Private GP services are increasingly offering access to GPs through video calling apps like Skype – saving the need to travel to your appointment.
Silver Surfers reports that you can see a doctor in the comfort of your own home and any prescriptions can be emailed directly to your pharmacy.
‘Teleheatlh’ is expanding hugely – it’s already very popular in the United States and private healthcare services like PushDoctor and BetterHelp can offer general appointments and counselling sessions over the phone. For an already overstretched NHS, many people feel telehealth bridges the gap in care and is a fast and convenient way to see a doctor or therapist without waiting in line.
Online health consultations are also slowly making their way to the NHS – in 2016, three practices in Essex and Greater Manchester had begun offering online video consultations. However, critics of the service argue that it’s simply not possible to receive the same level of care from over the phone or via an online consultation. The sense of privacy afforded by a doctor’s or therapist’s office makes it possible for patients to speak to their GP in a way they can’t over the phone. And without access to the patient’s medical notes and being unable to physically check symptoms, there’s a chance doctors will miss what they would otherwise spot in person.
(Story source: Silver Surfers)
