Using telemedicine for medical emergencies will help medical professionals learn how to do life saving procedures with assistance from someone in another ER, far away.

What Telemedicine Is

For many people, the idea of telemedicine is still something which seems to be too science fiction in tone. It sounds like someone is going to transmit a medical treatment via the internet, without having anyone else in the room. While this might be a goal of some who are developing remote medical procedures, this is not the only way that telemedicine is used. Currently most telemedicine is for primary medical care, but more and more telemedicine can be used for urgent care and in some cases for emergency medical care.

Here are some typical telemedicine scenarios:

  • A doctor calls another doctor on the phone for treatment advice
  • A doctor and another doctor talk over webcam or internet chat
  • Two monitors are set up in different parts of the world, with one doctor telling another how to perform a medical procedure

In an emergency situation, a doctor might need to perform a certain medical procedure, but may not have the necessary training or experience. Often the case in teaching hospitals and in smaller medical settings, the use of telemedicine can ensure the patient gets the best possible treatment, even though the doctor might be doing the medical procedure for the first time.

How Telemedicine Can Help Emergency Medicine

The main issue with ERs is that every case is entirely unique. And since some hospitals may never see certain cases more than once a decade, it makes sense that physicians and nurses may stumble across a case which is confusing and seemingly impossible. By talking with others via telemedicine technology, a treatment plan can be devised without the patient even realizing what has happened. With one doctor doing the tests and another with the hands on skills to guide the physician, this tag team approach works to help the patient in the most efficient way possible.

Also, those who are unable to contact others on their team for consults will be able to contact anyone in the world for help with a medical question. As a result, every doctor can know everything – even if they have to be guided sometimes.

Telemedicine will help ER professionals:

  • Have faster response times.
  • Have higher cure rates.
  • Learn about new diseases.
  • Figure out new procedures and surgeries.
  • Refine their teaching and communication skills.
  • Always have someone to contact for a consult.