Sayre, PA (WBNG Binghamton) As the country prepares to absorb the largest population of elderly people its ever seen, hospitals are working to ready themselves for the vast increase in patients. Some are doing that by implementing new technology called "telemedicine."
In twenty years, maybe less, your consultation or check-up could be done through a computerized system with camera.
"We simply dial up each other, and I can see and talk to the patient, and help make a diagnosis, write a prescription," said Dr. Theodore Them, Chief of Occupational Medicine at Guthrie.
"The images and the sound on this technology are better than I can get in my own office," Dr. Them said.
The system can instantaneously calculate your temperature or blood pressure, even an EKG heart scan.
The healthcare industry prepares to weather the tidal wave of aging baby boomers, expected to bring over 80 million elderly Americans to doctors.
Will baby boomers like appointments with telemedicine? They're more technology-savvy than our current seniors.
"It may be a harder sell in that population, in that they aren't the current video generation," Dr. Them said. "Once they realize the benefits of decreased travel, yet having face to face video contact with their physicians, I think it's going to be an easy sell."
If you have an illness which requires you to visit different doctors' offices they can all see you from one location via telemedicine, and without having to go to those offices, the professionals can share the information.
That's also true for emergency rooms which may need to transfer patients in critical conditions across far distances.
Resident Kristen Kelley is our model patient. "There are several areas in our country that are under-served, in very rural areas, and this could reach out to them," Kelley said.
"Doctors can put that time to a better evaluation and treatment plan for the patient," Dr. Them said.
People would need to travel to regional offices for certain examinations.
"It didn't feel weird," Kelley said. "In fact, it was very easy."
It's not clear whether or not this will mitigate the rising cost of healthcare, but Guthrie believes this is one way to ensure care before a swell of seniors makes hospitals sick.
Some argue the Twin Tiers are already seeing the impact on healthcare networks because we have an older population now. But, most agree the population problem will come to a head in 2050.
Guthrie already has a telemedicine station set up in Norwich.
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