Telemedicine has existed for many years. What began as telephone consultations evolved into the capability to assist patients through video calls, messaging, or online chatting platforms. Telemedicine has proven beneficial for individuals in rural regions, people with disabilities, limiting the transmission of germs from infectious patients, and expediting appointments.
Although telemedicine has been established for a considerable period, its growth and development continue. Read further to discover its forthcoming trends and their advantages.
## Monitoring with Wearable Tech
For specific conditions or symptoms that do not necessitate in-person medical devices for diagnosis or monitoring, the utilization of wearable health technology is increasingly gaining traction in the realm of telemedicine.
Wearable tech that may be employed for [virtual monitoring](https://thekickassentrepreneur.com/timecamp-tool-for-time-tracking-and-employee-monitoring/) includes smartwatches for assessing heart rate or blood oxygen saturation, wearable glucose monitors, respiratory trackers, neurological devices to observe brain function, and more.
## Use Across International Borders
Telemedicine originated in the Netherlands before developing in several other European nations and ultimately reaching the United States. However, its growth has not ceased. Various nations’ healthcare regulations are evolving to incorporate telemedicine, rapidly assimilating it into their medical systems.
Telemedicine is particularly expanding rapidly across Asia and even in developing countries like Ghana. Furthermore, nations like Spain, which previously lacked a telemedicine framework, are now looking to embrace this contemporary healthcare solution very soon.
## Expansion of Mental Health Services
Mental health issues are among the most pressing challenges today. With cases such as anxiety and depression hitting unprecedented levels, [expanding mental health services is crucial](https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/telehealth-for-mental-health), which telemedicine has been addressing for a significant time.
Telemedicine continues to enhance its mental health services, making them more accessible by providing additional options for online therapy and counseling, as well as facilitating online prescriptions for certain medications. This is particularly beneficial for those who find it challenging to leave their homes due to mental health conditions, have no transportation, or face other obstacles.
## Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into nearly every sector today, including the medical field. In telemedicine, AI is mainly employed for scheduling appointments, educating patients, and providing guidelines.
AI can also directly assist physicians by helping them summarize or organize patients’ symptoms or medical records, refining possible diagnoses, and examining [patients’ health information](https://thekickassentrepreneur.com/from-raw-data-to-ai-powered-decisions-sombras-approach-to-optimizing-data-lakes-for-ai-ml-in-canada/). This, in turn, can alleviate the workload on healthcare providers and support staff while enabling faster diagnoses and solutions for patients.
## Increase in Physician Adoption
With an increasing demand for telemedicine, the capability to connect with more patients, and the access to HIPAA-compliant payment processing utilizing the [best telemedicine merchant account](https://zenpayments.com/industries/telemedicine-merchant-account/), a growing number of physicians are opting to integrate telemedicine into their practices.
Telemedicine allows doctors to care for patients while traveling, when relocating or shutting down their physical office, or assisting those who lack transportation, thereby enhancing accessibility to healthcare services. Therefore, it’s not surprising that more doctors are, or will be, offering telemedicine.
## Conclusion
Telemedicine has been and continues to evolve over the years. By 2025, this virtual healthcare model is set to broaden its mental health offerings, leverage AI technology, transcend international borders, incorporate wearable tech for patient monitoring, and further extend among physicians. Bright prospects await telemedicine!