It’s estimated that one in four Americans suffers from chronic poor digestive health. Symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, bloating, acid reflux, and abdominal pain. The majority of sufferers are women. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a recognized condition that impacts many people and is particularly hard to diagnose conclusively and then to treat. It’s believed that the number of documented people who have IBS is far less than the number of actual sufferers, due to some people self-medicating and others not being formally diagnosed. Many patients are not happy with their current health care provider – either because they haven’t received a definitive diagnosis or, if they have, they didn’t find the post-diagnosis care helpful or they found it too expensive. Whatever the reasons, it seems a good time for telemedicine to enter the IBS arena and increase its impact on patients.

In fact, telemedicine is already being used in the diagnosis and treatment of IBS and other digestive complaints. Recent and ongoing research has compared the effectiveness of the traditional medical clinical team approach versus a technology-based approach. It’s important to find a way that works with every patient so that they receive better treatment and an improved quality of life. That treatment won’t be the same for everyone, as we all have different needs, different problems, and different responses. Telemedicine will undoubtedly be the answer for many, though, and is certainly the way of the future as technology continues to expand and develop.

There are so many benefits to consulting with your physician via telemedicine.

Imagine being able to have a Skype or phone conversation with your physician, rather than having to make an appointment, wait for that appointment, travel to that appointment, and take time off work or away from your kids for that appointment. Life would be a little easier, right? Not only easier, but you would save time and money. You can easily describe your symptoms to the doctor – he or she will know the right questions to ask. A digestive issue, at least in the early stages, is the sort of medical problem that doesn’t generally need a physical examination. Your symptoms, diet, and habits are of more significance. Once you’ve been assessed, your physician can email a prescription over to your nearest drugstore and you’ll hopefully be on your way to some relief.

Given the unpredictable nature of digestive complaints, you might also be much more relieved to conduct an appointment with your physician in the comfort and safety of your own house, rather than having to face a journey by car or public transport and then a wait to see the doctor.

In addition to diagnosing and providing treatment for digestive issues, telemedicine has also been successfully used in monitoring patients with gastrointestinal problems. Several Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) centers have set up telemedicine systems designed to increase and improve the management of gastroenterology diseases and symptoms. Over time, the use of telemedicine in these cases has been shown to improve patients’ quality of life, reduce their disease activity, increase their compliance with short-term treatments, and shorten the time of any recovery relapses. Patients on these programs have generally responded well to the use of telemedicine and have accepted it as a successful way of monitoring their condition.

Telemedicine could help improve the lives of many Americans suffering from IBS and other digestive issues.

Another benefit of treating and monitoring IBS and other digestive issues via telemedicine is apparent to the many Americans who live in a remote part of our vast country. Just a journey to see a physician for an appointment can take the best part of a day. That’s time traveling when you’re probably in pain or discomfort; money spent on the travel; and time off work or away from the family. Aside from that, if you need specialist care, there may not even be any available close to you. So if you can access that care and then the after-care you need via telemedicine, it’s a win/win situation.

Part of the after-care telemedicine can provide includes patients having access to registered dietitians and health coaches who have specific training and expertise in dealing with gastrointestinal symptoms and recognized conditions such as IBS, IBD, and food allergies. It brings great comfort to patients knowing that they have the one-to-one support of an expert who is available at the touch of a keyboard. Patients are also encouraged to keep a record of what they eat, what they do, their symptoms, general health, general wellbeing, and so on. They can record this in whichever way works best for them – video, audio, written diary, etc. All this information can then be shared with their support person through the wonders of telemedicine.

There is no doubt that telemedicine is already having a positive impact on the diagnosis, treatment and management of digestive complaints. It’s highly likely that its use will be increased in the future, particularly for remote patients with restricted access to IBD centers; to improve and support patient self-management; and even as an instrument to increase health education and maintenance.

In an increasingly stressful world, it can feel impossible to stay on top of your mental health. These problems can be made even worse if you can’t make the time to visit a doctor or a psychologist thanks to your busy schedule. Mental health is something that needs to be prioritized, but it can be so difficult to properly make time for it until it’s too late and you get burned out. Luckily, telemedicine exists to help people with busy schedules to properly take care of their mental health.

Telemedicine is experiencing a huge boom in popularity at the moment thanks to the proliferation of smartphones. Now that everyone has a machine in their pocket that allows them to order food, get a date, or buy clothes, medical professionals are using this technology to bring care to people who really need it. Telemedicine is the combination of telecommunications technology with medical or diagnostic advice. It has been in existence for almost as long as telecommunications, but in the past it was mostly used in emergency conditions where medics could not access patients, such as warzones and remote areas. However, in a world where everyone has a smartphone, telemedicine is being utilized for all kinds of everyday care.

Mental health maintenance is one of the ways that telemedicine is being used, and this is happening in many different ways. The first way is that people are accessing primary care physicians via their smartphones to conduct regular medical appointments in a way that is more convenient for them. For busy professionals, it can be hard to make time to visit your doctor’s office, especially if their location or opening hours are inconvenient. This is especially true if your job is particularly high-pressure and taking time off during working hours is unthinkable. Telemedicine means you can access medical advice for a mental condition or get a repeat prescription from the comfort of your own home.

Scheduling a telemedicine appointment is as easy as picking up your smartphone.

You might be unsure about how a medical appointment over the phone can work, but the truth is that it’s a very easy process. The first step is to log on and either make an appointment or visit a drop-in service, depending on the type of telemedical provider you’re visiting. In either instance, you may have to join a virtual waiting room, but after a short period of time, you’ll be connected with a doctor and you’ll be able to speak to them face-to-face via the camera on your phone. Like any doctor, they’ll ask about your condition and suggest treatment paths for you. For mental health issues, these may involve medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, or a combination of all three.

As well as being able to access primary care physicians, telemedicine can allow you to access therapy from psychologists or psychiatrists. You can ask your primary care physician for a telemedical referral or do your own research to find a provider that would work for you. Like using telemedicine for primary care, therapy via your smartphone is surprisingly easy. Using your phone for therapy means that you’re not confined to face-to-face therapy. Indeed, many telemedical therapy services allow patients to use text, phone, and email to speak to their therapists; this can be very useful for people with social anxiety who are nervous to speak with people and seek therapy. For people who have trouble leaving the house, telemedicine can offer them a safe space to access help and health care without forcing them out of their comfort zone. By using telemedicine in this way, you’ll be able to build up to fighting the symptoms of your mental illness in a way that is comfortable and safe for you.

If you need medication for your mental health condition, telemedicine can make procuring it a lot more convenient.

In seeking therapy or primary care for your mental health condition, you may have to get prescriptions for medication. Lengthy waits at pharmacies to fill prescriptions can be triggering for people suffering from some kinds of mental illness, especially if leaving the house is difficult. Telemedical providers can often link directly with pharmacies and send your prescriptions straight to them. This means that your medications will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive to the pharmacy, so you won’t have to wait and inconvenience yourself.

While mental illnesses can be some of the most difficult to live with on a daily basis, telemedicine is truly revolutionizing how mental health patients access their health care. It is a truly patient-centered approach, meaning that people who suffer at varying levels of severity will be able to access health care in a way that puts them at less stress, and thus helps them properly treat their conditions.

Your eyes are one of the most important parts of your body. They are called the windows to the soul and they give you access to what surrounds you and what’s ahead of you. However, they are delicate and can get damaged without you even knowing it. It’s very important to keep on top of your eye health, and telemedicine is one of the best ways to do it in a convenient and affordable way.

Telemedicine is experiencing an explosion in popularity at the moment. In a society that allows you to order dinner, find a date, and buy clothes from your phone, there’s no reason why you can’t access health care through your phone too. Simply put, telemedicine is the combination of medical or diagnostic advice with telecommunications technology. It has been used since the advent of telecommunications, usually in war zones or other disaster situations where doctors can’t access their patients, but now patients are turning the tables and using telemedicine for their own convenience.

Convenience is the reason that many busy professionals are turning to telemedicine. Traditional primary care physicians usually operate under traditional office hours and are located in places that are convenient to them, as opposed to convenient to their patients. If you’re someone with a busy job, it can be difficult to take time out for medical appointments, so unless you’re feeling very unwell, you’re unlikely to make time for a doctor’s appointment. But telemedical appointments can be done from the comfort of your home, at a time that suits you, so you’re not at the mercy of someone else’s schedule.

Did you know you can use your smartphone to access optical health care?

The key to telemedicine being used for optic health is the camera. While a phone camera can’t rival an optician’s chair, you can still use it to give your telemedical doctor a look at what’s going on. In order to see an optician via telemedicine, you just need to find a specialist and either make an appointment or use a drop-in service. You might have to wait in a virtual waiting room, but once you get connected to a medical professional, it’s just like a regular doctor’s appointment. They’ll ask how they can help you and what the nature of your problem is. If you have a specific eye issue, they’ll ask to look at it and offer you a diagnosis based on what they can see.

Telemedical doctors have excellent links to secondary physicians, so if you need to be referred to an ophthalmologist, they can send the referral directly as opposed to you having to make a second appointment. They will also link in with your pharmacy so that if you need medication, the prescription will be ready and waiting for you and you won’t have to wait. As well as being more convenient, telemedicine is usually more affordable than traditional primary care, because the doctors who operate online do not have the traditional overheads associated with running a doctor’s office. Opticians also have the double whammy of having to act as a sales front for glasses and lenses, whereas a telemedical optician does not have to fork out for fancy displays, even if they have access to the most chic glasses. If you are in need of new specs, you’ll still be able to order them online, usually at a discounted rate relative to a traditional optician.

If you don’t have time to head to an in-person optical appointment, why not try scheduling one via telemedicine?

A telemedical doctor can also give you general advice on eye care. Eye infections are a lot more common than you may think and can have a variety of causes. In our increasingly technological world, eyes can also experience tiredness thanks to excessive screen time. Your telemedical doctor will be able to give you advice on avoiding eye exhaustion and how to best take breaks when you’re at work. In addition, if you have a condition like diabetes that can have a negative impact on your vision, your telemedical doctor can give you advice on how to avoid unnecessary damage, through lifestyle changes and adherence to your medication program.

Health care, including eye care, has been one way for a long time, and telemedicine is changing the game for doctors and patients alike. Patients no longer feel the need to go out of their way to access health care in an inconvenient manner when they can see a qualified doctor from the comfort of their own home. Don’t be afraid to try telemedicine for your optic health. You’ll be empowered and comfortable in the knowledge that you can take care of your eyes while not going out of your way to access health care for someone else’s convenience.

Seeing a doctor is not always the easiest thing to do. It is also often not at the top of people’s list of priorities, especially in a non-emergency situation. Busy professionals rarely have time to visit the doctor, and this problem is often compounded by medical professionals who have inflexible opening hours that don’t really work for people with traditional nine-to-five jobs. These issues are also made worse if patients have mobility issues or are living in remote locations where access to all kinds of services is difficult, never mind health care. This is why many people living in remote locations are now turning to telemedicine to make their lives easier.

Simply put, telemedicine is the combination of medical or diagnostic advice with telecommunications technology. It is currently experiencing a huge surge thanks to the proliferation of smartphones, but has been used since the advent of telecommunications technology, usually in warzones or other areas where it is difficult to bring medics in-person. Nowadays, people who live in remote locations are using telemedicine to access health care in ways they never thought possible.

Telemedicine has many benefits, especially for people who live in remote locations.

There are many advantages to living in remote locations, including the peace and quiet and the freedom of total privacy – but the truth is that there just isn’t the same level of accessibility as there is in a more built-up area. People living in cities take for granted the services that those living remotely have to travel some distance for. This can be particularly problematic for health care services, especially if you work in a job that doesn’t allow for a lot of flexibility in taking time off for medical appointments.

Telemedicine is perfect for people who live in remote locations because all you need is a smartphone and an internet connection, which most people have these days. Depending on the type of service you use, you will either make an appointment with a specific service provider or else use a drop-in clinic. Either way, you might have to wait in a virtual waiting room before being able to meet your doctor. From there, it’ll be exactly the same as a face-to-face consultation, except you’ll be talking to your doctor via the camera on your smartphone. They’ll ask why you’re seeing someone and give you the same advice an in-person medical professional will. They may ask you to use the camera to show them specific physical symptoms if needed and will answer any questions you may have.

People in remote locations can often be unsure as to whether they need secondary care and may be unwilling to take the chance due to the long journey time, but telemedical professionals can easily refer you to a specialist if needed. Instead of wasting your time traveling to a primary care physician and then having to go to a specialist, a telemedical doctor can properly ascertain your need to make this trip while you’re comfortable in your own home. They can also make your life easier by forwarding all correspondence directly to your secondary physician and can link in with your pharmacy, meaning that prescriptions will be ready and waiting for you as soon as you get there, as opposed to having to wait lengthy times for them to be prepared.

As long as you have a smartphone and an internet connection, medical consultations are just a tap away.

Seeking specialist care can often be problematic for people living in remote areas, but telemedicine connects patients to doctors who can give them the specific care they need for their ailments. For people who require care that is not traditional, such as medical marijuana or emotional support animals, there is a wealth of medical professionals operating via telemedicine who can give you the advice that you need in an unbiased, non-judgmental way. This can be especially helpful for patients of primary care physicians who may be unwilling to try innovative forms of treatment. If you suffer from a condition that has various treatments, it can often be intimidating to ask your doctor to help you access something like medical marijuana. Being able to speak to someone who specializes in this area, especially from the comfort of your own home, can be very helpful and therapeutic for people who might otherwise be too nervous to advocate for themselves.

It may sometimes feel odd to speak to a doctor via a camera, but once you start, you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it sooner. Telemedicine allows people from various backgrounds and locations to connect with health care like never before, and if you’re living somewhere remote, it’s the perfect solution to a problem you might not even know you have, freeing up your spare time for things that really matter. It’s affordable, accessible, and a great option for every type of patient, so what are you waiting for?

To be physically disabled in a world that doesn’t always cater to you can be a frustrating experience. There are countless ways you can face discrimination on a daily basis, from lack of access to buildings to inadequate public transport, and these problems are only exacerbated if you live in an isolated area. The good news is that access to health care doesn’t need to be dependent on your ability to get to a doctor’s clinic, thanks to advances in telemedicine.

What is telemedicine? Put simply, it is the combination of telecommunications technology with diagnostic or health care advice. It has been used for a long time, mostly in emergency situations such as warzones or natural disasters when medics cannot access patients and have to make do with radio advice. However, thanks to the explosion in popularity of smartphones, telemedicine is now a mainstream means by which patients of all kinds are accessing medical advice.

Telemedicine can make it much easier for people with physical disabilities to access health care and medical advice.

Using telemedicine with a physical disability will depend on your ability to use a smartphone, but there’s no reason not to get assistance from a family member, friend, or carer who you trust to be present for your health care conversations. Once you’re comfortable in starting your consultation, you simply log on and get started. You sign up to the website of your choice and either wait in a virtual waiting room or get connected immediately to a doctor. They will speak to you via the camera on your phone and ask questions to get a sense of your medical history. You will get the opportunity to discuss your impairments with your doctor openly and they will be able to get a sense of how your disability impacts your life. If you need further testing, they will be able to refer you to a specialist, but can remain your primary care physician.

Telemedical doctors are very integrated with secondary services, which means that it’s a lot easier for patients, both disabled and able-bodied, to link in with specialists. They will send referral letters directly to the specialist doctors, meaning you don’t have to inconvenience yourself with having to schedule your own appointments. They will also link in with pharmacies to send your prescriptions straight to them so you don’t have to wait for your medications to be prepared. They’ll be ready and waiting for you as soon as you get to the pharmacy.

Another perk of telemedicine is that it tends to be a lot more affordable than traditional health care. If you’re living with a disability, you may have to spend a lot of money to make your life happy and comfortable, and you’re better off keeping that money for your self-care instead of unnecessarily spending it on doctors who are not acting in your best interests or convenience. Imagine a world where you can splurge on a fancy dinner instead of a doctor’s appointment!

If you have a smartphone, medical professionals are now literally at your fingertips through the advent of telemedicine.

If you’re someone who has a physical disability, it will be inevitable that you will have to see doctors in person from time to time, but telemedicine gives you the flexibility to be able to see someone in more convenient circumstances. If you’re using telemedicine as well as other specialists, they will be able to be kept in the loop with one another thanks to the ways telemedical providers store their records. This also means that you’ll be able to access the records however and whenever you want to, instead of having to jump through hoops, as is often the case at a traditional primary care physician’s office.

If you are living in a remote area or you have trouble with your mobility, it can be difficult to get to your doctor’s office, especially if your physical disability is causing you additional issues. Traditional primary care physicians often have opening hours that coincide with office hours, so it’s also very difficult for people who work full-time to make their way to a doctor’s office. Telemedicine allows you to see a doctor from the comfort of your own home, meaning that you don’t have to take time off work or push your body further than it needs to go for the sake of seeing a doctor in person.

If you don’t allow your disability to hold you back in other areas of your life, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use telemedicine to receive the best health care possible while avoiding the inconvenience of having to see a doctor in person. Telemedicine is an excellent way to empower yourself and to take back control instead of making yourself fit into a mold that just isn’t convenient for you.

If you’re new to the world of medical marijuana, the sheer volume of strains as well as the different forms can be so alienating that you may decide against going down the route. However, if you seek some professional guidance, you won’t regret choosing to use medical marijuana to treat your condition.

Medical marijuana can be used to treat a wide and varied number of conditions. Patients have found it helpful in treating symptoms from illnesses including cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, and depression. While it is now legal to use recreationally in states including California and Washington, medical marijuana use is booming thanks to a wider understanding of the benefits of the drug for a wide range of illnesses.

Telemedicine is one of the most popular ways to access medical marijuana – but what is it? Simply put, telemedicine is the combination of telecommunications technology with medical or diagnostic advice. It can be used in a variety of situations – usually emergency ones where professional medics can be difficult to obtain – but is now experiencing a boom in popularity due to the proliferation of smartphones.

If you have a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, you can use telemedicine to access advice about medical marijuana.

The reason that telemedicine has become so popular for people seeking treatment with medical marijuana is that it allows them to connect with experts who can give them specialized advice relating to MMJ. While many traditional doctors are uneducated about medical marijuana, there are scores of experts online who are willing and able to deliver information relating to MMJ for people who are in real need of advice and knowledge.

There are several strains of medical marijuana available, with differing strengths and uses. There are so many different ways that they can be used, and this can sometimes be overwhelming for patients who are often in deep need of help. By linking in with medical marijuana doctors via telemedicine, you can gain insight and specialized advice as to how MMJ can help you specifically. When it comes to medical marijuana, everyone’s needs are different, so there is no point diving into the deep end without getting some education about which strain can best help you and ease the symptoms of your condition.

While it may seem odd, conducting an appointment by telemedicine is actually incredibly easy. It’s just slightly different from a traditional appointment in a doctor’s office. If you’re looking for advice on medical marijuana, telemedicine can often be the better option, as doctors who operate via telemedicine are often more open about being experts in therapies (such as medical marijuana) that can be seen as slightly alternative by the mainstream medical community.

The first thing you need to do is to find a telemedical doctor that is interested in medical marijuana. Then, you either need to make an appointment or wait in a virtual waiting room for a doctor to become available. Once you become connected to the doctor, they will speak to you about your condition and then give you some advice on what strains of medical marijuana are most suitable for you. You can also be referred to dispensaries in your area that are best suited to helping people with your specific condition. The telemedical doctor can also advise you on the different forms of medical marijuana, which can come in edibles, lotions, vapes, tinctures, and joints, among other things. The perfect combination of form and strain of medical marijuana can differ from patient to patient, so once you find yours, you’ll be best positioned to treat your condition.

Different strands of MMJ can help to treat different conditions.

Marijuana comes in different strains made up of different combinations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) alongside other cannabinoids, which can all deliver differing effects to the body. While THC is mainly psychoactive, delivering effects that you would traditionally associate with recreational use of marijuana, the differing combinations of THC and CBD can deliver relief to people suffering from a range of illnesses. For those with poor appetite and nausea, medical marijuana can be very helpful in allowing the body to gain appetite and digest food. MMJ can also help people with mental health issues feel calmer from their anxiety, depression, or socialization issues. It has also been shown to offer relief for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease or seizures to help them gain mobility back.

When seeking out medical marijuana treatment, telemedicine is a great place to start. You’ll be able to speak to someone who knows what they’re talking about and who will give you helpful and non-judgmental advice. For patients who have no experience in taking medical marijuana, the sheer amount of types of MMJ can be massively overwhelming. By logging on and chatting to an expert, you’ll be able to visit your dispensary confident in the fact that you’ve educated yourself and gotten as much information as you can to properly treat your condition.

In a world in which we are increasingly connected with each other through our smartphones, it makes sense that more patients are seeking specialized care through telemedicine. We no longer have to settle for whatever kind of care and treatment we can get with local medical providers. Telemedicine is opening the world up to all kinds of patients, but is proving especially helpful for patients with serious and chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS, who are having trouble gaining access to knowledge on medical marijuana.

Telemedicine is the combination of medical or diagnostic advice with telecommunications technology. It has been used in many situations, usually emergencies or conflict zones, since telecommunications has been in widespread use, but it is experiencing a massive boom in popularity since the proliferation of smartphones. As almost everyone in the developing world now has a smartphone, access to telemedicine is easier than ever.

So what does this mean for patients with HIV/AIDS? Simply put, they can speak to medical experts in the area of medical marijuana to get advice on the best way to treat their condition with this alternative therapy. HIV, which stands for the human immunodeficiency virus, was discovered in the eighties and was the cause of a worldwide pandemic of infection and progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which has led to the deaths of millions of people worldwide.

Telemedicine has the potential to change the lives of HIV/AIDS patients for the better.

While HIV/AIDS continues to ravage the developing world, progressions in medical science mean that it is now seen as a chronic condition in areas where patients can access the correct retroviral medication. However, people living with HIV are still liable to suffer a variety of symptoms and side effects, both from their condition and from the associated medical treatment. It has been shown that medical marijuana can be helpful in treating some of these conditions.

Telemedicine can help patients who are HIV-positive to access medical professionals who specialize in medical marijuana treatment. As medical marijuana is still seen as a slightly alternative and controversial therapy, despite evidence that it is very helpful in a variety of conditions, it can be difficult for patients to find a doctor who will treat them in person with medical marijuana. Through telemedicine, patients with HIV/AIDS can easily access experts in this field and have open and frank medical discussions, all from the comfort of their own home.

Many HIV/AIDS patients will be shocked to learn how easy it is to speak to a medical marijuana expert via their phone. Simply find a specialist online, ensuring that they are correctly qualified, and then register with their website. Depending on the type of provider they are, you will either have to make an appointment or you will be able to ‘walk in’. In either instance, you may have to wait in a virtual waiting room for a time until the medical professional is ready to see you. Once they begin the consultation, it will continue as any other medical appointment. They will ask about your experience of HIV/AIDS and may need to see your medical records. Depending on your personal circumstances, they will then be able to advise you on the best treatment path for you on the route of medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana has many benefits for HIV/AIDS patients.

There are many ways in which medical marijuana can help alleviate the symptoms of HIV/AIDS. As most patients will know, nausea is a common side effect of both HIV/AIDS and its associated medication treatment program. There are many strains of medical marijuana that can help ease nausea and encourage appetite. This is important as many people who are HIV-positive can find it difficult to keep their weight up, so being plagued by nausea and loss of appetite can be a massively debilitating side effect. Medical marijuana can also help to ease chronic pain, which many people suffering from HIV/AIDS experience. Your telemedical doctor will be able to advise on the best types of medical marijuana that can ease the specific pain you are experiencing. As well as all these treatment options, medical marijuana also eases the anxiety and depression that many HIV-positive people experience from being diagnosed as a result of widespread societal ignorance and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

If you are someone who is HIV-positive, you will be more than familiar with the doctor’s office, but telemedicine gives you the opportunity to try something totally new and to explore treatment plans that may offer you relief from symptoms you are simply just trying to live with currently. Telemedicine puts the power back into the hands of patients, so if you’re sick of exploring traditional treatment paths and not being listened to, telemedicine will offer you an avenue that empowers you, without abandoning the traditional medication that treats your condition.

While telemedicine may feel like an uncertain trend to some people, the truth is that it is truly changing the way patients interact with their medical care. While telemedicine – that is, the combination of telecommunications technology with medical or diagnostic advice – has been around for about a hundred years, it is experiencing a massive boom thanks to the proliferation of smartphones. There are many reasons why using telemedicine is one of the best decisions you can make as a patient, but we’ve gathered some of the most important ones here.

1. Flexible Appointment Times

If you’re a busy professional, it can be really difficult to find time to see a doctor in their clinic or office. Most doctors do not offer flexible appointment times or opening hours and if you need to see someone, you might have to take time off work. Telemedicine means that you can see a doctor as and when you need to. Many operators offer flexible appointment times out of hours, so you can get the care you need without it impacting on your day-to-day routine.

2. Seeing a Doctor at Home

If you’re busy, it can be very appealing to be able to stay at home when you can. Telemedical appointments can be taken wherever you need them, with many patients opting to take them from the comfort of their own home. As well as being more convenient, telemedical appointments are far more comfortable than going to see a doctor in-person. This is especially important to people with disabilities or limited mobility, who may find it difficult to make their way to a doctor’s appointment. If you’re contagious, not going to a doctor’s office will also ensure that you don’t spread your illness further; it also means that you have less of a chance of picking up another infection if you have compromised immunity.

With the advent of smartphone technology, it’s never been easier to utilize telemedicine.

3. Easier Access to Records

It can be quite difficult to see a copy of your medical records if you are a patient at a regular doctor’s clinic. It often involves a lengthy process where you have to give written permission and the clinic will often only forward your records to a new medical professional, as opposed to letting you have them yourself. Telemedicine providers often give you a profile on their homepage, which will be home to your appointment notes, general medical profile and other relevant information. This can be accessed at any time by you whenever you need it and can be easily distributed to other medical professionals if needed.

4. Ability to See Specialists

When you see a telemedicine provider, they will often specialize in a certain branch of medicine – often one that is not commonly available in regular doctor’s clinics. If you need an emotional support animal letter, for example, there are many providers online who will be able to give you medical advice. Similarly, it’s very common for patients who need medical marijuana to access telemedical services, as online providers tend to be better versed in the treatment and less susceptible to unfair prejudices surrounding unconventional treatments.

5. Syncing with Other Service Providers

There are times where your telemedical provider will be unable to provide you with the expertise needed and will refer to you another specialist. If additional services such as blood tests or X-rays are required, your telemedical professional can easily refer you on to another expert. They are also able to integrate with other medical services such as your local pharmacy, sending your prescriptions straight to them so that they’re ready and waiting for you when you get there. The integration between telemedicine and other medical service providers means that your treatment path will be clear and uncomplicated as well as far more convenient.

Accessing medical care from the comfort of your own home is just one of the benefits of telemedicine!

6. Better Value Financially

There aren’t as many costs associated with telemedical practices as there are with traditional doctor’s offices. Their staffing and operational costs aren’t as high and they usually allow their employees to work in a freelance manner, meaning that their costs are lower. This translates to better savings for their patients and usually longer appointment times, so you’re getting far more bang for your buck. This also means that you will be able to see the doctor more frequently if needed, as financial concerns won’t be as pressing if you’re paying less per appointment.

All of this translates to easier, more convenient and flexible experiences for patients. When you’re ready to take the leap and change to telemedicine, you just need to make sure you have a smartphone and a good internet connection. Then, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy functional, flexible, and excellent health care. When you’ve made the change, anything else will seem far less practicable.

Smartphones have truly changed the world that we live in. You can now find a date, have your laundry picked up, and order dinner from the comfort of your sofa, but what many people don’t know is that you can even see a doctor or other medical professional through your phone in a practice called telemedicine.

Telemedicine is the combination of diagnostic or medical advice with telecommunications technology. It may seem like a relatively new phenomenon, but it has been around since the proliferation of telecommunications technology. While it has traditionally been used in specialized cases such as warzones, the emergence of smartphones means that telemedicine is being widely used by more and more people.

It’s never been easier to access health care without actually having to visit the doctor.

The truth is that traditional health care just isn’t working for average patients anymore. If you work a nine-to-five job, chances are you have to take time off work if you need to see a doctor, as most clinics do not have extended opening hours. This is completely inconvenient – but luckily, telemedicine offers a different approach. Usually, you can see a telemedical doctor at a flexible time, as they can work various hours from different locations. This means that you don’t have to interrupt your busy life to make your health care work for you.

Another inconvenience for some patients is the location of their doctor. For patients who live in cities plagued by traffic or for those who live in remote areas, it can be massively inconvenient and stressful to make your way to the doctor’s office. With telemedicine, you speak to a doctor from the location of your choice through your smartphone, so it’s a lot more convenient and comfortable. This is also a big consideration for patients with disabilities or limited mobility who are just not as comfortable traveling long distances to see a doctor.

Access to information is also a big benefit on the side of telemedicine. While it can be tricky to access your records in a traditional doctor’s office, telemedical providers make it quick and easy to be able to see your patient file. Usually, when signing up to a telemedicine provider, you will be asked to create a profile that is linked to your email address. This profile will also serve as a home for your medical information. This means that instead of going through an arduous process to access your medical records or to have them transferred to another clinic, you will be able to check up on your patient history easily and with the click of a mouse.

Technology and telemedicine have begun to transform health care as we know it.

The process of using telemedicine is very simple. Firstly, you sign up to a telemedical provider. This is usually a very simple process that takes no longer than a few minutes. Then, you will either schedule an appointment or go to a “walk-in” service. Either way, you may be asked to enter a virtual waiting room and when the doctor is ready to see you, you will be connected to them. From here, it’s very much like a traditional visit to the doctor. They will speak to you via the camera function on your smartphone and discuss why you need to see a doctor. You can use the camera to show them physical symptoms and if you’re in need of further testing, they can refer you to a specialist for blood testing, scans, or other necessary tests that you might need.

The other huge positive for patients in telemedicine is the convenience and flexibility of telemedical doctors. Most telemedical services will send your prescription straight to your pharmacy for you so you don’t have to go out of your way to pick it up. It’s as easy as walking into your nearest dispensary and picking up a prescription that’s ready and waiting. If you are being referred for further testing, all arrangements will be made ahead of time and your relevant records will be provided to your secondary medical professional ahead of time. This is on top of the convenience of being able to see a doctor from the comfort of your own home through your smartphone. Telemedicine is truly a service that centers patients by understanding their busy lives and providing an alternative to traditional health care that works for them.

It is not an exaggeration to say that telemedicine is massively empowering patients. By allowing greater flexibility and providing health care that suits patients as and when they need it, telemedicine is bridging the gap between health care and technology and allowing patients to access the best care available to them while being affordable, convenient, and secure. What’s not to love?

Cancer could definitely be considered a global pandemic. In 2016, it was estimated that 1,685,210 new cases of cancer were diagnosed and that 595,690 people died of the disease. The most common forms of cancer in the U.S. are breast, lung, prostate, colon, bladder, skin, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thyroid, kidney, leukemia, endometrial, and pancreatic cancer, and it’s a safe bet that you know someone close to you who has been affected.  The treatment path is familiar to all of us, with radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy being the normal route for most sufferers. These treatments are quite harsh and, while they often save the lives of patients, they can leave some pretty serious side effects in their wake. More and more patients are opting to seek alternative treatments to complement traditional therapies; one of these is medical marijuana – which can now be accessed through telemedicine.

According to the American Cancer Association, studies on medical marijuana have shown that the drug improves symptoms of nausea and vomiting, neuropathic pain, and food intake. It can also help relax patients who are feeling stressed due to the pressure of their diagnosis and treatment. However, many patients can be turned off of seeking treatment via medical marijuana due to the stigma of the treatment and the difficulty in finding a specialist who can recommend the correct form of treatment for you.

This is where telemedicine comes in. It is truly the perfect way for cancer patients who need advice on medical marijuana to seek treatment. Many people are unaware of its existence, but if you’re able to Google your symptoms, you’re able to engage with telemedicine for treatment. Put simply, telemedicine is the delivery of medical or diagnostic advice through telecommunications technology. It has been around for as long as telecommunications technology has, usually being used in disaster areas or warzones, but now, thanks to the boom in smartphones, it’s accessible to nearly everyone.

Medical marijuana has been shown to have significant benefits in alleviating some side effects of cancer treatments.

Firstly, you’ll need to check the legality and availability of medical marijuana in your state. Medical marijuana is legal in 29 U.S. states as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Colombia. Seventeen additional states have laws limiting the levels of THC in medically available cannabis but allow access under certain conditions. The non-medical use of marijuana is legal in nine states, so no doctor’s documentation is required. However, it is still advisable to seek medical advice when looking to treat cancer with MMJ.

Many doctors are not familiar with the treatment process and those who seek treatment can often feel stigmatized, but telemedicine can connect you with a medical professional who specializes in medical marijuana treatment. You can simply search for someone who is a specialist and make an appointment with them. This will involve logging on, spending some time in a “virtual waiting room,” and then being connected with the medical professional you are scheduled to see. (Some services even offer drop-in appointments, so no appointment is necessary. However, your wait time may be longer.) You will use the camera on your phone to speak to your doctor via video about your cancer and how medical marijuana may be able to help. It is vital that you get recommendations as to which strains and forms of marijuana will be the most suitable for you in treating the specific side effects you are concerned about.

If you live in a state in which medical marijuana is legal, as opposed to non-medical use of marijuana, you will need some form of documentation to qualify you for medical marijuana treatment. This is usually a letter that is often referred to as a medical marijuana card or an MMJ card, and is available through sites like MMJRecs. Depending on the requirements in your state, it will simply recommend you for medical marijuana treatment, or it can specify the form and strain of medical marijuana treatment that you need. Either way, it will be signed, dated, and stamped by the medical professional you speak to on your telemedical appointment and will be sent to your home as an original document.

Telemedicine has made it so much easier for cancer patients to access complementary treatments like medical marijuana.

When you have your medical marijuana card, you can then visit a dispensary. If your state does not limit the type of medical marijuana that you can use, it is worth speaking to someone at the dispensary to get further advice on what forms and strains of medical marijuana may work for you. You are not just limited to smoking joints. There are vaporizers, edibles, creams, and oils that can help deliver MMJ to your system.

Now that the U.S. is waking up to how useful medical marijuana can be to cancer patients, there has never been a better time to take control and seek the health care that you need. As well as being convenient in terms of time, telemedicine also allows you to see a doctor from the comfort of your home, which will be useful if you are feeling especially worn out from your cancer treatment. Get onto your phone and make an appointment as soon as you can. It’ll be the best decision you’ve ever made.