Have you ever wanted to Skype your doctor so you wouldn’t have to drive over to the hospital? Well, as technology advances the time when that is a firm possibility may be at hand. Telemedicine is a new form of medical practice that is finding many uses in the world. Having a remote doctor contact patients through cameras, microphones, and other technology from a separate location can benefit many people. Here are 4 scenarios where a remote doctor is the right call.

1. When Living in a Rural Area
   The most important of telemedicine benefits is that it provides help for those living too far from their doctors. Consider those who are living in rural areas. Perhaps the closest doctor is a few hours away. What if someone is stranded without transportation when living in such an area? This is when telemedicine services are a great option.
   
   If you find a family doctor that is capable of acting as a remote doctor then you have hit gold essentially. If you find yourself in times of need without an ability to reach your doctor for a checkup a remote visit can suffice. You can gain piece of mind knowing that you don’t have to pay extra transportation costs or worry about delays. The doctor is already there to see you.
2. Living in a Country with Less Doctors
   But what if you live in a country with statistically less medical officers? For instance, Rwanda has a population at around ten million people. That said, the ratio of doctor to regular civilian is at 1 to 18,000. In 2013, MOH Rwanda reported as such as well as the fact that it’s 1 nurse to every 1,476 civilians as well.
   
   When people live with such a shortage of doctors, country wide health can decrease. Having access to remote doctors can better the health of the entire country. Now medical equality can take a huge step forward as accessibility skyrockets. This can lead to a better country as a whole.
3. Living Alone
   What happens if you live by yourself? What if you don’t live with family members or loved ones? What if you come down with an illness and are incapable of getting yourself to a doctor in order to get checked out. What if your elderly mother or father is in need of medical attention, but for whatever reason you cannot take them? This is when a remote doctor steps in.
   
   Having access to a remote doctor means that the solitary resident can live at ease. If an illness comes and there’s no one to get you to a check up, you can use telemedicie to find out what the problem is. This could ultimately help a lot of people who live without family and friends. In addition, the elderly who don’t live in residential homes or with family can also breathe a sigh of relief because if a problem arises a doctor is a Skype call away.
4. You Have a Contagious Illness
   But what if you have an illness that could spread? For the beginning of some cases, using a remote doctor to identify signs of a contagious illness can prevent spreading of the illness. Imagine if we could catch spreadable diseases before neighbors, airplane riders, or school children caught them? If all it took was a Skype call with a doctor so that he or she could ask a few questions and ask you to cough on camera wouldn’t you do it? The potential for doing great good lies in the effort to at least try.

A remote doctor offers the chance of medical attention for many people who may not have the option otherwise. This is about accessibility to health and happiness. If you live alone, live in a rural area, live in an area with a shortage on medical help, or think you may have a contagious illness, telemedicine may be a viable option for you.

At the end of the day, we want everyone to be happy and healthy. Telemedicine and remote doctors offer the chance to make that a reality. We owe it to ourselves and everyone else to look further into this new technology. It’s the way to a happier, healthier future.

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