By Dr. Naval Mendiratta, Senior Consultant, Fortis Healthcare
Telemedicine plays a critical role in the field of Rheumatology, offering multitudinous benefits to both patients and healthcare providers. Rheumatology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the joints, muscles, and bones. With over 1 percent of our population suffering from arthritis(roughly 10 Lacs people), and only over 1000-1500 rheumatologists all over the country, it is a useful tool to reach out to our patients.
Since telemedicine removes geographic limitations and makes it convenient for patients in rural and difficult-to-reach places to obtain specialised rheumatology care, improved access to care is essentially the main advantage. Further, telemedicine’s ability to provide prompt consultations for patients, which is essential in rheumatology as early detection and management of serious disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can prevent or delay their onset.
Why is Telemedicine important for Rheumatologists?
Rheumatological disorders being chronic diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension needs frequent follow ups in OPDS for patients to get their medicines adjusted till they achieve the desired result of remission. Imagine a patient who has to come to Delhi from a remote town in Bihar or UP for frequent follow ups? Apart from the doctor fees, medicines and lab tests the travel expenses and the cost to stay adds up to quite some amount. As practising Rheumatologist, we do suggest patients for a first time clinical examination and further we do try to follow up on Teleconsult which has helped us maintain the continuity in patients treatment. Rheumatologists can remotely check on their patients’ health, monitor the course of their diseases, and modify treatment regimens as necessary thanks to telemedicine. Due to a lack of specialists, many rheumatology practices have lengthy appointment wait times. By reducing these wait periods, telemedicine ensures that patients receive care when they require it. Telemedicine can facilitate follow-up appointments, prescription changes, and lifestyle advice. Remote monitoring is yet another perk of telemedicine as rheumatologists are able to collect information on their patients’ physical activity, joint mobility, and other pertinent variables with the aid of wearable technology and remote monitoring technologies. Decisions about a patient’s therapy and the side effects of medicines can be informed by this data.
It also facilitates multidisciplinary collaboration by ensuring that rheumatologists can readily work with other specialists, including primary care doctors, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, through telemedicine to give patients comprehensive care. Educating patients through this platform is an added value. It can be used to inform patients about their diseases, available treatments, and self-care techniques. This gives people the ability to take an active role in maintaining their health.
Easier medication administration is yet another positive impact of telemedicine in Rheumatology, as it frequently requires complicated medication schedules. Telemedicine enables patients to communicate with their rheumatologist about drug effectiveness, adherence, and side effects, resulting in the best possible treatment results.
It is vital to cognize that while telemedicine offers myriad upsides, it has its own limitations, especially when it comes to physical examinations and certain procedures. Hence it is important to understand this facet is complementary to the entire scheme of things but cannot be seen as a replacement. However, breakthroughs in technology, such as superior video conferencing, remote monitoring devices, and even virtual reality tools, will continue to bridge these chasms and augment the role of telemedicine in rheumatology care.
(The author is Dr. Naval Mendiratta, Senior Consultant, Fortis Healthcare, and the views expressed in this article are his own)
