Telemedicine will be part of doctors' services in the future. Even after the pandemic is over
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Telemedicine would remain a part of the services offered by doctors even after the pandemic is over, an expert from the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) Dr. Vito Anggarino Damay said.

"Telemedicine will be part of doctors' services in the future. Even after the pandemic is over," Damay said in a written statement issued here on Monday.

Doctors continuously follow technological developments and have grown increasingly accustomed to telemedicine, he noted.

Besides doctors, the public will slowly get used to telemedicine, including heart disease patients, he said.

Telemedicine can help patients suffering from hypertension and cholesterol disorders to consult doctors and take their medication regularly, thereby helping stabilize their condition, he added.

"Cases such as hypertension and high cholesterol can still be done (investigated) with telemedicine. Also routine medication control. Heart failure patients are also the same. They routinely take medication in good condition or patients have had a ring or had a heart attack, if they are stable, they can use telemedicine first," Damay said.

Telemedicine can also serve as a means of educating the public, especially on maintaining their health, including the medicines they must take when sick, he added.

A patient's openness and intelligence is important for the service to work well, he said. Just like direct consultations, telemedicine also involves doctors taking anamnesis, or checking a patient's condition by asking a series of questions, before finally diagnosing them, he pointed out.

According to Hiyo, a patient who used telemedicine prior to the pandemic, patients need to be able to explain their condition or complaint in detail. They also need to share information related to their medical records with the doctor, she said.

She admitted that people may find using telemedicine services difficult, especially those who have trouble describing their condition to the doctor.

She also said that local clinics have not been connected by telemedicine services.

"It's not connected to a local clinic, so it's like it's still centralized. It would be good if there's something, if there's something lacking, we can visit one (clinic/hospital) immediately," she added.

Asked if she would use the telemedicine services once the pandemic ends, Hiyo replied in the affirmative.

"(I'll) keep using it, because I've been using it since before the pandemic; moreover (I will use it frequently) after (the pandemic)," she answered.

Related news: Vice president encourages hospitals to develop telemedicine services
Related news: Telemedicine to ease vaccine registrations at health facilities: IDI
Related news: Telemedicine can boost COVID-19 handling: IDI
Related news: Govt to unveil telemedicine services to address COVID-19 drug paucity

Translator: Lia W S, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2021