Doctors in Transition a Good Fit for mHealth
There is a growing healthcare crisis in the United States with medical colleges predicting a huge shortage of doctors in the next few years. But, according mHealth pioneer GetMedCallAssist, doctors seeking a smooth transition into retirement can fill the gap setting up a Mobile Health Practice, which allows doctors to immediately connect with patients over the telephone or web without scheduling an appointment or call-back.
Frustration has grown with doctors of the Baby Boom generation, what with the rising number of patients and the growing healthcare bureaucracy, pushing many of them towards early retirement. Medical Colleges estimate a shortage of more than 90,000 physicians by 2020 and 130,000 or more by 2025 as the number of patients is expected to increase. Some 10,000 baby boomers will retire every day for the next 19 years, including many doctors. But at the same time, more people will be looking for health providers under ObamaCare — meaning there could be a potentially wide numbers gap between those seeking treatment and those available to provide it.
Retiring doctors may offer a solution to the shortage, as a large number prefer to transition into retirement, rather than quit cold turkey. These doctors in transition often have a difficult time going from a practice that is overloaded with patients to one that has none. By adding mobile health to their practice, many physicians can continue taking calls from their patients, but in a less-stressful clinical setting that is easier on their schedules. Doctors taking MedCall shifts can be off their feet longer and enjoy good pay, without a big out-of-pocket investment.
Emergency trained physicians are especially suitable to mHealth as the most effective mHealth practices take emergency and non-emergency calls. ER doctors work on the front line of medicine, learning to make snap decisions on how to treat patients, even when to turn them away. ER overcrowding is becoming a major problem with healthcare and mobile health can be a good solution by helping quickly gauge the level of care needed, and bringing emergency care in only when needed. Studies show that if patients can speak to a doctor first, 70 percent of office visits and 40 percent of ER visits are eliminated.
As a part of a medical practice, mHealth eliminates the uncertainty for both doctors and patients. Neither will be burdened with unnecessary office visits and doctors can transition their practice more smoothly as they start thinking about retirement. Best of all, doctors can enjoy work more by eliminating all the unnecessary red tape and focusing on the reason they entered medicine in the first place–helping people.
