Virtual doctor’s appointments?

This is something both patients and doctors have been waiting for: teleconsultation – consulting via teleconference.

And it’s finally possible! Since September 15, patients in France can consult their doctor via video-calling. This has two advantages, not only does this help out patients in areas more and more lacking in doctors, but also improves follow-up.

While this may be the result of an inevitable trend, though, it’s as yet unclear how quickly it will develop. In principle, it’s simple: the doctor consults with the patient by means of video conference calling. Given that this process obviously enables only an audio-visual, not physical, examination, though, a classic consultation in person would still be necessary for many cases.

Also, patients will only be able to opt for this type of consultation if their doctor offers it, and to do so they’ll need an internet connection and camera fitted with a microphone. What is encouraging is that teleconsultations in France are reimbursed by health insurance to the same extent as classic consultations, so that should increase participation.