The Rise of Virtual Medical Consultations: European Expertise Online

The emergence of digital health, a wide concept that encompasses telemedicine and teleconsultation solutions, remote monitoring, connected devices, digital health platforms, and health apps, has been propelled in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic.

European expertise in online healthcare services has played a crucial role in facilitating this transition. 

Before COVID

Telemedicine has been available for years, but its widespread adoption only gained momentum recently. Before 2017, its usage was limited, with mental health services being the primary adopters.

Several barriers hindered telemedicine adoption pre-COVID-19, including staff training, clinician unwillingness to change, and a lack of synchronized EU regulations. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has since accelerated telemedicine adoption, breaking down some of these barriers and highlighting its importance in modern healthcare.

After COVID

This important shift was motivated by several factors:

• The fear of COVID-19 transmission has led to the use of telemedicine for non-urgent cases to maintain social distancing
• The opportunity to reduce health workers' contact with potentially infected patients, which helped avoid staff shortages due to the need for quarantine

Telemedicine also played a role in training healthcare professionals. It allowed medical trainees to participate in activities like patient rounding without exposing them to COVID-19. Additionally, telemedicine monitored COVID-19 patients self-quarantined at home, ensuring early intervention when necessary.

In outpatient care, telemedicine became crucial for managing chronic conditions without risking exposure to the virus. Many institutions expanded their telehealth services during the pandemic. Interestingly, patient satisfaction with telemedicine remained high, even among those initially skeptical about using technology for healthcare.

Future

The pandemic taught the world valuable lessons, demonstrating that many outpatient visits can be effectively managed via telemedicine without compromising patient care. 

The experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, and it is likely to continue evolving as an integral part of European healthcare systems.

So now you can fully understand the value of virtual consultations in the healthcare industry. Are you ready to take your personal health care to a whole new level?

You can connect with leading European experts through MedicusUnion and consult with them online. With just one click, you can now schedule a video conference appointment with your doctor for your upcoming treatment thanks to our thoughtfully developed platform.

Book your next appointment and discover the opportunities of the future with MedicusUnion!