O2 Health rolls out Side by Side service (UK)

O2 Health has launched new telehealth (as in videoconferencing) service called Side by Side in the UK following successful trial in the Western Isles which demonstrated “improved clinician productivity, a 30% reduction in travel costs and fewer appointment cancellations.” It is secure software that enables clinicians to use their office computers to conduct remote patient-clinician consultations and incorporates video, audio and chat plus a digital white board for spontaneous diagrams and annotations. Press release. [It will be good if it encourages doctors to start drawing diagrams!]

2 thoughts on “O2 Health rolls out Side by Side service (UK)

  1. How smart is that – the doctors can use their existing computers on their desk, but the patients have to go to a remote site rather than their own computers. I was recently offered a telehealth visit with my oncologist – the drive to the telehealth location was 50 km away and the oncologist 60 km (in the other direction). This “secure privacy” is a stupid waste of time, money and resources that most patients neither want nor need. Next they will say a patient and doctor cannot talk on a telephone, which is a lot easier to tap into than Skype!

  2. Chris makes a valid point. However, in the case of rural settings which, I presume, includes the Western Isles, it is often unlikely that sufficient bandwidth would be available in patients’ homes to facilitate the functionality of Side-by-Side. This is not just a case of privacy and security but also one of last mile connectivity. Also, in many clinical settings the presence of a nurse or other health care provider may well be required by the (non)attending physician.

Comments are closed.