Video kiosks allow for virtual doctor’s visits
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Imagine having an appointment with your doctor – not in his or her office, but at the grocery store, on a college campus or even at your job.
The HealthSpot station is a private, walk-in medical kiosk that allows patients to interact with board-certified healthcare providers in real time. It was created by Healthspot, patient and provider healthcare technology company.
“HealthSpot works through high-definition audio and video conferencing with patients so the provider is able to talk to the patient on screen, get their full history and symptoms, then perform a physical exam using the medical advices within the HealthSpot station,” said Dr. Teri Lash-Ritter, medical director of urgent and express care clinics at Cleveland Clinic.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The kiosks are currently being tested as part of a pilot program at Cleveland Clinic’s Family Health Center. They are fully equipped with digital medical devices, including a stethoscope, scale, blood pressure cuff and thermometer. Readings are transferred from patient to doctor in real time and there’s a medical professional on hand to help.
Sandra Robertson stopped in to get a cough checked out— and she didn’t need an appointment.
“It’s pretty cool. Normally I have ‘doctoritis’ but it didn’t take effect today. So my blood pressure stayed average, so that was good,” Robertson said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HealthSpot is designed for treatment of common health conditions like colds and flu, rashes and skin conditions, earaches, sore throat, sinus infections and upper respiratory infections.
Visits can take about 15 minutes and are covered by several insurance companies. Doctors can send prescriptions directly to a pharmacy for their patients.
In the next few months, the stations will be available throughout several communities.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}