Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, you may find it hard to locate accessible healthcare when your doctor’s office cancels your current appointments. This predicament is the reality we are now living in 2020 with the new coronavirus spreading without an available vaccine. It is leaving people confused and scared who may have a slight cold, unsure if they have the disease or are due for a yearly checkup from their healthcare provider.



Physicians are now switching to telemedicine to connect with patients rather than an office visit to limit transmission and exposure of COVID-19. Staying at home has become the new normal either working from home or even having your scheduled doctor appointments at home.



While the number of infected patients continues to increase with transmission around the globe, MedTech startups, healthcare organizations, and others are introducing applications, including online services. In hopes to help people track the virus in their location, check for symptoms, provide information on ways to help prevent exposures, and testing methods that limit exposure risk.



Teladoc

Teladoc has seen a 50% increase in appointments with providers just in the last week due to COVID-19. The company helps to provide remote care to patients without having to delay their health needs. Teladoc works with the world’s leading insurers, employers, hospitals, and health systems. People may already have apps through insurance or employers.



CVS Minute Clinic

Apps like CVS Minute Clinic provide healthcare to all users regardless of insurance for a price of $60 for each visit that makes it possible to access medical attention at a low cost. The app offers video visits to meet with a qualified health professional to receive medical treatment when needed.



DocClocker

The app allows patients to receive current wait time reporting from their medical providers. The app intended to limit the spread of the virus and avoid long waits in medical waiting rooms to reduce exposure risks.



Orion Health

This outbreak monitoring platform gives doctors the ability to interact and engage with patients in the comfort of their own homes. Allowing providers to facilitate communication between quarantine patients and the healthcare service to maintain those who have been recently discharged. Orion will use artificial intelligence over time to permit providers to identify patients who may be at risk for declining progress and maximize their care.

TytoHome

Developed by Tyto Care, this device offers a remote examination that allows quarantined patients in hospitals or home isolation to conduct clinic-quality self-examinations. TytoHome also connects patients to physicians who can evaluate symptoms from a safe distance.TytoVisit platform (includes the TytoApp and Clinician Dashboard) for conducting live video telehealth exams, reviewing exams, and communicating with patients



World Health Organization

The World Health Organization is in the process of developing an open-source app to aid people around the world to cope with COVID-19. The app is considered to be a “Waze for COVID-19” to provide locally focused information to each user. The app plans to obtain people’s data feedback to public health officials to increase the app’s efficiency. The app will utilize each smartphone’s GPS history to identify whom an infected person has been in contact with to detect those who may be at risk and need to self-quarantine. When users initially download the app WHO-approved information for safety measures and guidelines will be presented. In the near future, it might also inform people who are seeking treatment in which local hospitals have available beds.

Telemedicine is the preferred method of contact for patients and doctors since the recent outbreak of the virus. Incorporating telemedicine apps into modern healthcare ensures patients that they’re medical needs are met and maintain the well-being of their health.

Sources: