With the advancement in technology, telemedicine revolutionises healthcare service delivery in aspects such as preventive measures, wellness, and hospital management. In the past few years, telemedicine has been associated with remote patient monitoring and virtual consultation. Technology is used to bring remote healthcare benefits while empowering it to bridge geographic divides in traditional healthcare. To comprehend a bit about the virtual consultation before progressing into cases going beyond virtual consultation. Virtual consultation is one of the central pillars of telemedicine; it allows users (patients) to search through doctors by specialty and book appointments for themselves and their dependents according to the doctor's availability. This allows patients and providers to meet at a location of their convenience while discouraging the spread of communicable diseases. Through this platform, patients will have the opportunity to see physicians, receive prescriptions, or obtain medical notes for official purposes. This way, hospitals and medical centers can become more efficient by saving in-person visits for matters requiring hands-on attention. Aside from routine healthcare needs, telemedicine pops up in services ranging from general consultations to specialized care and preventive wellness. For instance:

• Mental Health Counseling: Counseling and support solutions for people with mental health challenges.
• Group Therapy Sessions: Sessions conducted to help families or groups that share a similar mental health concern.
• Second Opinions: Expert consultations on the radiology or pathology reports.
• Supplement Refills: Recharge requests pertaining to weight loss, skincare, and nutrition.
• Menopause and Postpartum Counseling: Assistance to women during these important life stages.
• Marijuana Prescriptions: Support for medical cannabis needs.
• Virtual Holistic Health Coaching: Tracks fitness, monitors nutrition, and makes overall health a priority with data-driven knowledge.
• Meditation Coaching: Foster mental and emotional well-being.
• Remote Patient Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of patients suffering from chronic conditions and those in the elderly population.

As mentioned above, the benefits include but are not limited to the following:

1. Optimizing Healthcare Resources: In-person visits can be prioritized for cases needing direct attention in hospitals and medical centers to enhance operational efficiency.
2. Detection and Prevention: Chronic conditions and age-related problems can be recognized at an earlier point in time, whilst preventive measures can avert costly complications and hospitalizations.
3. Patient Empowerment: Patients can monitor their own health, find educational resources, and talk to health providers via online means.
4. Greater Access: Patients are no longer limited to local providers; those in need can reach a vaster network of specialists and services.

Sonia Dhamija