By Mr. Abhishek Ghosh
The idea of virtual healthcare has been around for many years. The term broadly covers a number of healthcare strategies, including e-learning, telehealth, telemedicine, digital healthcare
et al. Virtual healthcare is a system that helps in the delivery of affordable medical care, knowledge, education and training to remote locations across vast distances.
The virtual healthcare structure leverages digital infrastructure and technologies, including various information and communication technologies (ICT), to deliver health-related services. Virtual healthcare includes exchanging patients’ health records and diagnostic reports electronically with doctors that help them accurately assess a patient’s medical conditions.
Virtual or online healthcare uses different technologies to deliver specific healthcare and public health objectives. For instance, it includes education and training of local healthcare staff, promotes public awareness, ensures continuity in healthcare delivery, allows patients to access their medical information, applies evidence-based therapeutic interventions, etc. These measures help in the delivery of quality patient care.
Today, one of the major issues in healthcare delivery is the availability of a skilled workforce. Virtual healthcare platforms or e-learning platforms can support medical professionals’ training and educational needs.
Here are a few ways in which these healthcare platforms can provide training to medical professionals:
Remote Learning & Education: These platforms enable medical professionals to engage in remote learning through online courses, webinars and virtual conferences. They offer a wide range of educational resources—including lectures, interactive modules, case studies, and virtual simulations to facilitate continuous learning and professional development.
Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing: These platforms foster connectivity and collaboration among medical professionals from diverse locations to connect and work together. They facilitate the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices, fostering a sense of community and helping exchange ideas.
Telemedicine Training: The platforms facilitate telemedicine training by providing simulated patient encounters. Healthcare professionals can practice virtual consultations and gain experience conducting remote assessments, diagnosing conditions and providing appropriate treatment recommendations.
Continuing Medical Education (CME): CME is essential for healthcare professionals to stay updated with the latest medical advancements. Online platforms hold the potential to offer CME courses and activities, helping doctors earn credits conveniently from anywhere, at any time.
Virtual Patient Simulations: Online platforms can offer virtual patient simulations that closely replicate real-life scenarios, allowing medical professionals to hone their clinical skills, decision-making, and communication in a safe and controlled environment. Through these simulations, they can receive immediate feedback and guidance to enhance their performance.
Accessing Medical Literature and Research: These platforms also grant access to a vast array of medical literature, research papers and journals, empowering medical professionals to stay informed about the latest research findings, evidence-based practices and medical guidelines. By utilizing these resources, healthcare professionals can remain well-informed and ensure they deliver the most up-to-date and effective care to their patients.
Remote Mentorship & Supervision: The platforms also facilitate remote mentorship and supervision for medical professionals, especially those undergoing training. Experienced physicians and specialists can virtually offer guidance, review cases and provide valuable feedback virtually, thereby improving the learning process.
Data Analytics & Insights: Online platforms possess the capacity to utilize data analytics to identify trends, patterns and areas where medical professionals can improve their performances by analyzing large volumes of data. These platforms can provide valuable insights that can be used to customize training programs and identify areas where additional support is needed.
By integrating virtual healthcare platforms into medical training programs, professionals gain access to a wide range of educational resources, enabling them to collaborate with peers and experts, practice essential skills and stay updated with the latest medical knowledge and practices.
Future of Healthcare
Despite the challenges, the advantages of virtual clinical consultations, especially during critical times, are invaluable and can save lives. The pandemic has impacted the country’s ability to deliver clinical consultation to a huge population. The Indian government worked hard and fast, even during the initial lockdown period in 2020, and the health ministry brought about the country’s first-ever dedicated telemedicine policy guidelines.
Till 2019, the virtual healthcare segment was worth $829 million. But a recent report says this will touch $5.4 billion by 2025. Virtual healthcare is surely the future of medical care, and healthcare providers must adopt these technologies fast.
Final Words
The pandemic acted as an eye-opener for the entire world. It showed us how virtual healthcare can be an agent of change by providing medical services remotely, even in cities and locations that have adequate access to quality healthcare services. It has speeded up the adoption of telemedicine and telehealth worldwide in urban and rural areas equally. Technologies have helped us connect faster, stronger and better across distances. The time has come for us to leverage these technologies and make healthcare—the basic right of every individual—accessible to all.
Additionally, emerging technologies, like Virtual Reality (VR), are bringing about further advancements to the healthcare sector. VR is making it easier for medical practitioners to perform surgeries, facilitate rehab therapy, educate patients and manage back-office work. In training, too, VR can offer interactive and engaging educational context, thereby effectively supporting practical hands-on learning.
(The author is Mr. Abhishek Ghosh, Co-founder & Director, MediSage, and the views expressed in this article are his own)
