The delivery of health care has dramatically shifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing a move from in-person visits to some form of virtual care. Virtual care is a way to deliver health-care services using technology to remotely connect patients and health professionals.
While most people think of using videoconferencing technologies such as Zoom or Skype, virtual care can also be conducted by telephone. In fact, 91.2 per cent of virtual visits during 2020 have been over the phone.
For more than 20 years, we have researched the development and implementation of digital health solutions to support patients with chronic diseases and improve access to care. Given these successes of virtual care, we believe it would be a mistake to automatically go back to the pre-pandemic ways of treating patients.
Read the full article in The Conversation
Written by Scott Lear and Taleen Lara Ashekian
News articles do not necessarily represent the views of BC Family Doctors. We share news written by or about family physicians to keep our members up to date on topics impacting our professional lives.