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Prior to the emergence and adoption of telemedicine, when your child became sick, you would start at your local pediatrician, and when it was serious, you would seek the best local specialty care, often from your local hospital. If you were lucky, your local hospital would either have a great pediatric department, or you would actually have access to a hospital that specialized in pediatric medicine. If it was complex or rare, and your local area did not have the expertise your child needed, you would need to choose between settling with the best they could offer, or seeking out the hospital with the right specialty. 

This can mean packing your family up, and traveling to get the right kind of treatment and medical expertise your child needs. You may travel to multiple facilities before finding the right expertise or desired treatment. The list of burdens and disruptions this places on families is long, from potentially exposing a child’s fragile immune system throughout the journey, to disruption of schooling, a parent’s ability to work, medical and travel costs, as well as overall continuity. This all during a time where you want to bring some level of predictability and stability back into your child’s and your family’s lives. For some families, this has meant permanently relocating. For others, traveling or moving is simply not possible, and you must settle with the best expertise accessible locally. 

Fortunately, that was then. While there is still room to grow, many children’s hospitals have recognized this need and have dramatically expanded access to care through online second opinion and consultation programs. Some of the nations top ranked children’s hospitals, from the east to west coasts, now offer online consultation services. This list includes, but is not limited to:

"Modern cancer care is all about coordinated care and access to subspecialists"
- Dr. Thomas Schwaab, Roswell Park Cancer Center

In a rural town in the United States, Jordan’s infant son, Milo, was born with a cranial abnormality. Upon medical evaluation at their local hospital, the infant was diagnosed with craniosynostosis, a congenital disorder characterized by premature fusion of cranial sutures leading to a misshapen skull and potential brain growth restriction. Milo required major surgery to address his condition, but due to the scarcity of specialized healthcare services in their region, particularly for such a complex procedure, the family could not access the necessary medical expertise. Desperate for support, Jordan researched her son's condition and located a children's hospital with a top-ranked Craniofacial surgeon. Yet, the facility was nearly one thousand miles away from their hometown, and due to financial constraints, such as the cost of transportation, lodging, and time off from work, Jordan doubted their ability to make the trip across the country for the surgical evaluation. She worried that even if they could get there, what would happen if her son was not a good candidate for the surgery? It was not a realistic option for them to visit multiple hospitals in person to receive second opinions, and she felt stuck. Jordan’s story represents the struggle of many Americans to access quality medical care for their children without facing significant geographic and financial barriers. For this reason, many families seek answers closer to home, instead of receiving care from top experts, which can reduce positive healthcare outcomes.

Physicians tend to wear many hats from seeing patients, conducting research or clinical studies, providing instruction at a teaching hospital, or even handling business issues. Now, many physicians are also working across multiple facilities, requiring some to catch up on cases while they travel, or even work from home. You heard me right - some physicians can and do work from home.

As a track or equine veterinarian, it's important to ensure that horses are healthy and fit to race before the season starts. This not only helps each horse to perform at their best, but puts you in a position to succeed by avoiding unexpected complications. Pre-inspection is a crucial step in the process of ensuring that horses are healthy and ready, and when it comes to reviewing a horse's medical history quickly and efficiently, Purview Image™ is the tool vets rely upon.