Telediagnostics
What is telediagnostics?
Telediagnostics is the process of remote diagnosis, or the diagnosis of a condition, illness, or disease by a physician not in the same location as the patient.
Telediagnosis relies on transmitting medical reports and physician examination records to a specialist at a different location or unavailable at the same time as the patient.
In many cases, telediagnosis requires collaboration between the specialist and in-person care personnel. For example, telediagnosis does not allow the specialist to perform physical examinations. Still, they can be performed by in-person professionals, who can then convey any pertinent information to the specialist.
As such, communication among all health professionals is essential for successful telediagnostics.
How does telediagnostics improve healthcare?
Telediagnosis allows patients to receive a professional diagnosis even if a medical expert is not located nearby.
The patient’s health information, including imaging results, test results, and physical symptoms, can be transmitted to the specialist, who can then diagnose the patient based on the information provided.
This is especially beneficial for those in rural communities who otherwise do not have access to these specialists. Telediagnostics allows physicians to take advantage of telemedicine technology to get patients the proper diagnosis, leading to more targeted treatments and better health outcomes.