Pros and Cons of Telephone Medical Consultation

When we need medical help, we’d often go to the nearest hospital in person for evaluation and medical consultation. But a new kind of medical service is aiming to make old school health consultation a thing of the past. It’s called telephone medical consultation and it’s designed to make health evaluations even more convenient for patients.

What Is Telephone Medical Consultation?

As the name suggests, the concept of telephone medical consultation is simple: to get an assessment of your health through the phone. For some patients, going to the doctor’s office is a hassle, especially if the situation isn’t all that pressing.

By simply calling your doctor and then getting an assessment via telephone, you can get an idea of your health status without leaving the comfort of your own home. This concept is not exactly new to the medical world but it’s rarely ever utilized. It’s only now that more and more people are turning to telephone medical consultations to get a quick and easy assessment of their health.

Pros of Telephone Medical Consultation

Because health assessment is not done in person, telephone medical consultation requires different skill set that uses common sense and improvisation. It’s not a fail-safe type of medical consultation either. There are risks involved, which we discuss later in this article.

It’s Convenient

By far the most glaring benefit of telephone medical consultation is that it’s convenient. You don’t need to get out of the house, drive to your doctor’s office, and go through the usual hassles associated with keeping an appointment with your doctor. With telephone medical consultations, a service provider will simply ask a series of questions to assess your health and determine what ails you, all in the privacy of your home.

It Saves Time

Because you don’t leave the house, you get the results almost instantly. No more waiting in line or taking numbers. You can get medical consultations wherever and whenever you like — at home, in the office, etc. Telephone medical consultations offer the same benefits as face-to-face medical consultations without the hassle.

Cons of Telephone Medical Consultation

It’s Prone to Errors

One of the most common pitfalls of telephone medical consultations is that the assessment is not accurate. Telephone medical consultations rely on information gathered before a service rep will assess your health. And sometimes, the assessment may not be as accurate as face-to-face consultation.

It’s Not Meant for Emergency Situations

Serious medical problems will have to be assessed by a doctor in person. Telephone medical consultation is not designed for such cases. You will still need to see your doctor and get a complete medical assessment when you are afflicted with rare or grave medical disorders.

It’s Riskier

Because over-the-phone medical assessments rely on just getting answers from a series of questions, it’s not as reliable as face-to-face medical consultation where a doctor can prod, poke, or analyze you physically. For instance, if the service provider forgot to ask certain types of questions that may pinpoint the ailment, he may give inaccurateinformation based on your incomplete answers. And that’s the risk of telephone medical consultations.