Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote healthcare or telehealth has become very popular. Even though people are now free to move around and visit any doctor of their choice, many prefer the convenience of consulting their doctors from their own homes. Let’s explore the rise of telehealth in prenatal care.
Telehealthcare is the method of providing long-distance clinical health care through telecommunications technologies using electronic information. It includes both clinical and non-clinical services the healthcare industry generally provides. It encompasses consultations, live interactions between the patients and doctors, diagnosis, remote patient monitoring, and electronic transmission of digital images, medical data and medical information.
Telehealthcare has proven to be very beneficial for patients in remote areas, underdeveloped countries, areas affected by natural calamities, and for people who cannot afford basic medical care. Technology has helped doctors reach deserving patients and provide timely help, thus revolutionising the healthcare industry.
Telehealth especially in the field of prenatal care has undergone a drastic change and immense growth during the pandemic. Let’s take a look at how telehealth prenatal care has changed over the last few years:
Telehealth services were popular in remote areas where people’s resources or knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth, possible complications, etc. were limited. Through telehealth, doctors help expecting mothers understand the dangers of smoking, drinking, drugs and various other activities during pregnancy. This has helped improve obstetric outcomes.
During the pandemic, everyone’s movements were restricted. Even expecting mothers in well-developed countries could not visit their gynaecologists as it was not safe to step out of their homes or into the hospitals. During this time, telehealth helped everyone get the medical care they deserved. Patients would report their blood pressure, weight, fetal heart rate (collected through a Doppler) as well as other symptoms or changes in their bodies. Doctors would give medical advice based on these data. The women had to go into the hospital only when it was time for their delivery.
Today, many women prefer getting prenatal care through telehealth. Through this development in technology, patients can consult their doctors without the physical strain of travelling around or waiting for long hours in the clinic. It also helps patients consult experts in other countries, in case of complications – it can be quite expensive and very difficult to travel in person to meet such doctors.
Telehealth in prenatal care continues to grow as many women across the world benefit from this leap in technology. As people have accepted this change in healthcare with open arms, hospitals are including more services to offer through telehealth.
Telehealth can seem limiting when it comes to prenatal care. Here are a few benefits telehealth offers the mothers-to-be:
● Saves pregnant women the time and effort required to go to a hospital or clinic to see the doctor.
● Expecting mothers need not sit on uncomfortable chairs for long, waiting to see the doctor.
● Expecting mothers are not exposed to germs or infections that are prevalent in a hospital atmosphere.
● Can fix appointments without having to worry about commuting time.
● Doctors can review the reports beforehand and just clarify doubts or provide their medical opinion when on call.
● Routine check-ups for patients with no transportation facility.
● Access to specialists from across the world, genetic counselling, psychological counselling, etc.
● Routine review of scans and other reports without being physically present at the clinic.
● In the case of an older child at home, expecting parents need not worry about finding help to take care of the child
Sometimes, telehealth may not be as effective as physical health care. Telehealth in prenatal care faces the following challenges:
● Poor telecommunications or connections can interrupt the flow of the session. The doctor or patient might miss out on important information due to technical glitches.
● People who don’t have access to all the latest technology in telehealth can’t enjoy all the benefits of telehealth.
● The high cost of technology may make it difficult for people from rural and underdeveloped areas to afford such medical care.
● There is a constant need to update apps, technology, and systems to avoid technical issues.
● It cannot treat all health issues as some need a physical examination and a closer look by the doctor with their naked eyes.
● Communication may not be as free and comfortable as with a physically present person.
If you are an expecting parent undergoing check-ups and consultations through telehealth, here are a few tips for you to get the best out of your doctor appointments:
1. Write down all your doubts and concerns before you connect on the call. This will ensure you don’t miss out on anything important and won’t waste time either.
2. Note down all the replies or responses your doctor gives.
3. Set an alarm and log into your meeting room a few minutes ahead of time.
4. Be precise and crisp with your queries and replies.
5. Ensure your doctor is able to hear you loud and clear. Don’t keep talking when you don’t get a response.
6. Keep all your records and reports in hand for quick reference. If you have the soft copies, keep the windows open and choose screen sharing in case your doctor needs some details for reference.
Telehealth is seeing a steady rise in prenatal care. Many women and doctors prefer telehealth as it saves both a lot of time and money. During pregnancy, a few consultations have to be in person. If your doctor is not available for in-person consultation, ask them for a reference so that you know where to go in case of an emergency.
● Yes, in most cases where doctors need to check only the reports and take routine tests, telehealth is equally effective as in-person visits. However, in the case of psychological satisfaction of the patient and for issues that need physical check-ups, telehealth finds it challenging.
● You will need a good internet connection, a videoconferencing facility, software to upload and view electronic images of the reports and a good microphone and speaker to communicate with your doctor. Most smartphones today have all these facilities.
● Some health insurance plans cover telehealth for prenatal care. It can vary from provider to provider. Hence it is ideal to check with your insurance provider to know all the details and various options.
