The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we do a lot of things and, even with many countries finally opening back up, there are some changes that are sure to last far beyond the pandemic. One of these changes is the advancement of telemedicine.

Telemedicine has been on the rise for many years. In fact, it may surprise you to know that the earliest telemedicine was as far back as the 1920s, when ship clinicians used to receive medical advice via radio. Of course, we've come a very long way since then, and this method of practicing medicine has advanced at a rapid rate, with the most recent development being veterinarians offering virtual visits in 2020.

In early 2020, at the start of the pandemic, physicians performed 1,629,000 telemedicine visits. Sixty-nine percent of patients have now had at least one virtual visit and they're eager to keep this "new normal" moving forward. In fact, studies show that telehealth increased patient satisfaction and retention by 81.5%.

Find out why telemedicine is the future of medicine in the infographic below.

Infographic courtesy Online Medical Services