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The Appeal Of Telemedicine In Rural Areas

By Raymond Jackson


People who live in small or rural towns often lack the medical services they need to stay healthy. They have to travel miles away to bigger towns or forgo medical care altogether. The decision can force some people to suffer from illnesses and injuries needlessly. However, new technology now allows an increasing number of medical providers to bring services to remote locations. With telemedicine, small and rural towns now have the healthcare residents need to stay well.

The basis for this technology actually is at least 20 years old if not older. It originated at a time when nurses and doctors would drive vans, RVs, and other vehicles to remote areas to visit with and treat patients. Their vehicles served as a sort of healthcare clinic on wheels that could be taken from town to town on a regular basis. The facilities inside of the vehicles themselves allowed providers to offer basic services like blood pressure checks or vaccinations to school children.

These clinics on wheels still make their usual rounds. However, instead of providers having to make phone calls to and await messages from specialists located miles away, they can connect almost instantly with them via telecommunication modes like Skype. This type of software is easily installed in these vehicles, which are equipped with wireless Internet. The meetings can take place right on site.

During the meeting, the provider on the other end can review the patient's records, speak to the mobile unit provider, and also consult with the patient directly. This gives the person in need of care the opportunity to ask questions, have concerns about his or her health addressed, and set up appointment times for continued care. Patients no longer have to make long distant phone calls or drive miles away for this purpose.

This technology has also proven helpful in addressing the needs of at-risk individuals like the elderly. Aging individuals who live in rural areas sometimes go without the medical services needed to stay safe and well. They sometimes cannot afford to drive miles from home even if they are physically capable of driving.

The providers who work for the services can render aid for a variety of illnesses and injuries. From broken bones to pneumonia, they are able to diagnose and treat patients who might otherwise have gone without healthcare assistance. People using the service likewise might get access to prescription medications.

More hospitals and medical agencies are offering grants to rural healthcare facilities. The federal government is also offering grants for these purposes. It has been argued that within the next decade nearly every rural town could be served in such a manner.

Many rural and remote areas of the country do not have adequate hospitals, medical clinic, and other health services. They rely on clinics on wheels to come to them. These vehicles are equipped with wireless Internet that allows the providers in them to contact specialists in bigger towns miles away. Patients benefit from the instant care and the accessibility of specialized medicine.




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