FEBRUARY is STD Awareness Month, and while our sexual health is incredibly personal and private, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take action to ensure that it is prioritised for ourselves and our sexual partners.

The sensitive nature of our sexual lives may cause us to attach shame and embarrassment to our sexual health, causing us to avoid doing checks and even having conversations with our health-care providers about concerns we may have.

Physical, mental, emotional, and social health all contribute to our sexual health. Being in good sexual health means being well-informed, careful, and respectful to yourself and others during your sexual encounters. On your path to improved sexual health your greatest tools will be communication, education, and safety, and with telemedicine you gain remote access to specialists to discuss any concerns, follow-ups, or assessments you may require — all specific to your personal history and health.

• Private, encrypted platforms: Telemedicine services, such as MDLink, operate on encrypted platforms. What this means is, any data shared via this platform will only be available to your doctor and selected authorised personnel within the office. You will not have to worry about the safety of your personal information being shared outside of this platform, whether that be via text, photo, video, or audio.

• No waiting rooms or in-person visits: The anxiety of sitting in a waiting room, knowing you’re going to discuss something personal with your doctor, may cause you to feel some level of unease. To avoid this awkwardness you may skip the waiting room altogether. Telemedicine allows you to access your doctor from any location, as long as you have access to the Internet. This may be your office, bedroom, or even your car.

• Convenient testing: After meeting with your doctor online, if they do recommend that you do an STD screening they can send you all the lab forms virtually. To get your tests done you will not need to go into an office either. MDLink’s Drive Thru Medical Centre on Old Hope Road in Kingston provides on-site testing which will allow you to remain in your vehicle and get your tests done.

• Your choice of communication method: Do you find face-to-face conversations uncomfortable when talking about sexual health? Would you rather talk on the phone or text? Telemedicine platforms such as MDLink allow you to choose what method of communication you want to use before you begin speaking with your doctor. Allowing you to make a personal choice will encourage you to feel more in control of the situation and more comfortable.

• Diagnosis and assessment of many STIs and STDs: While an STI/STD cannot be 100 per cent diagnosed without a lab test, your doctor may do preliminary assessments toward a diagnosis for STIs such as herpes, chlamydia, HPV, and gonorrhoea by using a telemedicine platform. You will be required to answer questions about your symptoms, and if you are comfortable they may request a video or photograph of any abnormal rashes or bumps you may be concerned about. After these conversations your doctor may suggest a prescription or recommend that you do a lab test for confirmation. Common symptoms of STIs may include pain when urinating, coloured discharge, or specific bumps or rashes. A description of this may lead your doctor closer to a diagnosis without actually seeing you in person.

Telemedicine is a modern, digital tool that aids in the accessibility and quality of health care. Understanding the sensitivity of sexual health care and the variety of needs associated with it, telemedicine provides a unique facility for the awareness, care, and treatment of sexual health. The more people who take their sexual health seriously, the easier it will be to tackle the transmission of STDs and the stigma associated with sexuality. MDLink offers full-service care for sexual health, ensuring you feel safe and taken care of.

Dr Ché Bowen, a digital health entrepreneur and family physician, is the CEO & founder of MDLink, a digital health company that provides telemedicine options. Check out the company’s website at www.theMDLink.com. You can also contact him at drchebowen@themdlink.com.