Telemedicine: The future of health care?

Medicine in the 21st century is ever changing.

New technologies and advances are helping care givers save the lives of patients every day, but as mobile advancements are improving, hands on care may become a thing of the past.

Dr. Vikram Mehta, MD is a physician at the Elkhart Clinic.

“Telemedicine is basically treating patients over the phone, which is what doctors have been doing for years, when you are on-call, you answer the phone and treat a patient.”

But telemedicine in the 21st century is changing the way patients and doctors are looking at the future of health care.

“It’s becoming more in the limelight now as far as doing office telemedicine and during the day. Seeing patients via Facetime and virtual reality or other types of apps,” said Dr. Mehta.

Apps like virtual lab testing.

CEO Kraig Kincaid was a Pharmaceutical rep for over a decade before starting the company.

 “So they change the laws in Indiana, so you can diagnose and treat through telemedicine.”

They are the first company in Indiana to do both via an App.

“There is a time and cost associated with everything. That’s why you are seeing telemedicine become so popular. It’s an effective way to give the consumer access,” said Kincaid.

His company, Virtual Lab Testing, provides cost efficient home allergy kits, and a first of its kind at home STD test.

With physician assistants and nurse practitioners on staff, patients are sitting face to face with care givers.

“it builds a bridge between you and the medical provider. You can sit face to face and show your rash to the nurse practitioner. We are still following a traditional model of a pre-consult, finger test, post consult, and then make educated decisions based on your findings,” said Kincaid.

For patients, this new technology is more affordable, easy, and efficient.

But what about the doctors?

“It goes against the grain of laying my hands on a patient, but with newer technologies it's getting easier to do. Essentially all we need is the information,” said Mehta.