Role of telemedicine in COVID-19 pandemic – An overview

COVID-19 pandemic has caused worldwide havoc. The present healthcare system is ruined, distancing both patients and doctors. To avoid transmission of infection, travel restrictions were made, making the patient’s visit to the doctor difficult. However, routine checkups for patients not infected with COVID-19 should be given without the threat of getting exposed to other patients in the hospital. In this respect, telemedicine becomes a reliable source that provides health services as well as reduces the infection spread. The first known evidence of real-time (live) video consultation occurred in 1959 at the University of Nebraska where doctors used telemedicine to transmit neurological examinations to students. During the first 3 months of 2020, there was a 50% increase in telehealth visits. Most patients from January to March 2020 approached for a condition other than COVID-19. Many telemedicine applications have been launched for teleconsultation such as Practo, Mfine, TATA Health, and Doctor 24 × 7 provide teleconsultation. Telemedicine has shown a huge impact on the present healthcare system during this pandemic and has placed itself in the spotlight during recent times. Through this paper, the role of telemedicine in the current scenario of pandemics and its development through recent times is discussed.