Instead of having him miss school to go to the doctor, we did an exam by telemedicine. He stood there in front of the camera and we took his shoulder through the whole range of motion. There was no pain or swelling, so he could play that night. Knox and Tech doctors also have done dermatology follow-ups by telemed on kids who have already seen skin specialists in person. Population shifts have caused a decline in rural health care.
Doctors tend to cluster in cities where their patient base is bigger.
At the same time, medical centers in little towns are either closing their doors or being threatened with the possibility. Primary-care doctors and other basic health providers often find themselves without local backup. A trip to a specialist can cost patients plenty in time and money. This is where telemedicine is helping. Roughly 100 programs are operating around the country.