What to stay aware of with telemedicine

Although telemedicine comes with many benefits, it also has risks that you must be aware of. You should maintain a health journal, just as you would if you were seeing a doctor in person. Keeping a journal helps you detect medical malpractice. It also gives you a more accurate depiction of your health and your body’s response to different medications and treatments. Ohio has telemedicine laws to help protect residents as well. Doctors aren’t allowed to prescribe controlled substances without first conducting a physical exam.

Standard of care

A failure to diagnose is a potential risk of remote health care. Telemedicine doesn’t have the same standard of care as in-person visits because doctors can’t get the full perspective without a physical exam. There are, however, still standard-of-care rules in place to help protect patients from negligence and malpractice. Doctors must inform patients of the limitations of telemedicine and what they could provide competently via telemedicine.

Out-of-state practitioners

Each state has different medical malpractice and telemedicine laws. Thus, you may have a different statute of limitations to file a claim than you initially thought. You may want to get an overview of their state medical malpractice laws before receiving treatment. Depending on their state law, their license may not extend to covering patients outside of their state. In other words, they might not be legally liable.

Equipment maintenance

Doctors must keep their equipment in fully functioning condition. Observe how your doctor treats their equipment to gauge an idea as to whether it’s going to be accurate. Choose health care providers who seem to be diligent.

Hacking

Be aware that it’s possible for hackers to break into telemedicine platforms, as with other websites and apps. They might thus gain access to some of your private health information.

Remote health care has certain limitations and risks that you should know before choosing this type of diagnosis and treatment. In some situations, your symptoms will require an in-person examination. Now that you’re aware of the downsides, you can make a decision that’s right for you.