Virtual Reality Consultations for Cosmetic Procedures

Introduction

Over the past few months, there have been some rapid changes in the healthcare sector. With patient safety in mind, doctors have modified their methods to reduce the spread of COVID-19, ease the strain on unprepared hospitals, and safeguard communities. As a result, telehealth is now much more widely available, easily accessible, and well-liked.

What Is Virtual Consultation?

It is technically feasible and becoming increasingly common for patients and clinicians to have remote video consultations. In certain contexts, they are being introduced in addition to, and sometimes in place of, in-person or phone consultations. Many believe that technology-enabled consultation offers at least a partial answer to the difficult problems associated with providing healthcare to a population that is getting older and more diverse. In addition to a growing number of people who are capable of managing their illnesses, health care is dealing with an increase in the prevalence of chronic sickness and reliance as well as a better prognosis for major illnesses like cancer.

The concept of talking about an impending cosmetic treatment over video chat may still seem unusual, even though electronically meeting with a doctor to discuss a common cold or severe case of poison ivy is pretty typical for many. Cosmetic surgeons around the nation have decided to continue delivering virtual consultations and follow-up meetings even when their offices are closed. This allows patients to get professional advice, plan, and have a simple, easy way to be ready for a cosmetic treatment.

How Secure and Safe Is Telemedicine?

We find some solace in the assurance that our healthcare providers and we will keep patient information private. Discussing worries or taking a virtual exam may cause the seeker to discover new worries, particularly if they have to divulge extremely intimate details. While many people are concerned about the security and privacy of online consultations, the majority of doctors take extra care and only use safe technologies.

• Electronic Protected Health Information (e-PHI): is handled securely. Any electronic creation, storage, transmission, or receipt of protected health information (e-PHI) includes name, address, phone number, social security number, medical records, insurance information, and other details. Most meeting software providers only permit local file storage, meaning that files cannot be accessed via software servers or the cloud. This implies that the only parties to the data transmission are the patient and their doctor.

• Encoding: Not many are familiar with it. Data encryption is essentially the process of transforming data into a secret code that hides the original data. Since no servers, not even meeting software, have access to decryption keys that may "decode" the secret communication, encrypted video conferencing software ensures complete confidentiality of the meeting. Although encryption is not required by the Security Rule, most HIPAA-compliant meeting software uses it as an extra layer of security.

• Peer Exchange Meetings: This implies that no data is saved on or intercepted by meeting software servers; instead, all video, audio, and other material are transmitted directly between the patient and their physician.

• Business Associate Agreements under HIPAA: Organizations that wish to provide services on behalf of those entities (such as meeting software used for telehealth) will enter into a contract designed to extend HIPAA protections to the non-healthcare provider because only health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and healthcare providers are subject to the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Essentially, these are agreements between the healthcare organization and the secondary service provider, or "associate," guaranteeing that the latter will appropriately protect protected health information. These are known as Business Associate Agreements.

What Advantages Come With Having a Consultation for Cosmetic Surgery Virtually?

There are a few clear advantages to telehealth, regardless of the kind of medical service—general care, mental health, or cosmetic medicine: cost, accessibility, convenience, and absence of danger of disease exposure. Patients contemplating an elective aesthetic operation can benefit from a few additional advantages of virtual consultations and visits for cosmetic surgery.

• A More Cozy Consultation: Even in consultations with compassionate, skilled cosmetic surgeons and nurses, talking about the subtleties of the look can leave feeling exposed and vulnerable. Even while a compassionate physician will go above and beyond to ensure that every patient feels completely at ease in their care, some patients find it more difficult to discuss desired changes in a clinical setting, particularly at the initial meeting. The patient might feel less anxious or exposed if they receive consultation from the comfort of their own home.

• Punctual and Efficient: Driving to and from visits might be time-consuming, depending on how far the preferred surgeon is. Meeting virtually reduces the amount of time one must spend overall, giving the patient more time to discuss goals, get to know the surgeon and learn about the specifics of the therapy.

• More Alternatives From Which to Select: Numerous board-certified cosmetic surgeons have experience treating patients who travel great distances in search of cutting-edge care. Through virtual consultations, patients can visit surgeons who specialize in more complex operations without having to travel long distances or take a plane to another location to see whether the doctor is the best fit for their case.

• More Seclusion: The decision to get cosmetic surgery is typically quite personal, and many patients do not want to publicly disclose that they have made a private medical decision. Through the use of video conferences for follow-up appointments that are not emergencies, patients can leave their physical offices without worrying about not being seen.

How Do Virtual Consultations for Cosmetic Surgery Work?

Here are some pointers and things to consider as the patients get ready for their virtual consultation: aside from the fact that the patient will be at home and communicate via phone, the virtual consultation will be very similar to an in-person consultation. The patient will meet with their surgeon and nurse, go over any relevant medical history, talk about their concerns and goals, and visually review their areas of concern either in person or through photographs.

• Assemble the scene. For the appointment, the patient should locate a space that is well-lit, calm, and private. Close windows to reduce background noise and distractions, ask their partner and children to spend time outside or in another area, and make sure the patients are comfortable and at ease.

• Adapt to anxiety. Recall that the cosmetic surgeon is working for them. The patient will not be forced to do anything that personally bothers them, and they can take the lead in expressing what they want to communicate. Along with the cosmetic surgeon, additional staff members, such as a nurse or patient coordinator, may also attend the meeting. It is acceptable if the patient would like not to perform a virtual visual examination; the surgeon will be pleased to arrange an in-person follow-up to go over or assess any delicate regions. In the same way, the surgeon will gladly arrange a routine phone conversation if the patient finds video chat to be uncomfortable to go over essential details, introduce themselves and their staff, and address any concerns the patient may have.

• While virtual appointments may be new to many, cosmetic surgeons have performed numerous virtual consultations; they will be familiar with the software and happy to walk the patient through the process.

• The seeker will cover a lot of ground during their highly informative and personalized consultation. It is a good idea to bring a notebook with them so that they can ask questions and make notes. Patients will discuss procedure basics, recovery, scheduling, and payment options, including financing.

Conclusion

In recent years, there have been some significant changes in the healthcare sector. The concept of talking about an impending cosmetic treatment over video chat may still seem unusual, even though electronically meeting with a doctor to discuss a common cold or severe case of poison ivy is pretty typical for many. Cosmetic surgeons around the nation have decided to continue delivering virtual consultations and follow-up meetings even when their offices are closed.