Doctorcall’s Embracing of Technology in Medicine

—By Dr Charles Levinson, CEO Doctorcall—

Technology is changing faster than many of us realise. Businesses that do not adapt will simply be left behind. At Doctorcall, we have led the way in developing our systems around the latest tech, which connects us to our patients in a unique way in a crowded market. In a world of Uber, Deliveroo and Amazon Prime, customers expect everything to be within the touch of a button and private healthcare is no different.

I’m delighted with the work that we have done at Doctorcall in incorporating technology into our services, but I understand that it has its limits. Our mix of appointments, whether it’s at home, in the clinic, or on a video link, is a template which should be followed. It provides patients with flexibility and ease of access which are taken as givens in many other sectors.

Sometimes speaking to the doctor over your phone or tablet is ideal. For an initial consultation to be followed by an in-person meeting, a mental health issue or a quick question, the ability to do this via your smartphone is time efficient for all parties. We offer those tech services, but all of our doctors are acutely aware that if a patient needs to be seen in-person, that should happen.

Another area where we have embraced technology is through our app. Just like the popular ‘Uber’ app, you can request a Doctor home visit and the app will show you exactly where he or she is, the arrival time and the price and you can make the booking with one click. It’s a unique system and it’s one that our tech team should be extremely proud of.

Something I’m particularly excited about is the imminent introduction of electronic prescriptions. As Doctorcall has wide recognition and an excellent relationship with thousands of pharmacies, our doctors can create a prescription and send it to the patient’s phone with two-point authentication and single-use functionality. They are then able to collect this at the pharmacy with no need for the usual paperwork.

As the technology changes and evolves, so do we, but importantly we don’t forget what’s important for our patients. Doctorcall’s unique blend of traditional methods and the newest tech cements our place as an industry leader.