Mobile Urgent Care and Telehealth: What’s the Difference?
In recent years, the healthcare industry has seen a rise in the popularity of alternative healthcare services, with telehealth and mobile urgent care being two of the most widely used options. Although they are both designed to provide remote healthcare services, they are not the same. We utilize both services at Table Rock Mobile Medicine, treating patients in Boise, Meridian, Eagle and beyond for urgent care needs both in their home and on a HIPAA compliant telehealth service. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between telehealth and mobile urgent care, and how they can benefit patients.
Telehealth:
Telehealth is a broad term that refers to the use of technology to provide healthcare services remotely. It encompasses a wide range of services, including video consultations, remote monitoring, and electronic prescribing. Telehealth services are typically provided by healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and therapists, and can be accessed from the comfort of your own home or office.
One of the main benefits of telehealth is that it provides patients with convenient and accessible healthcare services. Patients no longer have to take time off work or travel long distances to see a healthcare professional. Telehealth also allows healthcare providers to monitor patients more closely and provide more personalized care.
The main drawback to telehealth services is its limited scope. Since no one is doing a comprehensive physical exam, lung and sounds are not being listened to as an example, it does not work well for certain types of conditions. Issues like sinus infections, mental health complaints and some skin conditions work well for telehealth. Issues like coughs, pneumonia, headaches, dizziness and injuries are not ideal.
Mobile Urgent Care:
Mobile urgent care, on the other hand, is a service that provides urgent medical care at the patient's location. This service is typically provided by a variety of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurse practitioners & physician associates, nurses, and medical technicians, who travel to the patient's location in a mobile medical unit. Mobile urgent care services are designed to treat non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, such as flu symptoms, minor cuts, and sprains.
The main benefit of mobile urgent care is that it provides patients with quick and convenient access to medical care, without the need to travel to a hospital or urgent care center. This service is particularly useful for patients who live in remote areas, or who have difficulty accessing traditional healthcare services.
The drawbacks to mobile urgent care is typically around lack of availability. It may not be available where you live or they may not have an opening the works with your schedule.
Differences between Telehealth and Mobile Urgent Care:
Telehealth is designed to provide a wide range of healthcare services remotely, while mobile urgent care is designed to provide urgent medical care at the patient's location.
Another key difference is the level of care provided. Telehealth services are typically utilized when physical exams are not needed and the issue is not life threatening. Mobile urgent care can utilize more tests/resources and screen for more serious conditions.
Telehealth is typically used for non-urgent medical issues, such as routine check-ups or follow-up appointments, while mobile urgent care is used for urgent medical issues, such as flu symptoms or minor injuries.
Both telehealth and mobile urgent care have their unique advantages, and the choice between the two will depend on the patient's individual needs. Telehealth is ideal for non-urgent medical issues, while mobile urgent care is ideal for urgent medical issues that require immediate attention. Regardless of which service is chosen, patients can benefit from the convenience and accessibility of remote healthcare services.