Telemedicine services during the pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many have second thoughts about visiting hospitals for checkups. Although it is only a few hospitals that have been converted to specialised centres treating COVID-19 patients and even after many doctors themselves asked patients to get their routine checkups done, they may not do so. However, opting for telemedicine services could be the future of medicine in this pandemic-stricken era. 

According to Family Physician Dr. Sabith Salieh (MB Bch BAO (Ireland), MMed [Fam Med] (Singapore), MRCGP (INT), telemedicine platforms provide doctors with an opportunity to help patients island-wide as there are no logistical barriers. “Prior to joining the platform I had no previous experience, but later on I did some research. There are some guidelines in the US. There’s no legal worry as long as you’re a registered practitioner at the Sri Lanka Medical Council. Some service providers have additional criteria in order to ensure patient safety.” said Dr.Salieh. 

Diagnosis
One may doubt how a doctor could do a proper diagnosis when he’s not physically present with the patient. “It is important to spend time with the patient and get a detailed history about him or her,” he said. “Since it is a video consultation process doctors will also be able to see if a patient is in distress, has a sore throat, wound etc. 
Current technology doesn’t allow us to listen to the heartbeat etc. but 70-75% of the time doctors could conduct a successful consultation without physically checking a patient. But if they require further assistance I would ask them to refer another doctor,” the doctor added. 

Data security
According to Dr. Salieh, a patient’s as well as a doctor’s data is secured as per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA Act), a federal law introduced in the United States. “As per the law, no third party could utilise your data for marketing purposes.” he said. 

Benefit during a pandemic
He further said that by using telemedicine services patients can reduce exposure to the pandemic. “Complications are more in high risk patients and therefore they need to reduce exposure. Besides some patients may not have access to transport due to some areas being subject to quarantine curfew and isolation. Therefore they can make use of telemedicine services to get their checkups done. Apart from that if a patient is a first contact and has to quarantine himself/herself for two weeks at home, the individual may have other medical needs. So via a telemedicine service patents will have access to medical care,” he said. 

While adding that it is a value addition for a practicing doctor, Dr. Salieh said that it also ensures continuity of care. “Therefore the doctor as well as the patient has continuous access to one another,” he said.