Picture this: It’s time for a patient’s medical visit with his or her doctor. So, the patient picks up a tablet, logs onto a secure Web browser window and waits for the practitioner to log in.

This type of interaction may seem like a pipe dream at the moment, but as explained in a recent CED magazine article, remote medical treatment will increase in popularity over the next few years as medical facilities invest more in connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Why should you care about telemedicine as a broadband provider? Aside from the increased amount of bandwidth that medical facilities will be using on a daily basis, there will also be new revenue-driving opportunities for your business. Perhaps the biggest opportunity will be the need for faster, more reliable Internet service. For telemedicine to succeed as a tool for the healthcare industry, its functionality must not be limited by network latency, particularly when doctors perform medical inspections, or when doctors need to conduct remote procedures and relay diagnostic information. Information needs to flow seamlessly across the network, and medical providers will be ready to pay more for such capability.  

As a broadband provider, this is the time to start planning how you will accommodate telemedicine providers as they start to become more popular options for consumers. One of the most helpful technologies you can invest in will be a solution that can facilitate flexible, real-time broadband billing.

Great Lakes Data Systems is one company that can help facilitate real-time billing in your organization. Click here for more information about Great Lakes.