Spoiler: I do acknowledge that telehealth and telemedicine are not exactly synonyms. However, I use both interchangeably here, for the sake of better readability.
As the world unites in the fight against the pandemic, public health officials are calling on healthcare to embrace technology. In particular, telemedicine solutions have gotten extra exposure over the last few years.
Today, telehealth is steadily moving towards the status of a fully adopted medical practice. Thus, in 2020 doctors provided 50 to 175 times the number of telemedicine visits compared with prior years.
Today, online appointments are slowly taking over smartphones as a cost-efficient and safe form of care. But can they help us make healthcare more accessible? And what is the best telemedicine platform in 2021 and beyond?
Here’s what’s in store.
What Are Telemedicine Apps, Anyway?
First things first - we have to unmask the superhero.
So, telemedicine is the remote provision of health services (e.g., patient monitoring and consultations). It also includes the practice of remote interaction between medical providers using telecommunications technology.
To ensure sensitive data protection, all telemedicine apps should be HIPAA compliant. HIPAA compliance is a federal law that covers data privacy and security provisions for sharing sensitive medical records (personal health information) and protects them from unauthorized use.
So if the telemedicine platform doesn’t comply with federal regulatory standards, it’s in trouble. (Just look at the monstrous penalties).
Also, telemedicine apps may come in two forms of communication:
- Doctor-patient - sending research results or conclusions via apps, and online doctor appointments, etc.
- Doctor-doctor - the use of electronic information, integrated digital and telecommunication technologies to exchange data between physicians and to manage medical education, healthcare, and medical services.
And you know what’s the best thing about telemedicine apps?
Doctor on demand technology can be used in almost any medical field. Thus, the possible areas of application include:
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pediatrics - no need to take a poor kid through a whole city/town to see a doctor;
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psychotherapy - psychotherapists can conduct sessions online;
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dermatology - dermatologists can examine patients suffering from psoriasis, eczema, bedsores, etc., thanks to high-quality images ;
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Neurology - blood pressure indicators are redirected to a specialist using remote monitoring;
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Intensive care - if the person is not stable for transfer, urgent video surveillance can be carried out by a specialist.
And most importantly, digital health apps can facilitate timely and proper medical care during the COVID-19 quarantine.
How Telemedicine Is Being Used in the Context of COVID-19
We knew about remote medical care well before the global pandemic. But we were far from the proliferation of online healthcare. Thus, in the pre-pandemic times, Australian healthcare organizations used telemedicine only to deliver health care to patients living in remote areas of the country.
But, the treacherous and rapid Covid-19 virus fast-forwarded the widespread uptake of doctor-on-demand apps across Australia and the rest of the world.
Moreover, in February 2020, officials from both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization urged hospitals and clinics to accelerate their adoption of telehealth services to help prioritize patients and keep the worried away from crammed hospitals.
And just like that, the adoption of telehealth solutions peaked in April 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mandatory social distancing and the lack of effective treatments has made telemedicine the safest interactive system between patients, both infected and uninfected, and clinicians.
[1]
Among other benefits of doctor on demand solutions are the following:
- No transportation time or costs - when you’re visiting the doctor via phone or video calls, you save money on gas, parking, and others.
- No need to get off work - you can squeeze in your physician appointment during break time or schedule it before/after work.
- Access to specialists - if you’re living in a remote area, I bet your health facility lacks a couple of doctors. Telemedicine apps allow you to consult the top physician in the whole country.
- Coronavirus-free space - Instead of visiting the COVID-19 ground zero aka your local hospital, you can SAFELY get the care you need without leaving your home.
With that said, let’s have an overview of the leading telemedicine apps on the market. No Dr. Google, you can now talk to a physician right away in these dire times of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Ace of Aces: Telemedicine App Edition
It seems that with medical applications, you can receive urgent care from a doctor remotely — without driving a zillion miles in a daze.
I searched for the most popular telemedicine apps with high ratings, quality, and overall reliability.
Teladoc
Teladoc App Store Rating: 4.8 stars
Teladoc Android rating: 4.6 stars
Cost to download: Free
Teladoc is one of the most prominent players in the medical market. Based in the United States, Teladoc provides online access to both urgent and non-urgent care with a portfolio of services and solutions. Teladoc's main clientele includes medical employers and health insurance companies.
The latter partner up with Teladoc to provide medical care to their employees or clients via the app.
The pool of medical specialists includes family doctors, therapists, or dermatologists as well as physicians specializing in mental health. Health services are available via video and audio chat. The health app caters to patients with and without. In the first case, General Medical visits can be as low as $0 per visit. Without insurance, General Medical is $75 per visit.
MDLive
App Store Rating: 4.7 stars
Android Rating: 4.7 stars
Cost to download: Free
MDLive medical app provides board-certified virtual doctors at your own convenience. MDLive health services are a covered health insurance benefit for over 60 million patients, so the expert advice starts at as low as $0. The healthcare providers are reachable at any time of the day and night through holidays.
Within this app, patients can also get short-term prescription refills and treatment for over 50 non-emergency medical conditions like constipation or allergies. Also, MDLIVE is more affordable than traditional behavioral healthcare.
According to the official MDLIVE website, the telemedicine app currently serves more than 40 million members in the U.S. Overall, it’s a more convenient alternative to primary care clinic visits.
Amwell
App Store rating: 4.9 stars
Android rating: 4.3 stars
Cost to download: Free
Back in 2016, Amwell was among the [best telehealth apps](https://business.amwell.com/press-release/amwell-is-again-the-most-popular-telehealth-app-of-the-year/#:~:text=BOSTON (Jan.,second year in a row.) in the United States and globally. Today, it is still one of the most downloaded apps in the niche, according to its ratings. Amwell connects health providers, insurers, and patients. The latter can access it to get a wide range of health services from urgent to acute and post-acute care.
More than 350 mental health doctors also give convenient therapy visits concerning both chronic concerns or recent stress. Therapy visits on Amwell are typically 45-minute, video-based sessions accessible from any device.
Board-certified physicians are available seven days a week, from 7 am to 11 pm with copays of $0. It means that patients with healthcare insurance can get qualified health services for free. In other cases, health plans stand at $79 for urgent care, $99 - for therapy, and $99 - for psychiatric visits.
Doctor On Demand
App Store rating: 4.9 stars
Android rating: 4.8 stars
Cost to download: Free
The Doctor On Demand health app is one of the best telemedicine apps with US-licensed doctors. The app provides nationwide healthcare services that bring together patients and physicians. The telemedicine app allows physicians to prescribe medications at the right pharmacies and provide urgent medical care.
Board-certified behavioral health psychiatrists, doctors, and a care coordination team offer remote quality care via video visits, voice, and messaging. Prices vary according to the appointment type. Thus, a 45-minute consultation with a psychiatrist will cost you around $299, while medical care comes in the form of 15-minute sessions at $75.
For immediate appointments, users are assigned a doctor, but scheduled appointments presuppose a free choice of the healthcare provider.
Talkspace
App Store rating: 4.1 stars
Android rating: 4.7 stars
Cost to download: Free
According to the official website, Talkspace is one of the best telemedicine apps in the category of mental health. It is a popular HIPAA compliant medical platform that matches users with a licensed therapist in the state. Therapy visits are available via text, audio, and video. Just like the majority of health solutions, this platform cannot boast global reach, since it’s best suited for people in contiguous U.S. time zones.
Health plans start at $99 per week for weekly live sessions and 24/7 text messages. Some insurance providers also cover Talkspace. The cost of a Talkspace subscription varies by location. On average, psychiatry sessions stand at $199.00, while follow-up sessions are more affordable - $125.00. The USP of Talkspace is couples counseling held in a private room whenever is convenient for each party.
Now you have it - the list of best telemedicine apps in 2021. So next time you wake up with a pain in your stomach, you can access virtual health providers via mobile or schedule an appointment and get medical treatment.
Best Telemedicine Apps: The Future of Virtual Healthcare
COVID-19 has laid bare the inefficiencies and legacy of modern healthcare systems. But we also saw a silver lining here. We have the capacity and expertise to transform the medical industry. Virtual doctor counseling has laid the ground for the healthcare revolution.
Over 6 million users already have a smartphone, so why not use these devices to access a doctor online? The biggest boon of medical apps is that they give people access to quick and convenient medical care and help battle a doctor shortage. So, maybe five years from now, we will all witness the birth of rehauled healthcare with mobile applications leading the change.
References
[1]
Galiero, R., et al (2020). The importance of telemedicine during COVID-19 pandemic:
A Focus on Diabetic Retinopathy. Journal of Diabetes Research
vol. 2020, Article ID 9036847, 8 pages, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/9036847