Study: Virtual medicine as effective as physical doc visits

21.03.2011

"The study shows that the virtual hospital allows comprehensive control over the patient in medical, pharmaceutical, psychological and quality of life aspects. The results are as satisfactory as those obtained in a visit at the hospital," a press release by the hospital stated.

Meanwhile, a separate study, , showed 85% of 87 patients who were surveyed indicated that a virtual hospital improved their access to clinical data and that they felt comfortable with the videoconference system.

Virtual office visits were also found to improve the amount of information patients could receive about their illness, while reducing costs and the time spent traveling back and forth to physicians' offices and waiting for physicians to meet with patients.

The Hospital VIHrtual telemedicine program offered patients teleconference consultations that included medical, nursing, psychological, pharmaceutical and social care. The video consultation sessions were set up through email.

The hospital's telemedicine program also offers two virtual communities, one for healthcare professionals where they can share clinical cases and treatments, and another for patients offering news, discussion forums and blogs with physicians and other patients.