Telemedicine is changing healthcare — is it practising without a licence?
Critics worry that consulting a random doctor that patients will never meet further fragments the US health system, and even minor issues may be missed AFTER years of big promises, telemedicine is finally living up to its potential. Driven by faster internet connections, ubiquitous smartphones and changing insurance standards, more health providers are turning to electronic communications to do their jobs — and it’s upending the delivery of healthcare.Doctors are linking up with patients by phone, e-mail and webcam. They’re also consulting with each other electronically — sometimes to make split-second decisions on heart attacks and strokes. Patients, meanwhile, are using new devices to relay their blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs to their doctors so they can manage chronic conditions at home.Telemedicine also allows for better care in places where medical expertise is hard to come by.Five to 10 times a day, Doctors Without Borders relays questions about tough cases ...
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