When it comes to the leading causes of death in the US, heart disease is always near the top, which is why cardiac health is always top of mind for health professionals. The ultimate goal for any hospital CEO or coordinator is to provide the best quality services to patients, and making use of the latest cardiac technology is one way to do just that.
1 – Greater Convenience
Convenience should never be the main reason to adopt any medical technology, but telecardiology makes it more convenient for everyone involved. That includes hospital executives and administrators, doctors, surgeons, and especially patients. Quite often, a patient who is experiencing mild symptoms will forgo going to the doctor if they’re busy or have other things going on. But when they were able to fit an appointment into their schedule, the likelihood of them getting the care and treatment they need is much higher.
2 – Faster Diagnosis & Response Times
Heart disease and cardiac issues are almost always time-sensitive, and Telecardiology helps to shorten the time it takes to diagnose and treat heart problems. As the population ages and modern lifestyles help contribute to blood pressure and cholesterol issues, timely heart treatment will become more and more important.
About one in five people that suffer a heart attack were unaware they had any issue, and having telecardiology services available like echocardiogram interpretations, coronary CT angiogram, echo interpretation, and others will help save lives. Telecardiology also makes it much easier for doctors to collaborate with one another and get a second opinion for shorter diagnosis times which will inevitably make a huge difference.
3 – Fewer Hospital Transfers
Hospital transfers can be costly and require many resources, but they are often necessary for people that have serious heart problems. There is also the matter of outpatients paying for their own travel when they have to go from one hospital to another to get second opinions or additional care. When you use a telecardiology service, it can take as little as one appointment to figure out if a patient can be managed virtually, which will reduce the number of transfers required overall.
4 – Greater Access to Premium Services for Cardiac Patients
For a cardiac patient to get the best care possible, it’s important to have access to premium cardiac doctors and services. For anyone living in a small town that only has a smaller community hospital, general practitioners are often relied upon to provide heart health advice. Telecardiology allows patients to have access to the services they need without having to be face-to-face with an expert. They will also be able to get a service they need faster, which can help prevent heart attacks and other acute events for better outcomes.
5 – Potential for Widespread Collaboration Amongst Cardiologists
It’s no secret that people suffering from heart disease outnumber available cardiologists tremendously. Many cardiologists spend the bulk of their time in the office or operating room and have little time to share their opinions and expertise for collaborative purposes. With the help of telecardiology and video conferencing, leading cardiologists from around the world can lend their opinions and expertise without having to be physically present. This enables physicians and healthcare professionals to make more informed decisions and consider different treatment options that may yield better results.
6 – Greater Affordability
Telecardiology helps reduce costs for both patients and healthcare organizations. With less travel required, a patient can save money and reduce stress, getting the most out of their treatment. For chronic heart issues like hypertension or atherosclerosis, frequent appointments are often needed with a cardiologist, and the amount of travel time can be greatly cut down when telecardiology is part of the process.
7 – Smooth Triage and Less Burden on Healthcare Providers
It’s important to note that healthcare providers also feel stressed and have serious time constraints when faced with large numbers of patients. no high-quality cardiologist feels right about turning patients away, and many suffer in their own lives in order to treat the patients they have the best way they know how. Telecardiology can help drastically reduce the doctor-to-patient ratio in hospitals that are flooded with cardiac patients, reducing the level of chaos and making for a more relaxed triage process for everyone involved. With telecardiology solutions in place, emergency rooms and hospitals can provide high-quality care without becoming overburdened.
Bonus Reason
Patient satisfaction must be considered when discussing the move to use a telecardiology service. Throughout the entire process of dealing with the cardiac condition, there’s a lot of stress on patients and their families, as many are continuing with their work schedules and trying to carry on with a normal life. With reduced travel requirements, shorter wait times, and faster diagnosis and treatment, telecardiology can improve patient satisfaction rates. this will help to alleviate their stress and improve their condition and help build or maintain trust in the healthcare industry.
Telecardiology with Specialist Direct
If you feel that telecardiology would make a great addition to your hospital, our team at Specialist Direct can help make your vision a reality. We have a national network of US Board-Certified cardiologists to provide interpretations of CT angiograms, ECG’s, echocardiograms, and vascular ultrasound studies. When you work with us, you’ll get an end-to-end solution that includes project management, training, and customer support.
Get in touch with us today for a same-day reply and learn how we can help.
