History and Evolution of Telemedicine Technology
Many people assume that telemedicine must be very new. But the history of telemedicine technology is long and varied. In the early 20th century, British medical students were required to walk around London’s Hyde Park and watch how other people walked. They tried to diagnose their fellow park-goers at a long distance, using nothing more than the power of observation.
These days, telemedicine technology has come a long way. Here are some of the stages through which telemedicine has evolved, and a look into the future.
Telemedicine Technology by Telephone
Before video became available, telemedicine meant the telephone. Small-town doctors, especially in rural areas, would regularly consult with their patients over the phone. This technology allowed patients to ask questions and describe their symptoms. But of course, the problem with the phone is that people cannot see each other. So telephone technology, while helpful, put a certain limit on the doctor’s ability to treat his patient.
Today, people still call their doctor’s office on the phone to make appointments and refill their prescriptions. But Medicare does not reimburse for telephone consultations. So most doctors prefer to spend as little time as possible on the phone.
Email Test Results, Xrays, Documentation
Ray Tomlinson is credited with inventing email in 1972. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that health providers began sharing their patients’ health information by email. With email, you can attach a test result, xray, or other documentation and send it across the world for free. But in 1996 the Clinton administration signed HIPAA into law. Now providers would have to comply with strict rules about handling patient information. Unfortunately, most email is not secure, so it’s very risky for doctors to send patient information over email.
Video Telemedicine
In the late ‘90s companies like Polycom entered the video conferencing market, and video became a viable option for doctors. Video solves the audio-only problem posed by telephones, allowing doctors to see patients and communicate face-to-face. Also, video streams can be encrypted to protect patient information.
As consumers became accustomed to using video apps like Skype and FaceTime, the demand for telemedicine grew strong.
But not all video technology is the same. Some video companies practice what’s called “store and forward,” wherein video data is captured and saved to a server before being forwarded onto the end user. This practice slows down the video transmission and may create issues with HIPAA. Other video companies lack certain key features like instant message and screen sharing.
Wearables
With the arrival of wearable fitness trackers like FitBit, consumers can now keep track of their own vital statistics. And doctors can capture and monitor their patients’ health data.
Wearables do much more than just count your steps. You can use them to measure your pulse, blood pressure, weight, and even how well you sleep. The widespread popularity of this technology should cut down on the frequency of doctor visits.
The Future
It is a truism to say the healthcare industry is constantly changing, and fast. What can we expect in the next five to ten years? Many providers are searching for the ability to use video without needing to download new software to a computer. The company that figures out how to do that will win big.
Interoperability — the power to share electronic health records between doctors and their EMR systems — is already a hot topic and will be an urgent issue that providers will need to address. Video quality will also continue to improve, especially in rural areas with poor internet connectivity. We should also see better design for user experience as companies compete for users and adoption.
In other words, we can expect a lot. Big things are ahead for the future of telemedicine technology.
About VSee
Since 2012, VSee has been a leading company in the field of telemedicine. Doctors and hospitals rely on VSee for HIPAA-compliant video as well as several workflow solutions. VSee has designed and implemented telemedicine solutions for NASA, Walmart Clinics, Trinity Hospitals, and many more. Write to sales@vsee.com to schedule your demonstration.