There is nothing more stressful than getting sick while on vacation. Think for a second, you are on your dream vacation, but after a day or two, you cannot get out of your bed because of flu or cough. Will you waste your precious vacation time to visit the doctor? A couple of years ago you might have had to do this to get medication, but thanks to the evolving new technologies of today, you have other options available now.
The introduction of mobile apps has opened up new avenues for users. The old days of connecting with people face-to-face are long gone. Today anyone can make a video call to see their loved ones. Similarly, with apps under the category of Doctor On-demand, now you can talk to a doctor or a specialist to get diagnosed or get a prescription without waiting around.
Such apps have changed how the healthcare industry operates, and are continuously coming up with improvements. Today, all you need to do if you get sick is to install such an app, look for the relevant doctor or specialist, and if they are available online, you can contact them right away. Otherwise, you can make an appointment to have to doctor visit you at home, or you can visit the doctor as well. With the help of technology, tasks are becoming easier and more convenient for everyone.
How is something like this working?
Making apps like this takes up a lot of time and money and it cannot work without the support of customers and the service providers. Due to the advantages that consumers gain from such apps, they are becoming more and more popular. People are installing and utilizing these apps, medical organizations and many doctors are also investing capital in their development. Others have conducted researches and surveys to see how consumers would respond to such apps. The results of those researches and surveys were so good, that the developers and medical professionals were convinced that it will work and more than that, it will help people.
To make sure that you understand the importance of Doctor On-demand apps, let us take a look at some of its advantages.
It Reduces Paperwork
One of the most difficult and time-consuming things for a doctor is to maintain records of all of their patients and maintain the administrative office work. It takes up a lot of their important time. By utilizing an app, they can maintain all of their work at the same time while they see the patients. It will give them ample time to do more important work.
Increased Accessibility
Doctor On-demand apps are making it more convenient for everyone to get medical services. The fact that it makes doctors available in real-time and gives access to everyone with a smartphone shows that more people now have access to these services. Furthermore, because it makes medical services available online, the costs associated with going to a hospital and admissions are reduced. So, accessibility also reduces costs.
Convenience
Although technology and education around the world are on a boom, there are still many places that do not have access to medical specialists, especially in remote areas. People from such places need to travel far and wide to find a reliable and specialist doctor. It becomes a hassle when a patient is an elderly person or a kid. An app solves all of these problems that is people even in remote areas can simply use their smartphones to contact a specialist doctor and talk to them in real-time to explain their condition. The doctor can diagnose their problem and prescribe relevant medication to help them get better.
Better Outcomes for Patients
Everyone will agree that when they go to see a doctor, either in a hospital or a private clinic, they have to sit in the waiting room, for hours at times, before they can actually see the doctor. This happens because before the doctor sees a patient, the junior doctors have to note the background and history of patient so that the doctor can understand why the patient is feeling the way they are. An app will reduce this waiting time significantly and a patient who is already not feeling well will no longer have to endure the long wait.
Besides the waiting time, once you go to see a doctor, you almost always have to go back again after some time for a follow-up which means that they will have to endure the waiting time again, but an app makes it easier for both the patients and the doctor to see the patients on their follow-up appointment. Another advantage for patients is that if they forget to ask something related to the prescriptions, they can simply leave a query with the doctor to respond at their leisure. The patient gets the information they need, and the doctor can respond whenever they get some free time.
Gives an Edge to Doctors & Organizations
Providing healthcare in an app is not something that everyone is providing their patients. So, whoever starts doing this first, will obviously gain an edge over their competition. A competitive advantage is what sets one organization apart from another, and with such an advantage, that is providing doctor on-demand, healthcare organizations can cater to more people in less time.
Current Situation
Since the world is facing Covid-19, utilizing such apps is one of the best solutions to maintain social distancing, while at the same time, providing healthcare services to patients. It is a win-win solution for everyone. Especially for COVID-19 positive patients. They do not need to go anywhere from their isolation. All they need to do is open the app on their mobile phone, find a relevant doctor, and contact them online.
In the future, healthcare will integrate all aspects of medicine within an umbrella. This will make it easier for doctors and patients to see and share their medical history and explain their conditions. Ask yourself, why do you go to see your own doctor? Because he/she knows your medical history. Now imagine a system in which every doctor in every part of the world is like your own doctor.
Author Bio:
Olivia Marie is a digital marketing specialist at Appstirr.ae who enjoys creating content on intriguing topics, including Blockchain, B2B business models, mobile, and software development, and more. She is a passionate writer and an active tech enthusiast.