Online medicine expanded in good shape due to new technologies, the pandemic and the taste for digital
In Mexico, before COVID-19, telemedicine was not a relevant alternative for the population; however, due to the pandemic, this technological solution took a huge leap in their consultations and after a year of being on the radar of more people are looking to become a permanent option for health coverage.
According to data from the Internet Physicians Habits Study, conducted by the Internet Association, 84 percent of doctors use the Internet in medical practice; while half, 44 percent, make online medical consultations to adjust treatments, give a second opinion or refer a patient to a specialist.
The CEO of the Doctoralia site for Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina, Adrián Alcántara, mentioned that, in the case of the telemedicine platform that he coordinates, it registers a growth that allowed them to grant 800 thousand medical appointments, especially in pediatric matters such as dermatology.
“The states that we most appreciate have bet on the medical consultants are Mexico City, Guadalajara, Mérida, Querétaro, and Puebla.”
In Querétaro, in terms of face-to-face health care, the state Health Secretariat indicates that from September 2020 to June 2021, 745 thousand 888 medical consultations were granted in the entity. Through the mobile medical units, 473 localities were attended, with 182 thousand 304 people benefited; they added 524 thousand 839 health promotion actions, 114 thousand 864 medical consultations granted.
He explained that online consultations allow breaking the geographical barrier and people can be treated by doctors on the other side of the country, although when a personalized consultation is required due to the patient’s illness, they are directed to specialists where the patient lives.
“The figures indicate that only 5 percent of patients are cared for by doctors from entities outside the patient’s residence, in addition, that only 10 percent of people hire a second teleconsultation in case of more complicated illnesses.”
The trend of online medical consultations is here to stay as well as other trends in telemedicine.
Source: amqueretaro.com