With the rapid change in technology and in information sharing gastroenterologists everywhere are having to adapt and shift their own practices to match. One way they, alongside other doctors across a wide range of specialties, are making that change is by adopting telehealth and telemedicine practices. Becoming more readily available over the last few decades, telehealth is only just now turning into a mainstream addition to most practices as high-speed internet connections and devices capable of performing video visits become available to a growing number of patients.

Gastroenterologists in particular benefit from telehealth due to the nature of their practices, patients often have chronic issues they need constant management of or develop new issues that they want information on quickly. By combining the telemedicine tools available to them, gastroenterologists can rethink and redesign disease management in their patients with fewer in-person visits and increased access to those needing to be seen, improving the overall experience of care while also decreasing costs associated with both gastroenterologists and their patients.

There are many benefits associated with telehealth, and gastroenterologists would be wise to consider them when thinking of bringing it into their practices.

Time, Travel and Cost

Many gastroenterology patients are chronically ill and might find it hard to get to the office in the first place or find it difficult to wait long periods of time in office to see their doctors.

Telemedicine takes away any sort of travel requirement when it is in use. Instead of having to drive long distances, sometimes from city to city or even to a different state, patients can wait in the comfort of their own homes to speak to their doctors.

Because telemedicine requires no travel and little ‘downtime’ such as waiting in traffic or in the doctor’s office, there are no costs associated with travel or missed work, another benefit to those who frequently find themselves needing to leave their jobs or families due to their illnesses.

Specialist Availability

Many smaller towns simply cannot support specialists with their lower population sizes and could be quite far away from a large enough city that does. With telemedicine, patients may only have to go and see their doctor in person a few times a year while supplementing those visits with virtual meetings.

Connection Is Key

Telemedicine makes it much easier to connect patients with their doctors when managing or providing guidance on complex treatments. Patients, instead of having to wait weeks or even months to get in to see their gastroenterologist, can touch base much more frequently, bringing up changes in medicine or their symptoms which in turn means their doctors can more quickly react and make the necessary changes in their case.

Treatment Compliance

By offering better access to services and their specialists, patients are far more likely to be compliant with their treatments which often leads to better outcomes.

Responsiveness

Without having to rush patients in and out of their office, doctors can also see more individuals in the same time span. This means patients can have their questions and concerns answered more quickly without the weeks to months-long wait of having to actually go into the office.

With telemedicine services, there will always be some conditions more easily treated than others simply due to the nature of these illnesses, and gastroenterology is no different. Typically patients with more chronic issues, or those needing more long term and frequent care, are those who benefit the most from telemedicine services. Some of these medical conditions include :

• Crohn’s disease,
• Hepatitis C
• Chronic Pancreatitis
• Other chronic gastrointestinal issues

Patients with these conditions will often find their care greatly improved if they have access to telemedicine services through their gastroenterologist. Since most patients affected by these diseases require frequent follow-ups as well as management of both symptoms and treatments, telemedicine offers a convenient way to touch base and stay on top of any issues without the patient having to come in over and over again.

While still in its infancy, telemedicine has quickly proven itself to be an amazing tool when it comes to connecting patients with their doctors in ways that have never occurred before. Gastro patients, who so often have to spend way too many days in their specialist’s office, are uniquely situated to take advantage of all the benefits telemedicine has to offer. From convenience and ease of use to being able to speak to their specialist remotely without ever having to step foot in an office (a unique benefit considering today’s current climate), most patients would benefit from speaking to their doctors and specialists about telemedicine and should do so at their next appointment.

At Gastro Health and Nutrition-Katy, it is our goal to offer the best to each of our patients, and we are proud to offer telemedicine with our services. If you’re searching for a stomach doctor, contact us today to find out more about how we are integrating telemedicine into our practice and what benefits it can bring to your care.