Speedoc app users can now consult a Singapore-registered General Practitioner (GP) from Speedoc’s pool of over 50 doctors through video-conferencing hosted on the platform. The introduction of telemedicine adds to Speedoc’s existing portfolio of house call doctors, nurse visits, ambulance booking services, and medicine delivery. Users can also obtain prescriptions, medical certificates and specialist referrals via their consultations.

Patient journey is smoother with video consults and medical home visits

With Speedoc’s new telemedicine feature, patients do not have to be escalated to clinics if their medical condition is deemed too urgent or severe for telemedicine support. Instead, Speedoc can seamlessly arrange for a doctor or nurse home visit following the video consultation if required, thus making the patient journey smoother, while reducing social contact with clinics.  After the teleconsultation, patients will also be able to contact the same doctor again through the in-app text chat function to arrange for a follow-up if needed.

Dr Shravan Verma, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Speedoc, said: “As a one-stop healthcare platform, the addition of telemedicine will allow Speedoc’s doctors to avoid communication errors between patient and provider and trigger a series of follow-ups for the patient post-video consultation, such as medicine delivery, home visits, or calling an ambulance for the patient to be taken to a hospital, all through the Speedoc umbrella of services.”

Personalisation and convenience improves medical condition management 

With the use of Speedoc’s telemedicine service, available 7 days a week, patients do not need to spend time waiting for their turn in a clinic outside their homes. Instead, they can specify when they wish to have their teleconsultation in the comfort of their homes. Medicine prescribed to a patient during a teleconsultation can also be delivered to their doorstep after the call.

Additionally, a review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews(1) has shown that telemedicine can help patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, better manage their conditions and improve their overall quality of life.  

Dr Shravan Verma elaborated: “Managing chronic and underlying conditions is especially pertinent in current circumstances, where they could determine the difference between life and death. This is where Speedoc’s variety of services comes in. If a doctor feels that the conditions are better treated via a face-to-face consultation, he or she can arrange for a house call doctor to visit the patient at home or call an ambulance for the patient to be taken to a hospital, all through the Speedoc umbrella of services.”

Technology drives efficiencies in clinical practice

For the team of house call doctors on Speedoc, this also means an opportunity to master the use of technology in their everyday work to help tackle the complexities arising from cases they encounter. 

Dr Fahir Khiard, Medical Director of Speedoc, explained: “We will be using telemedicine for triage services, provision of second opinions and referrals to specialists. At Speedoc, we utilise evolving technology, merging it with everyday clinical practice, to enhance the personal attention we provide our patients.