It’s a good
news for people grumbling over the use of internet and its harmful impact.
Though it is definitely agreeable that internet does have some bad impact on
people, especially teenagers, but we just cannot ignore the easiness and
comfort it has brought to our lives. For people believing internet has just
gone better, saving their time by letting them shop online, it’s time you think
again. The most recent item in its kitty is online medical assistance or
consultancy, whatever we may call it.
Urbanized
India has seen a lot of changes in the 21st century and this is
probably one of the most useful improvements, India has ever encountered.
People in big cities and towns are increasingly consulting their doctors
through apps and internet. They literally are sending images of pimpled faces
or uploading photos of rashes and emailing it to their doctors, who in return
write prescriptions charging little money. So we see it is both economical and
time saving. Telephonic consultation was in practice long ago. But online
consultation is quite new into practice, and it already seems to work. The
demand for e-health services has seen a hike in the recent years. With the
popularity of these online services in the medical field, many companies have
come with a number of various websites to offer to the public. These websites
conduct video consultations, photos, emails and medical chats between the
doctor and the patient. Some websites offer 24/7 doctor-on-phone services for
people who seek medical assistance even in the odd hours of the day and night. Then
there is a company which has started a mobile app which enables people to
interact on video chats with doctors. Video chat can be seen as the next best
option to a clinic visit. It helps doctors to gauge on how serious or sick the
person really is, which is difficult to judge in an image.
The cost
factor is another attraction for the patients. Video consultations cost
anything between Rs 299 and Rs 999 as compared to in-person charge which costs
almost double.
But as we
know, something which has got so many advantages to its credit, cannot devoid
itself from disadvantages. Using the internet for medical assistance can never
act as a substitute for seeing a doctor. Although internet services may save a
lot of time but they undermine doctor-patient relationship and low healthcare
standards. There are concerns about the qualification of doctors working for
e-health companies too. Some websites offer totally no information about the
doctor, which at times can be dangerous or prove fatal. Moreover, the use of
e-health services can be used for minor health problems only. Despite of its
forthcomings, it strives to make an impact on healthcare and mostly in a
positive sense.
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