Combating coronavirus: Patients in Dubai still opt for telehealth even with eased restrictions

Even after restrictions are eased across the emirate, many Dubai residents feel more comfortable communicating with their doctors through telehealth services and online platforms.
Hospital and clinic call centres have been receiving a flood of patient queries as they strategise and update their telemedicine services.
While some queries can be resolved through phone calls and video conferencing, other cases warrant more serious clinical intervention.
Dr Ziad Alobeidi, head of telemedicine at Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centres, said telemedicine has been a big help for both patients and hospitals' emergency rooms.
"Telemedicine is being used extensively in the prior triage of patients long before they arrive in the primary care clinics in an effort to reduce the pressures facing emergency rooms and clinics," Dr Alobeidi said,
"And by arranging telehealth solutions, people who are suffering from other medical ailments during this time can receive care from home, without entering medical facilities, minimising their risk of contracting the virus."
Virtual consultations have also been benefitting patients who live in remote areas, as well as those who are homebound and others who can't take some time off work, he added.
The popularity of telemedicine systems has spiked, so much so that around 90 per cent of healthcare providers have already begun developing and implementing such programmes, Dr Alobeidi said.
Two groups of telehealth patients
Dr Ahmed Salah, dentist and director of corporate medical services at Prime Healthcare Group, said: "There are two types of patient groups. One group who has no preexisting conditions. So, they visit the clinic or the facility physically and their follow-up consultations are done over the phone or video calls.
"But the second group which comprises people in the high-risk category insist on phone consultations throughout. It works well in most cases, unless there are some exceptional circumstances."
Patients with chronic diseases are more likely to schedule teleconsultations to reduce their risks of contracting the Covid-19 virus. Their medications are also delivered to their homes, and their conditions are monitored closely, almost on a daily basis.
More parents are also relying on virtual heathcare for their children, who are also part of the high-risk category, said Dr Deepak Gandhi, specialist paediatrician at Medeor Hospital.
Insurance coverage
Regulators have contributed in allowing insurance companies to accept teleconsultations as a billable service under the current circumstances resulting from the pandemic.
This has meant that as acceptance and adoption of telemedicine expands, so does coverage.
Dr Abul Fazil, internal medicine specialist at Aster Clinic - Barsha, said: "Insurance companies have recognised this as more companies are empaneling with regards to this."
PROS OF TELEHEALTH
>> Patients in high-risk category can minimise risks of exposure to virus
>> Eases pressure on emergency rooms and clinics
>> It improves timeliness of care
>> Offers a more patient-centred approach
nandini@khaleejtimes.com