The coronavirus pandemic has caused the entire world to implement virtual options and the medical health industry is no exception. Telehealth services are virtual services provided by medical health professionals and allow long distance patient and clinician contact. During the coronavirus pandemic, telehealth services are “a lifeline during a pandemic for medically-vulnerable individuals who should not be going anywhere near other sick people”. Patients were able to remain safe from exposure to the coronavirus and maintain an active pursuit of their health. Telehealth services are offered in an array of areas such as women’s health, mental health, and family medicine.
Traditional brick and mortar medical providers may view the increasing popularity of telehealth services as a threat. This growing sector of the industry has “the potential to be a direct threat to brick-and-mortar healthcare providers, with their expensive buildings and corridors full of currently empty beds.” Traditional medical providers have fought the expansion of telehealth services for years, ultimately loosing this battle as the coronavirus pandemic began to impact lifestyles worldwide. Supporters of telehealth services note that it is extremely convenient for patients, often allowing patients to be seen in a quicker manner. Telehealth is also less stress on physicians as they are able to see more patients in a comfortable setting (in an assumed, sitting/resting state).
Many patients enjoy the “office-free” appointments. Regardless of the increase in popularity for telehealth services, there will always be a need for patients to be seen in person by medical professionals. The ability for clinicians to diagnose patients via telehealth services is limited. Telehealth services allow medical providers to make in-person appointments only for those patients that must be seen in-person. “Well beyond Covid-19, there are benefits to keeping relatively healthy people at home, and reserving in-person appointments only for those that demonstrate the need.”
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think Telehealth services will remain a staple in the healthcare industry? Support your prediction with facts from the article.
- Should all medical providers enter the telehealth market? What are the advantages and disadvantages of entering the telehealth market as it relates to traditional medical providers? Is this a microeconomic issue or a macroeconomic issue?