It's a Virtual World Out There - The New Dawn of Telemedicine

Need a doctor's excuse note for school or worktreatment or health information. With the
but do not want to invest the time and money toincreasing costs of healthcare, diagnosing illness
actually visit the doctor? Well, look no further thanalone is expensive and time consuming, not to
the Internet. Thanks to the emergence ofmention the high cost of treatment. The
"telemedicine," you can obtain a printable doctor'sAmerican Medical Association has stated that
excuse online, through reputable websites that70% of doctor's visits are informational in purpose
specialize in online doctor consultations.only, and could easily be handled over the Internet
Telemedicine has made it possible to communicateor phone. Contributing to this is the fact that
with doctors via telephone and online, paving thepatients' personal health information can be
way for a new future in medical consultationsobtained, transmitted and stored digitally.
using the infrastructure already in place andHow Does Telemedicine Work for Me?
resources that people use on a daily basis.There are numerous telemedicine services that
With the ease and accessibility of the Internet inprovide an array of comprehensive services,
the Information Age, it is only logical thatwhich include online medical consultations,
necessary services such as healthcare utilize newdiagnoses, prescriptions, and doctor's notes for
technologies for increased efficiency. Services thatschool and the workplace. This makes this service
provide online doctor consultations andideal for people who travel for leisure or business,
prescriptions exist with the understanding thatas well as those in transportation industries such
telecommunications is a tool to improve theas pilots and train operators, students, and people
service that the health care industry provides.on the go in general. Those who do not have the
Within the scope of telehealth is a wide range oftime to make an appointment, let alone go to the
services - from consulting a qualified, licenseddoctor's office for a small ailment could be easily
online doctor to receiving prescription refills totreated online, for faster relief at their
obtaining a doctors note. Many healthcareconvenience. This service is especially ideal for
systems have integrated this form of medicalthose with limited or no health insurance, as costs
care; and more are following suit on a rapid basis.are typically lesser and more predictable.
How are online doctor consultations andThe Future of Telemedicine
prescriptions services possible?As time goes on, it is a priority in the health
Online doctor consultations and prescriptions, alsoindustry to make telemedicine, or online doctor
known as telemedicine, are possible with theconsultations more accessible and affordable for
continuing spread of information technology. Withpersonal use at home. Already many
the encompassing network that the Internetaccommodations have been made to provide
provides, it is easier than ever to connect peopleaffordable equipment to consumers. Online doctor
with hardware and even wirelessly throughconsultations will be more readily available to the
buildings, linking communities and countriesgeneral population as the number of personal
worldwide.computers and mobile phones with Internet
Before websites offered online doctoraccess increases globally. Greater access and
consultations and prescriptions, people had toefficiency of the health care industry will positively
travel to a doctor's office, or have a doctorinfluence people's quality of life.
come to them to obtain any kind of medical