Digital healthcare pros and cons
Dr Rashid Khan talks about the impact of the pandemic on healthcare digitalisation
As 2020 draws to a close , the world is still
combating the invisible COVID-19 enemy , with seemingly no end in sight . One of the consequences of the current pandemic is that the healthcare sector has seen an unparalleled growth in digital healthcare services as traditional medical treatment continues to face unavoidable disruptions . In many parts of the world , healthcare providers rapidly scaled up their virtual teleconsulting capabilities , with a reported 50- to 175-fold increase in patient volumes since the onset of the pandemic .
I ’ d like to share an unforgettable experience I had with teleconsultation .
Three years ago , I teleconsulted with a 17 year old college student who presented with flu-like symptoms , high-grade fever , and a mild sore throat for four days . I treated the student as viral fever and “ discharged ” him with routine flu medication , paracetamol and cough syrup . Since he was having his final year exam , he requested the medication be delivered to him , so I sent the prescription to the nearest pharmacy , which does home delivery .
The next day , I read in the newspaper that a few dengue cases had been reported at his college . I immediately called the teleconsult provider to trace back the student and check on his condition . It turns out his fever had subsided , but he developed new symptoms , gum bleeding and abdominal pain . These are classic dengue symptoms , and he was entering into a critical narrow phase where he could either escape into the recovery phase or go into dengue shock .
What this case tells us is that post-teleconsultation follow-up makes a huge difference in patient management and can help the patient get the right treatment .
Telemedicine is currently helping GPs and specialists consult with patients without coming faceto-face during the COVID-19 pandemic . Patients can receive medication via a home delivery service . While
62 NOVEMBER 2020 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com