How Mobile Technology is Influencing the Urgent Care Sector
Technology and health care have a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship of sorts wherein as one advances, the other is naturally able to reap the benefits as well. This model is perhaps most easily seen in the urgent care sector, where the affordability and convenience of urgent medical care is now being combined with the convenience of mobile technology, especially via smart phones.
Telemedicine is the future of urgent care clinics. Imagine being able to be quickly diagnosed and prescribed medication without even having to leave your home. While this may seem like future technology, the truth is, it’s happening right now.
An bustling urgent care clinic in Cleveland, OH recently debuted the telemedicine MyCare Online app that allows patients with a smartphone, tablet, or mobile device and a internet connection to be diagnosed by health care provider and prescribed medication all from the comfort of their home, office, school, or even car.
For just $49, patients can see a health car provider for minor ailments such as a cold, rash, or even a urinary tract infection. No appointment is needed, as patients simply have to log into the app, provide their billing information, and wait to be seen. It’s that simple!
Prior to it’s debut of the MyCare Online mobile app, the clinic installed HealthSpot kiosk stations in various locations around the city that functioned much in the same way as the new mobile app. Patients were able to schedule appointments or wait to be seen by a provider. Needless to say, the kiosks were a hit, which inspired the creation of the MyCare Online mobile app. Urgent care clinics across the nation and world are adopting similar practices, as both the demand and popularity of urgent and telemedicine continues to steadily rise.
Urgent care facilities are continuing to expand their range of services, as many are now equipped to treat more serious injuries, such as fractures or wounds that require stitches. As they continue to take on a prominent role in the American health care system, their relationship with mobile technology continues to deepen.