With developments in technology, health care options are becoming more and more diverse. One of the fastest-growing segments of the health care industry is telemedicine, a market that is expected to grow to $113.1 billion by 2025. In fact, the use of telemedicine programs has increased 45 percent every year between 2004 and 2014 for mental health visits alone. Telemedicine programs use phone calls, video chatting and patient-recorded data to help diagnose and treat patients remotely, as opposed to in-office visits.

These advances in health care technology are especially convenient for women in the working world, because they make health care more easily accessible and allow you to prioritize often-overlooked aspects of health care, like mental health. 

 

Health care on your time

When you’re sick, there’s nothing worse than not being able to get an appointment with your doctor. Sometimes, there may not be any appointments available for a day or two, or the urgent care center may be further than you’d like to drive. Other times, you’d prefer to stay in the comfort of your home. Telemedicine allows you to speak with a doctor almost immediately, and in most cases you won’t have to leave your house. Most telemedicine providers give patients access to 24/7 health care options with board-certified physicians right in their local area.

Make mental health a priority

Over 40 percent of employees report that their job is very or extremely stressful, according to a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and 75 percent of employees believe they have more on-the-job stress than the previous generation. Outside of workplace stress, there are many unable to access mental health professionals for other mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety disorders. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, almost 90 million Americans live in federally recognized considered a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. For those unable to access mental health care through traditional in-office visits, telemedicine offers alternative options.

Quality health care leads to quality work

Every year, worker illness and injury costs employers $225.8 billion dollars. If you are a female entrepreneur or running your own side hustle, your income may depend on your health. Not only could you lose full days to illness, but your productivity can also suffer on the days you do work when feeling unwell. Telemedicine providers are able to provide you with on-demand feedback to help get you back to work, and working well, as quickly as possible. Many telemedicine providers also offer return-to-work programs to help facilitate returning to work from more severe illnesses.

With healthcare as one of the most highly debated topics in the U.S. right now, it’s important for find reliable care that you can count on when you need it most. Telemedicine providers are able to connect patients with providers for all of their health care needs, and help providers work with patients who may otherwise not access to the care they need. These programs help remove barriers like distance and conflicting schedules to provide the best care possible.