Video conferencing technology: 5 Reasons to add it in the healthcare industry
Healthcare services have evolved, thanks to the continued advancement in technology. Today, doctors can connect with patients residing in a different part of the world with remote care opportunities.
So,digital healthcare is thus the way forward for the medical industry at large since it benefits both parties involved – the patients and the healthcare professionals.
Besides consulting with doctors over the phone, video conferencing technologies are also making a huge impact on modern healthcare as a whole. Video chat between a patient and his/her physician is more akin to a traditional face-to-face consultation. With this in mind, here is a look at the beneficial aspects of such technologies in medical care.
How does video conferencing improve treatment and outcomes?
India’s healthcare industry can benefit in the following ways after adopting video conferencing as part of its digital healthcare initiatives –
- Reduced cost of consultations
Consulting with doctors over video calls can reduce expenses for patients since many physicians and clinics are ready to offer discounted rates for such remote visits. This reduction in prices will likely allow more individuals to avail the necessary medical assistance than ever before.
For medical professionals, frequent video consultations would mean limited usage of office space or examination rooms. Furthermore, such a step would also reduce the usage of office supplies, all of which can contribute to lower overhead costs involved with running such a clinic.
- Increased accessibility for the elderly and the infirm
Some ailing individuals are simply too old and weak to visit a doctor’s chamber. It is also true for individuals with disabilities, which prevents them from availing standard consultations with medical professionals. With the addition of video conferencing in digital healthcare services, more such individuals will be able to seek quality medical assistance as they would not need to step out of their homes.
- Improved care
While various forms of telehealth services are available for consultation, video chat can be much more effective. For instance, both phone and text consultations with a physician rely on a patient being able to convey his/her health disorders accurately. In video calls, on the other hand, doctors can visually examine their patients similar to a typical face-to-face consultation. Physicians can derive a host of additional information by seeing an ailing individual, which, in turn, leads to a better prognosis and more effective treatment.
- Eliminates the limitations of traditional consultations
Patients often need to book an appointment and arrange their schedule as per this appointment. For instance, one may need to take a day off work just to consult a doctor. However, video conference consultations remove all such restrictions.
Individuals can speak with their physicians from work or from anywhere else. All they need is high-speed internet connectivity.
- Save a considerable amount of time
Lastly, one would not need to commute to the clinic every time he/she needs to speak to the doctor. Doing so is time-consuming even without considering the excessive expenses related to such commutes to and from the doctor’s chambers.
Although a cheaper alternative, digital healthcare services can still burn a hole in one’s pockets. Nonetheless, financial preparation is possible today thanks to the Bajaj Finserv Digital Health EMI Network Card. Users can pay for all healthcare services with this card while repaying this sum eventually through EMIs.
What is a health card?
A health card is similar to a credit card in function as it comes equipped with a pre-approved limit of up to Rs.4 lakh for users to spend. However, health card owners can only use this limit to finance medical and healthcare services and products. Additionally, cardholders can convert their medical liabilities into easy-to-pay monthly instalments with this financial tool.
The digital health card covers more than 800 medical procedures, including alternate forms of therapy like homoeopathy, and more. One can also fund his/her impending cosmetic surgery or treatments with this card as well. Such treatments are often classified as exclusions of a health insurance policy, making this card a handier financing alternative.
Eligibility criteria for a health card
Almost any individual can avail this health card, thanks to the easy-to-meet eligibility criteria. To acquire such a card, you must satisfy the following –
- Your age should be between 18 and 65 years.
- You must have a stable income during a health card application.
Process of application
Existing Bajaj Finserv EMI Network members can apply for a health card online. They need to follow the process mentioned below –
- Step 1: Visit the official health card website and click on the ‘Get It Now’ button.
- Step 2: Provide your Bajaj Finserv registered mobile number for verification.
- Step 3: Check your pre-approved offer on the health card and proceed to make payment.
- Step 4: Pay the one-time joining fee online.
- Step 5: Check your health card status using the Bajaj Finserv wallet app.
Individuals looking for instant approval and usage should pick the insta-card option while paying the joining fee. At just Rs.707, this fee is nominal enough to be affordable for most. Also, the card can be utilised for medical bill payment across more than 5,500 partner healthcare facilities located at more than 1,000 Indian cities. Proceed to apply for a health card to finance medical emergencies as well as other telehealth assistances and repay over tenure of up to 24 months.
