Online doctor is a term that first emerged in the 2000s that was first used by the media, then began to be used in academics. This term describes a generation of physicians and healthcare practitioners who deliver healthcare over the internet.
As the internet came to be a major source of information and communication, people started to come to it for health advice. As technology advances with broadband and video calls, many individuals have come to online doctors to receive online consultations and purchase prescription drugs.
For example, The Canadian Medical Association started an online portal for virtual healthcare with a direct and secure link for patients to forward filled-in data to their doctor during online consultations. This online platform utilizes secure messaging, an application that gives a private channel of communication between the healthcare provider and availee. This was initiated as an alternative to email. Doctors and patients can talk online about matters such as prescription renewals, appointment schedules, and chronic disease check-ups.
This pandemic has proven how a shift like this in healthcare is important to be embraced by many. As the COVID-19 started to spread all over the world and going outside can become dangerous to so many of us, especially to our children and to old people. With consultations that can happen online, without needing to go outside our homes, this has become a very helpful tool for us.
While physical examinations are important for the diagnosis of certain diseases, most people who come to in-person consultations for flu, sore throat, cough, and the like can usually be diagnosed accurately without performing physical tests and online doctor consultation can be suitable for them.
Steps to Make Your Online Doctor Consultation More Efficient and Effective
Since online consultations don’t have face-to-face and physical interaction with your doctor, it may affect the accuracy of your doctor’s medical advice. To avoid that, the patient must ensure to follow the following list:
- Before the Consultation
Before you have your online consultation with your doctor. You have to ensure to have a stable internet connection so that your doctor will be able to see and hear you effectively. If your environment or the device that you are using while on a video call with your doctor causes restrictions in properly communicating with you, the doctor is trained to not proceed with the consultation. It is their priority to provide you with high-quality care, and if they are not able to do so they may direct you to other alternative resources.
- During the consultation
During your online consultation, your doctor will have to ask you several basic questions that they normally ask to get started, so it is very useful if you prepare a brief medical summary to be prepared whenever they ask you some important questions about your health. This will help your doctor to have an accurate analysis of your condition and helping your physician to efficiently tailor questions as the consultation continues. This process is also beneficial for traditional in-person consultations. Some items that you need to include in your medical history and the things that you can expect during your consultation are listed below:
- Location, duration, onset, and nature of the medical issue
- Treatments that you have tried so far and if any of those treatments were successful
- Any past diagnostic or laboratory tests done
- Significant past surgical history or medical history
- List of any medications that are currently administered to you, as well as allergies to which you are susceptible
- Ideally, your light source should be behind the camera pointing at you for your doctor to properly see you at the other end of the screen
- Your camera should always be at eye level and your entire face and shoulders should always be included in the frame
- Avoid loud background noises and do not speak too quickly
- Make sure that their doctors are properly licensed to practice in Canada
- They should have a privacy policy to protect your details
- They should have a consent process where they inform you of their service’s limitations, terms of use, and price of the consultation.
- You should be able to access your consultation history on the platform
- There should be a collection of feedbacks from patients
Even if online doctor consultations are now available today, this does not mean replacing primary care. There are still conditions where a patient should have an in-person checkup with their doctors to get the appropriate tests done.But for the vast majority of the time, we often visit a doctor for prescription drugs for symptomatic relief, or for a medical certificate to rest at home. These conditions can be easily handled more efficiently by using online doctor consultations. You can get online doctor Canada consultations on various approved sites over the internet. It’s easier, faster, and most convenient when it comes to getting your illness treated.