With technology advancing at a rapid pace, people tend to use it more frequently for almost everything that can ease their efforts. People are opening up to a possibility of using the internet for consulting expert doctors for curing rare diseases. Recently, Online Medical Consultation has seen a surge amongst patients and their families as it gives an opportunity to do away with a visit to the doctor. It has helped many people get suggestions from expert doctors even if they are not from the same city or country. Online Consultation has become more popular in remote areas as people there lack the services of expert doctors.
When you feel a little uneasy, have a fever or a sore throat, the first thing you do is search online for information on your medical condition. There are various websites that can give you an idea of your illness and their symptoms. The internet will give you all the information you need. It has advanced so much that even students are taking online classes from different online portals, that helps them in clearing top medical entrance exams and become doctors in some of the top institutes. Some of these doctors then offer online consultation and save the patients a trip to a clinic.
The method of consulting a doctor without even visiting the clinic is definitely an advantage to the people. Before everything we discuss here, it should be clear enough that online consultation cannot replace a physical visit to a doctor for a serious illness and emergency cases. In this era, when time means money, taking care of own seems to have taken a back seat for people. Some are too busy to go out and visit a doctor and for them, online medical consultation has come as a boon.
With advanced technology, people are expecting that even healthcare should be fast and convenient.While it can’t be said that treatment would be quick but definitely online consultation would be convenient. Consulting a doctor online for the medical condition has its own pros and cons and it should be considered accordingly.
Let’s have a look at both the scenarios to have a clear picture.
Medical Consultation Online- A Boon
When we induct technology into something, obviously we think of the benefits it offers to the society.
Time
The most important benefit of online medical consultation is it saves you a lot of time and energy. When you ask a query online, you don’t have to wait for long as you get prompt medical attention by top doctors. Now, by doing this, you have saved a lot of time. How? You didn't have to go out and visit a doctor, who may be far away from your place. You didn't have to wait in a queue as there is always a long waiting time for patients. You can call them as soon as you feel unwell as doctors are available 24 x 7 for online consultation.
Cost
While we never consider cost when we get treated for illness, however, who doesn’t want to save extra pennies? Some of the websites offer free consultation from expert doctors, but for the same thing, the doctor in your area might charge you a consultation fee. With many services offered under one roof such as doctor consultation, diagnostics and medical prescription, it will certainly be economical. Along with this, you have also saved travel expenses.
Expert and Verified Doctors
Another benefit of it is you can consult an expert doctor from anywhere in the world. These doctors are personally verified by the respective websites so you can get genuine information on your medical condition. As there are no location boundaries, you can consult a doctor of your choice regardless of the location.
- You can also talk to your doctor online through video calls and hear his advice for your medical condition.
- All your medical history, reports, records and medicines are stored online for easy references in the future.
- In case you are not satisfied with a physical visit to a doctor or just want to confirm the diagnosis, you can also have a second opinion for your medical illness with an online consultation.
Medical Consultation Online- A Bane
Online Medical Consultation shares a fair amount of cons too.
Problem of miscommunication
While consulting a doctor online, there is a risk of patient communicating his/ her illness wrongly. The patient might not be able to give right details of its symptoms as he/ she is not aware of them. For this reason, it is important to get physically diagnosed before the doctor prescribes proper medicines.
Limited to no options to evaluate the quality
With online consultation, it is very difficult to evaluate the quality of care provided. In an online session, it is difficult for patients to know about the past record of the doctors. The website surely offers expert doctors for online consultation but their quality cannot be evaluated. This becomes a challenge for patients who are looking for an opinion on their illness.
No physical diagnosis
The patients aren’t checked physically by the doctor and thus there are chances of missing a diagnosis. For an accurate diagnosis, it is crucial for patients visiting doctors, to get scanned and assessed by them.
- Online medical consultations are not useful in medical emergencies or in the case of accidents, burns, wounds, etc.
- There might be chances of selling prescription drugs unethical.
With limited disadvantages, online medical consultation is a boon for many reasons. It definitely cannot replace physical diagnosis for a serious medical condition, but can be of great help for simple illness and for a second opinion. It lets you connect with expert doctors, which might not have been possible otherwise.
It also saves time and money and gives quick results. However, before going for an online consultation, you should do a thorough background check of the website, which is offering the services and opt for trustworthy websites. Finally, take care of yourself and your loved ones.