contracting COVID-19).
Although the quality of care is just the same as if you were to come into the office, telehealth is a more cost-effective delivery method. You spend less on commuting costs and possibly child care, and you don’t have to lose as much time from work. But it’s also generally more affordable than in-person visits.
If you need to schedule a visit with one of our dermatologists, ask if your visit can be via telehealth. Contact our providers at Orange Coast Dermatology today. We have offices in Orange, Mission Viejo, and Santa Margarita, California.
