Teleconsultation can be a Boon for Expectant Mothers & Kids during the Lockdown

The number of people suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is rapidly rising in India and the nation has been under a lockdown to contain its spread. During this time, teleconsultation can be helpful for would-be mothers and kids too. Here we explain the advantages of using this medium.

Patients suffering from COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, are rapidly rising all over the world. Coronaviruses (CoV) belong to a large family of viruses that may lead to respiratory illnesses, right from the common cold to more severe diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Earlier this year, a new strain of the coronavirus — known as the novel coronavirus (nCov) — was discovered, which had not been previously identified in human beings. The listed symptoms of it are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Since people have been advised to stay at home, teleconsultation can be beneficial for the expecting moms and kids. This will help them tackle all their health issues.

What is teleconsultation?

Teleconsultation can be defined as a healthcare consultation carried out using audio-visual telecommunications between a doctor and a patient. It has been widely used during the outbreak of COVID-19. The teleconsultation platform has evolved from just meeting the doctor on video to getting clinical documents like test results and reports uploaded, along with issuing an authenticated prescription to the patient.

The current online teleconsultation is a replica of the real-world appointment and consultation system. People access the website or the app to book appointments for a video consultation, similar to the procedure being followed earlier to book an appointment. They also call the call centre to book a video appointment.

Why teleconsultation is a boon?

Obstetrics:  

A pregnant lady must follow up with her consultant regularly until her delivery. During the third trimester, the need to be in touch with the consultant increases as both the mother and the child need regular monitoring, especially monitoring the heart rate of the baby at regular intervals. 

With teleconsultation, one can interact with the doctor comfortably from home, share their feedback and decide when is the need to visit the hospital and avoid any unnecessary visits. This ensures that pregnant women are not unnecessarily exposed to any kind of risk.

Benefits for children:

In the case of pediatrics, discussions on growth and regular milestone consultations can all be done through teleconsultation. The child needs to visit the consultant only if it is required.      

No hospital visits: 

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown, pregnant women who need continuous guidance and children who would require consultations, will need to be catered to while ensuring their safety.  Women will be able to get regular advice through their consultants, especially those who are in their third trimester and need regular monitoring and counselling. Pregnant women can go through their routine follow-up consultations through this technology, helping them have continued access to their care.

Similarly, children requiring routine consultations, particularly at this time to distinguish between the common cold and other issues, can also be provided through this service. So, online consultations have helped women and children to access quality health advice without having to step out of their homes.

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Easy appointment procedure: 

The best part of the online OPD is that it literally is a virtual visit to the OPD. The appointment is booked online. A link is sent to the patient(s) via an SMS. The patient dials into the hospital using the link at the appointed time. The doctor provides consultation, followed by an authenticated prescription.

(Edited by Apoorva Puranik)