Telehealth

Expansion of OB/GYN Care through telehealth in Rural Communities

by Admin

Women comprise half of the population of the world, including India. For this reason, we have to recognize the significance of the subject, women’s health, from that standpoint. No “speciality” is more extensive than women’s health. OB/GYN specialists work towards improving women’s well-being as well as the well-being of the very initial form of mortal existence, that is, babies. A pregnant woman’s healthcare highly impacts her baby’s health, and outstanding prenatal and postnatal care are the building blocks. This is because they can mould the template of the being about to come.

Going to a far-off OB/GYN practice for each appointment is not a practical alternative for many women living in rural areas. These women generally have few public conveyance options. Also, they may be not able to locate child care or get time off work. Because of these reasons, many women avoid postpartum visits.

All of this corresponds to a scarcity of access to quality healthcare – before, during, and after pregnancy. And that can result in unfortunate consequences for women and their infants. Some have to even give birth at hospitals with no obstetric departments. Whereas, others give birth outside of a hospital setting entirely. These women experience a greater chance of low birth weight, preterm births, maternal mortality, and postpartum depression.

Fortunately, telehealth can improve that by supporting women’s overall health and consequently increasing the instances of healthy pregnancies and births.

5 Advantages to OB/GYN Telemedicine

If you are unaware of or new to telemedicine, then you might thelieve that OB/GYN alternatives are restricted. After all, prenatal care frequently involves ultrasounds and other hands-on assistance. But present day’s telehealth facilities comprise specialty software and devices such as ultrasound probes and HD cameras, as well as the proficiency to share data with EHR systems.

That is one explanation for why many telehealth service providers are devoting programs formulated to enhance maternity and obstetrics care. Formulated to broaden access to maternal care, such programs encompass telehealth initiatives for rural clinics, critical access hospitals, and assistance to patients in 5 ways:

Solving OB/GYN shortages: Rural patients can connect to specialty professionals even when they are not accessible in their regions. Providers can attend to more patients by giving after-hours and weekend visits and reaching women in remote locations.
Remote Patient Monitoring: Pregnant women given treatment for high blood pressure or depression can take part in distant medication monitoring, which would spare them an office visit, while women with gestational diabetes can get support for particular meal plans and insulin checks.
Faster treatment: Providers can remotely check on patients with preeclampsia to discern if they are suffering from any symptoms such as blurred vision or a headache that would need a serious and urgent intervention.
Post-operative care: Women who have lately undergone procedures such as a C-section, hysterectomy, ovarian cyst removal or laparotomy can get follow-up care while remaining in their homes during their recuperation period.
Counseling and education: Many new mothers are increasingly opting for telelactation for help with breastfeeding and latch techniques. Women suffering from postpartum depression or couples making efforts to conceive can get expert coaching and counseling through telehealth; patients who want to talk about a recent lab result after a biopsy or STI test can promptly connect to a clinician.

Shifting to Virtual Care comes with Lifelong Benefits

Abolishing healthcare discrepancies and optimizing care delivery for all patients has long been a telehealth goal. Considering that numerous pregnant women and new mothers struggle to access medical assistance, virtual OB/GYN care can serve as a bridge across the rural divide – and provide some of our most susceptible patients a more powerful beginning in life. Consequently, when the women would take care of their health, they would become their own best friends.