Health delivery methodology is changing with the rise of innovation and technology. First of all, care is becoming more diversified as monitoring, treatment, and prevention are divided into multiple processes with a specific sequence of interventions. Telemedicine and virtual visits are essential for patient comfort and can be implemented more efficiently than traditional hospital procedures. Customer security is achieved through the protection of the platform from fraud and competent health outcomes. Thus, virtual care is a promising but challenging project to thoroughly implement due to the need to provide anti-hacking and similar quality of services.
Telemedicine is a broad concept that includes any online interaction between a provider and a client. Virtual visits are more convenient for the doctor and patient since they do not waste time on the road to the hospital and can meet at any location with a camera device and Internet access (Bokolo, 2020). This approach is innovative as monitoring and initial inspection can be performed with minimal resources. Besides, the global pandemic has forced providers to adapt their services to the needs of medical organizations. It is no secret that social distance and preference for virtual contacts can also be implemented in healthcare using telemedicine. Practical experience shows that online projects can be successful in providing primary care and coordinating patient follow-up (Zweig, 2020). The prospects for the development of virtual visits mean that essential medical interventions can be obtained in a home environment that is more comfortable for the community. However, telemedicine’s rapid growth reveals a security issue that is becoming relevant in the era of technological progress.
The combination of supplier professionalism and the convenience of electronic platforms holds promise for the industry, but it reveals scam’s potential. Online visits can be a target for fraudsters who can obtain the client’s information. This topic has been inadequately studied, but existing platforms are secure and do not pose a significant threat to the audience (Greenhalgh et al., 2016). Health outcome is another pressing safety issue due to the development of technology. It is no secret that virtual visits have limited functionality in terms of examinations and treatment since a doctor cannot conduct a thorough diagnosis. Clients also perceive the screen as a psychological barrier, which interferes with the free flow of information and sincerity when describing the issue (Romanick-Schmiedl & Raghu, 2020). This dilemma is a matter of time since telemedicine is still considered unknown to most people. Moral discomfort in virtual communication with a doctor can be overcome through initial hospital examinations where the patient gets to know the provider personally and builds trust. Consequently, further online meetings will be more informal, in which the client will be more open to dialogue and subsequent treatment.
Telemedicine and virtual appointments are a new stage in the development of medicine, in which the client-centered model reaches to diagnosis and treatment. Online calls and training programs allow one to receive information and report problems regardless of the patient’s location. However, this innovation presents the potential for fraud and harm to health. Online platforms must be protected from unauthorized access to information. Besides, the improvements should cover the client’s psychological well-being when talking to the supplier. Thus, technological growth provides limitless potential for improving the comfort of service transfer, but it must be adapted to the growing needs for personal and information security.
References
Bokolo, A. (2020). Use of telemedicine and virtual care for remote treatment in response to COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Medical Systems, 44(7).
Greenhalgh, T., Vijayaraghavan, S., Wherton, J., Shaw, S., Byrne, E., & Campbell-Richards, D. et al. (2016). Virtual online consultations: advantages and limitations (VOCAL) study. BMJ Open, 6(1).
Romanick-Schmiedl, S., & Raghu, G. (2020). Telemedicine — maintaining quality during times of transition. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 6(1).
Zweig, S. (2020). Patient-doctor telemedicine: Virtual care in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. Missouri Medicine, 117(3), 175-176.