2023-11-23 13:12:07
Telemedicine is a trend that has been gaining prominence in the healthcare scenario, bringing with it the promise of democratizing access to medical care. In Brazil alone, more than 7.5 million consultations via telemedicine between 2020 and 2021, according to Brazilian Association of Telemedicine and Digital Health Companies.
This type of care refers to the provision of health services through digital communication, such as video calls, messages and applications, allowing patients and doctors to interact remotely.
In this sense, this possibility gains even more relevance in the country, since doctors are not distributed equally in all cities and states. According to the 2023 Medical Demographicswhile the number of doctors in the capital Vitória (ES) reaches 14.49 per thousand inhabitantsin Macapá (AP) is only 2.12 doctors per thousand inhabitants.
For Richard Rivière, co-founder and CEO of the company Versatilis System, one of the most obvious advantages of telemedicine is universal access to healthcare. “Removing geographic barriers allows patients in remote or resource-poor areas to obtain quality medical consultations. This is particularly relevant in regions where health infrastructure is limitedhelping to reduce disparities in medical care”, says Richard.
Additionally, telemedicine can also result in a reduction in operational costs. According to a study by Journal of Health Economicsthe use of this technology made it possible for the total cost of care to be reduced by 7% for all ages and 9% specifically for the adult population.
In emergencies, the same study cited above demonstrated that telemedicine plays a fundamental role in reducing the demand for emergency care. With the analyses, it was demonstrated that the use of emergency rooms was reduced by 24.1% and the demand for emergency care decreased by 11.3%.
“The democratization of health through this tool is already a tangible reality, but caution is needed, especially in relation to security. Therefore, the recommendation is to use a secure telemedicine platformreliable and made especially for the medical field”, adds Richard.
In Brazil, data from Institute for Health Policy Studies (IEPS)in partnership with Umane, show that the health budgetl grew 50.6% between 2013 and 2023which increasingly consolidates the adoption of telemedicine and other related technologies, such as electronic medical record.
The proposal is that this practice not only represents a revolution in the way people receive medical care, but also a significant step towards a more equitable society in terms of access to healthcare.
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