In conjunction with International Women’s Day this week we take a look at how telehealth can assist women in their pregnancy journey. Pregnancy is not just a nine-month journey as it also includes pre-conception and post-partum care. Luckily, in the world we live in now, it is possible for women to have the assistance of healthcare providers throughout the entire journey, but there are still many who don’t have access, and telehealth can help to change that.
Pre-conception care can play a very important part in conceiving and can affect the pregnancy itself. The pre-conception period is important and can help prospective mothers or fathers understand pregnancy better. Telehealth services provide an efficient way to get information directly from a healthcare provider. Although information is all around us these days, people are individuals and having access to primary care helps to tailor the journey to the patient’s specific needs. Patients can reduce the stress of trying to figure things out themselves or expensive visits to fertility clinics in cases where they may not actually be required. Furthermore, they may be able to prepare for their pregnancy better with the advice of healthcare providers.
Pregnancies can be either low-risk or high-risk and telehealth can assist in both situations. The perinatal period often requires frequent check-ups every two weeks or so which may be difficult depending on the pregnancy and the patient’s situation. The New York Mayo Clinic conducted a study on low-risk pregnancies in their “OB Nest” telemedicine program that resulted in positive findings. It was reported that providing a mixture of in-person visits with virtual visits led to lower pregnancy-related stress issues and higher patient satisfaction with no difference in perceived quality of the care they received. The patients in the study felt that they had a greater participation in their care regime while improving confidence and a better sense of control. Efficacy of telehealth was improved when used in conjunction with at home monitoring of blood pressure, weight, fetal heartbeat, and fundal height allowing for extended monitoring. Text-based communication with healthcare providers can make it so that queries could be quickly addressed.
Pregnancy care continues past the point of delivery, into the post-partum period. Telehealth provides easy continuity of care, not just for the patient’s physical well-being, but their mental health as well. Often overlooked, there are many possible post-partum difficulties. These difficulties can include depression, breast feeding concerns, lactation support, and many more. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that post-partum check ups are done at most 3 weeks after delivery but on average many wait up to 6 weeks before consultation. With telehealth, patients can conveniently check-in with healthcare providers even sooner and at their own convenience.
Global Telehealth Exchange (GTHE) is a state-of-the-art telehealth solution that encompasses many aspects of the healthcare journey. It is HIPAA-compliant, secure, and provides worldwide access to healthcare. With access to healthcare professionals globally, and the ability to securely share information, patients using GTHE will have no problems in getting the help they need from anywhere in the world. Meanwhile, healthcare providers have greater access to other specialties for referrals if the need arises. And, as many specialties require better or quicker communication channels, having easy access to full medical records, which in full control of the patient, can help healthcare providers to diagnose and advise treatment options more efficiently. General practitioners and specialists using GTHE can easily make referrals or share documentation when needed.
GTHE offers many benefits to healthcare providers including:
- Instant reimbursement
- Top level data security
- Cross-border treatments
- No additional paperwork, and in most cases eliminates it all together
- Full control over your rates, availability and schedule
- No monthly or annual subscription fee
- No contract commitments
Join our global community of healthcare providers to expand your practice, earn additional income, and gain more freedom and balance in your career.
