Telemedicine is a Rapidly Growing Segment of Healthcare in the United States. But What, Exactly, Is Telemedicine?
Did you know that telemedicine is a rapidly growing segment of healthcare in the United States? But what, exactly, is telemedicine? In a nutshell, telemedicine is the remote delivery of healthcare services and clinical information using information technology. This includes internet, wireless, satellite, and telephone media. According to the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), there are already 200 telemedicine networks with 3,500 service sites. It has even been used to help our deployed service men and women! In fact, the Veterans Administration delivered over 300,000 remote consultations.
In order to keep this virtual approach to medicine safe, the use of telemedicine is guided by strict technical and clinical practice guidelines. The benefits are clear – ease patients and providers and can really lead to efficiencies in the process.
The trend of using of information technology in oral surgery is no different. At McGann Facial Design, Dr. McGann and his staff regularly conduct web-based meetings with referring orthodontists, dentists, patients, and technicians in order to work as a team during treatment. Dr. McGann also uses virtual surgery techniques, using computer-aided modeling to help predict post-operative outcomes. Recently, a McGann Facial Design patient suffering from sleep apnea had virtual surgery prior to his “live” case. In this way, Dr. McGann was able to see the results of bony movements before ever picking up the scalpel!
If you are suffering from sleep apnea or want to learn more about the telemedicine techniques employed at McGann Facial Design, please call the office. Or in the spirit of telemedicine…make an appointment online.
For more information on the uses, standards, and guidelines of telemedicine, visit the American Telemedicine Association website at www.americantelemed.org
