Direct to Consumer Telemedicine
Introduction
The direct to consumer (DTC) model of telemedicine differentiates itself from other forms of telehealth by allowing the patient to initiate the encounter. In other forms of telemedicine encounters, such as Telestroke or Teledermatology, a physician is initiating those consultations. 24/7, on-demand access to a clinician - once thought to be a futuristic feat, is now readily available to patients, anywhere and anytime. Patients can enter the virtual front door of a number of private entities such as MDLive, Teladoc, or Dr. on Demand, or turn to a local healthcare system with a similar offering. The burgeoning sector of medicine, a 270 million dollar industry in 2019, is expected to continue to grow past 320 million by 2025 as the industry becomes more mature.[1]
Methods of Delivering DTC Care
Further information about terminology and types of telemedicine visits and terminology can be found here.
- Synchronous
- Similar to other types of synchronous telemedicine, the patient initiates a live encounter with a clinician with audio or video conferencing. The widespread availability of computers, tablets, and cell phones with video capabilities enables this two-way interaction to reach the masses. The entities listed above (MDLive, Teladoc, Dr. on Demand) are all examples of companies specializing in synchronous direct to consumer visits.
References
- ↑ At 4.3 % CAGR, Direct To Consumer Telehealth Services Market Size will reach 322.7 million USD by 2025. (2020, February 4). Retrieved April 25, 2020, from https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/at-43-cagr-direct-to-consumer-telehealth-services-market-size-will-reach-3227-million-usd-by-2025-2020-02-04
