In a digital age where people are sharing birthday messages over Facetime, we are still relying on a doctor’s surgery to make sure our coughs aren’t an infection.
implemented a telehealth program that allows veterans to access healthcare remotely. This has resulted in improved patient satisfaction, reduced hospitalizations, and significant cost savings. “Similarly, in Canada, the Ontario Telemedicine Network has successfully integrated eConsults into primary care, resulting in reduced wait times and improved access to specialists for patients in rural and underserved areas.” Stella Smith, Founder and CEO of pirkx, was also able to give an example of how eConsulting has helped diagnose and treat patients. A case study for the Pirkx solution reads as follows: My daughter was really poorly, and I was struggling to get an appointment with my GP. On this occasion, she couldn’t swallow, or eat, had a fever of over 39 degrees; lost weight and generally felt unwell. I was extremely worried. I went online to see if I could get her an appointment with a pirkx doctor. Within 5 minutes I had her booked for a video consultation for a couple of hours later. The doctor saw her and diagnosed her then and there, giving her much-needed antibiotics and medicine, as well as offering a follow-up appointment. I would definitely recommend the service to my family and friends. A private GP is between
£80 and £150 plus, and then there are extras on top, like if you turn up 10 mins late they keep the money and you have to pay again. pirkx is really good value for money. Barriers to treatment One of the more compelling reasons why eConsults make sense is that we already have the technology to carry them out in the palm of our hands. According to research from USwitch, at the start of last year, there were 71.8 million mobile connections in the UK, 4.2 million more than the UK population, increasing by 3.8% from 2021 or around 2.6 million. On top of this, by 2025, it is predicted that the UK population will reach 68.3 million and that 95%, or roughly 65 million people, will be using a smartphone. As the population continues to become technology literate, Marzio Ghezzi, CEO at Mia-Care said that enabling doctors, and more widely the healthcare industry, to be able to serve patients virtually. “Patients are increasingly getting used to connecting with their doctors remotely, so we need to provide healthcare organisations with the tools they need to fulfil the IT requirements of telemedicine. “In this way patients can benefit in their homes from the many excellent medical devices and applications that are coming
Stella Smith Founder and CEO
pirkx.com
CONTINUED
ucadvanced.com
37
Powered by FlippingBook