Telemedicine vs. Virtual care — What’s the difference?

There is some disagreement over the terminology to use when referring to virtual healthcare. Some may use the word “telemedicine” to refer to the delivery of healthcare services via electronic means. Others make use of what is referred to as “virtual care” or “virtual healthcare.” These terms have slight but significant distinctions.

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine is defined as the treatment of medical concerns without the patient having to see the doctor in person. Healthcare experts can check a patient’s status remotely via video, audio, or instant chat. Local healthcare providers or offices may be visited or advised by remote examinations. Moreover, telemedicine systems that allow patients to receive healthcare services via smartphones or tablets significantly increase service quality. Naturally, treating certain ailments remotely can be problematic. Many common ailments, chronic conditions, and specialist treatments are treated via telemedicine. Remote healthcare professionals say that patients should go to the doctor in person if they have an emergency or a critical condition.

What is virtual care?

Virtual care is a broad notion that encompasses all modes of communication between healthcare providers and their patients. Additionally, healthcare providers can engage with patients remotely via live video, audio, and instant messaging in order to provide telemedicine services. A communication example would be the control conducted following an in-person assessment, the monitoring of critical data following surgery, and the response to any inquiries regarding the examination or treatment plan. To summarize, virtual care encompasses all of the digital technologies available to physicians and patients for real-time communication. While telemedicine is a term that refers to long-distance patient care, virtual care encompasses a larger range of digital health services.

The difference between telemedicine and virtual care

Telemedicine refers to treating patients remotely.Through the use of telecommunications technology, telemedicine enables health care providers to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients remotely. Telemedicine is the practice of providing therapeutic treatments to patients without an in-person visit through the use of electronic communications and software. Telemedicine is frequently utilized for follow-up visits, chronic condition management, medication management, and a variety of other clinical services that can be performed remotely via secure video and voice links.

The term “virtual care” covers a much broader variety of activities. Virtual healthcare is a subset of Telehealth, which encompasses the several ways in which healthcare providers communicate with patients remotely. It is the application of smartphones and other mobile technology to assist in the delivery of healthcare. Through mobile applications and user-friendly websites, healthcare professionals and insurance companies can communicate with their patients in a more convenient manner while also delivering services or treatment to people who are otherwise unable to make an in-office visit.  

Telemedicine is a more accurate term. Telemedicine is a more accurate term. This term has a more limited scope than telehealth. It more precisely relates to remote education and the delivery of health care services via the use of telecommunications technology.The terms “virtual care” or “virtual healthcare” on the other hand, are more accurate when referring to a wide range of services. It is more related to virtual visits that occur via communication technologies between healthcare experts and their patients. It enables patients to make appointments online, check-in quickly, and monitor their health remotely, among other benefits.

How to make virtual care easier for you and your patients?

Using forms to collect data can facilitate virtual care delivery, whether it’s patient monitoring or virtual visits. Forms are frequently necessary in virtual healthcare. If a patient’s insurance provider hasn’t approved or sent a linked device, encourage them to self-report blood sugar readings.

A patient may also give you a snapshot of their skin condition for review. You could ask them to fill out a form. Symptoms may be checked, and the patient may upload a photograph. Finally, whether you provide telemedicine or want to grow into virtual care, be sure you can get the information you need from your patients. Not the word, but the way services are delivered.

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