HOW DOES ONLINE DOCTOR CONSULTATION WORK?

Posted by Sara on July 22nd, 2019

The internet is the most commonly used tool for nearly all kinds of work these days; online doctor consultation and easy access to medical data being one of them. Online doctor consultation has proven to simplify the task of patients to search for a doctor nearby and seek consultation. 

With such widespread availability of internet services as well as the function of video conferencing on every device, online medical consultation has become easier to access and use by many people globally. 

Apart from ease of access, online doctor consultation also provides the much needed privacy which may seem difficult at hospital out-patient departments. 

How does online doctor consultation work?

There are several websites available which can be used easily via desktop or mobile for an online medical consultation or to book an online doctor consultation. Yet, each website has its own set of features.

Online medical consultation works by means of an online platform or a portal which connects patients with the available doctors. 

This article will help you understand how online doctor consultation works based on some common features of all online consultation websites. 

• Whenever you seek an online doctor consultation, you are required to register yourself with the web portal through which consultation will be possible. 

• Web portals for online doctor consultation these days also have their own smart phone applications which make the portal more easily accessible. 

• The application or the website then asks for a brief description about your complaints for which you are seeking online doctor consultation. 

• On some websites, you can find a doctor online who you wish to consult. 

• After filling in the basic details such as name, age, gender and address, you will be directed to the payment portal. 

• Once you have completed basic registration and payment, you can begin your online consultation. 

• During the consultation, you can chat or call and share images of reports or photos of your illness, if any. Video consultations are also provided by some websites. 

• Based on your presenting complaints, the doctor may advise you to undergo some set of tests if required.

• Online medical consultation portals also allow the doctor to prepare the plan of treatment and even provide a prescription for the medicines to be taken for a particular illness. 

• You can opt for a follow up with the doctor as well. Some websites offer free follow ups, while some may levy charges for a certain number of follow-ups. 

• Several applications also provide online doctor consultation 24/7. 

• These websites also allow patients to give ratings to the consulting doctor or leave reviews in the form of comments so that other patients can choose a doctor easily. 

Some websites not only allow you to get online medical consultation, but also let you book an appointment to consult with the doctor in person. This feature allows the websites to be more authentic since patients can rate and review the doctor based entirely on their personal consultation. This in a way works as a guide for other patients as well who may be seeking online consultation for similar complaints. 

Along with consultations and booking of appointments, these websites also keep updating their users regularly about their health and illnesses in the form of articles, blogs or videos related to health, diet and lifestyle. 

Although online doctor consultation is a boon for the medical industry as well as for the patients, a personal rapport built through online consultation is very different and comparatively less effective than that which is possible through face-to-face consultation.

The only drawback of online medical consultation in India is that majority of population belongs to the rural areas where even accessing basic healthcare services is relatively difficult. Therefore, online doctor consultation may be utilized by only a small section of urban population who know how to access the internet and use these applications or websites to the fullest.