Explain the challenges for both patients and medical professionals of online medical consultations. (4 marks)
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Challenges for patients:
- Technology barriers create difficulties accessing online consultations. This occurs because patients may lack reliable internet or struggle with digital platforms. Consequently, older patients or those in low-income areas face exclusion from telehealth services.
- Privacy concerns lead to reluctance in sharing sensitive health information. The reason for this is uncertainty about data security and who might access medical records. Therefore, patients may withhold important symptoms.
Challenges for medical professionals:
- Limited physical examination capabilities result in diagnostic challenges. This happens when doctors cannot palpate, listen to chest sounds, or observe subtle physical signs. As a result, conditions requiring hands-on assessment may be missed.
- Communication barriers generate misdiagnosis risks. This is due to poor video quality or patients struggling to describe symptoms accurately. Hence, doctors must rely on incomplete information, potentially compromising care quality.
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Challenges for patients:
- Technology barriers create difficulties accessing online consultations. This occurs because patients may lack reliable internet or struggle with digital platforms. Consequently, older patients or those in low-income areas face exclusion from telehealth services.
- Privacy concerns lead to reluctance in sharing sensitive health information. The reason for this is uncertainty about data security and who might access medical records. Therefore, patients may withhold important symptoms.
Challenges for medical professionals:
- Limited physical examination capabilities result in diagnostic challenges. This happens when doctors cannot palpate, listen to chest sounds, or observe subtle physical signs. As a result, conditions requiring hands-on assessment may be missed.
- Communication barriers generate misdiagnosis risks. This is due to poor video quality or patients struggling to describe symptoms accurately. Hence, doctors must rely on incomplete information, potentially compromising care quality.