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Health experts discuss the evolution, future of Telemedicine

Doctors say the quick rise of Telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic has improved the way they care for and treat patients.

Over the last five months, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, doctors have had to transform the way they practice medicine. As the pandemic kept people home, and only the sickest patients in doctor's offices and hospitals, health experts had to find a way to still connect to their patients.

Enter telemedicine.

The concept wasn't new; telemedicine or telehealth has been used for years to connect doctors and patients. However, the pandemic expedited how much it was used. According to Dr. Kenneth Altman, the Chair of Otolaryngology at Geisinger Health System, 90% of their patient-interaction was done virtually in the days after Pennsylvania essentially shut down due to the pandemic in March.

"We took six months out of the coronavirus slow down and worked with our electronic medical records to increase the accuracy of the types of referrals we get.," Dr. Altman said. "We have about 40 or more conditions we see, and if we can hone down a specific condition before they walk in the door, we can get them to just the right provider, just the right testing if it’s necessary, and we can shorten their journey in the healthcare process to get them quicker resolution."

Today, patients at Geisinger are going through a more streamlined process to get the right medical attention. Doctor Bryan Martin, a cardiologist with Geisinger, believes the concept of visiting a doctor's office as a sole way for patient visits will go away. 

In many cases, if it's an annual check-up or something that isn't considered an emergency, doctors believe technology like blood pressure monitors, weight scales, and home electronic cardiogram meters, all completed and sent back via Bluetooth, will mean more visits from the comfort of home.

"I think we are taking our low risk patients that can be managed comfortably and safely electronically, and allowing the high-risk patients to get into the brick and mortar buildings to be seen faster," Dr. Martin said.

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