In today’s society, medicine’s value is near parallel to the importance of mobility and travel ease. Everyone seems to be frequently on the go, and the need for actions of any kind to be both flexible and mobile is something that has become so ingrained in today’s society that businesses are working tirelessly to meet the expectations of their users by rapidly trying to evolve to meet those needs. As COVID-19 has worsened and effectively has either stopped or limited travel in many circles, including travel, the extensive waits in the doctor’s offices, curbside, or “tele,” anything has become prominent. The work-from-home era has begun, and with it, medicine, too, evolves. Telemedicine is known to many as the real future of medicine in today’s society. One such supporter of its value is Dr. KaNisha Hall, a well-known anesthesiologist and counselor who operates under Bright Heart Health and specializes in various addiction medicines and behavior therapies for countless individuals suffering from disorders and diseases such as alcoholism, opioid usage, eating disorders, and others. Bright Heart Health is a complete practice that includes psychologists, psychiatrists, dieticians, counselors, and medical practitioners that conduct medical and preventative health issues through the use of various medical treatments, all done through telemedicine.
Telemedicine is best spoken about when it is easily understood. So just what is telemedicine? Telemedicine is the practice of medicine of any kind through mobile devices or technology so that patients do not have to physically visit their doctors and instead may reach them through communicative means via technology such as Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts and other video methods. Dr. KaNisha Hall is an avid practitioner often using her blog, YouTube channel, and website as a means of reaching her patients and general audiences to educate them about taking better care of themselves. Dr. Hall’s videos and blog posts help inform those struggling or know those who may be struggling with various addictions especially given the way the lack of attention has been given to these crises during the ongoing pandemic.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 early this year, telemedicine has become far more prevalent in several different medical fields as a means of helping their patients while adhering to many Center for Disease Control guidelines for social distancing to avoid the risk of further spreading COVID-19. Most notably, this has been used by psychiatrists, practitioners, and counselors like Dr. Hall, as a means of connecting with their patients despite the COVID-19 pandemic hindering many of the practices of medicine that may also be bogged down and backlogged and that were traditionally done in person. In particular, Dr. Hall has used her YouTube platform as a medium for connecting with her audiences to help spread messages of therapy and education to those around her in the hopes of alleviating stressors, coping with triggers, and coming up with ways to manage their addictions for both her patients and other passersby who might be struggling during this ongoing pandemic. “We can’t forget that there are others dying just as rapidly from addictive behaviors. Telemedicine allows health professionals to stay connected to our patients. Many who are just as nervous about their addictions and are spiraling out of control. That hasn’t been lost upon me. So much of my practice is focused around telemedicine and being able to still help those who are getting lost in the shuffle at this time,” Dr. Hall says.
Telemedicine practices have enabled practitioners like Dr. Hall to continue assisting patients with little hindrance from COVID-19. Her practice relies on the ability to connect through technology rather than doing so in person. For those interested in consultation on mental health or addiction struggles, appointments can be made with Dr. Hall through her website.