Modern technological advances have had a powerful impact on the medical field, reducing the cost and increasing the availability of diagnostic equipment and testing, helping to train new physicians and even making it easier for more people to see a doctor. Telemedicine, or the ability to diagnose and provide treatment to a patient using telecommunication technology, does just this. Telemedicine is especially useful in rural communities which are often struggling with doctor shortages or increased treatment costs. Below, we go over some of the benefits that telemedicine has had on rural communities. Increased Doctor Availability Many rural areas have been suffering from a less-than-ideal number of available doctors, as few physicians are willing to work in these remote areas. Add to that the expected shortage of up to 122,000 doctors by 2023, and rural healthcare facilities will be the ones to experience this shortage the strongest. Telemedicine addresses this problem by allowing rural hospitals to contract with telemedicine platforms where experienced telemedicine practitioners can reduce the hospital’s workload by taking care of non-emergency patients. Reducing Patient Readmission Due to this lack of doctors, many patients are discharged from rural hospitals without them fully understanding their lengthy discharge instructions. Telemedicine allows for the remote monitoring of high-risk discharged patients, reducing the rate of readmission and helping patients stay healthy by understanding and taking charge of their rehabilitation process. To learn more visit leonardoddo.com