Have you ever thought that now it will not be necessary to go to the hospital to consult a doctor? With just a mobile, laptop, or app, you can talk to a doctor from home. Yes, this is telemedicine, where the facility of treatment automatically comes to you.
Virtual Healthcare is Transforming Patient Care
Telemedicine means online contact between a doctor and a patient, be it a video call, chat, or audio call. It includes everything from diagnosis, consultation, monitoring, and follow-up.
The term telehealth is also used, which has a slightly larger scope than telemedicine. It also includes the training of doctors, health education, and administrative work.
This means that this market could be worth more than $500 billion in the next few years. This will be the future of healthcare.
Big Telemedicine Trends
New identity of telemedicine after corona
During COVID-19, when it was difficult to go out, telemedicine played a vital role in providing treatment to people. Now, even after the pandemic, people are preferring to stay connected through it, especially in cases of mental health, skin diseases, and chronic diseases.
A boon for remote areas
Telemedicine has become a lifeline for people living in villages and remote areas. Now they do not have to go to the city for treatment.
This facility is especially beneficial for them:
People who live far from a hospital
Those who have difficulty moving around
Those who need immediate advice
Smart Watch and AI
Telemedicine is no longer limited to just video calls. It now also includes technologies like AI chatbots, smartwatches, and machine learning that can:
Records your health data (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure)
Detects diseases early
Helps doctors make faster and better decisions
Now these facilities are also
Mental health counseling
Online management of diabetes and heart diseases
Radiology, pathology, and ICU services too
Now it has become not just advice but a complete treatment system.
Who is using telemedicine?
Earlier, it was thought that only young or tech-savvy people would use it. But now even people over 65 years of age are liking it, because:
No hassle of travelling
Treatment at home
Time-saving
However, there is no official proof that “70% of the elderly have used telemedicine.”
Important things
What it is: Treatment by a doctor via video call, phone, or app
Why it matters: Saves time and money, makes healthcare accessible everywhere
Market size: $91B–$141B in 2024, projected to be $500B+ by 2033
