ANSWER
Telehealth is where technology meets health care.
How many times have you heard that the internet has altered modern life? Indeed, it has most likely altered how you communicate with family and friends, as well as how you purchase goods and services. It has also most likely altered how you search for information about health issues.
Several telehealth tools are available to assist you in managing your health care and receiving the services you require. Many people used telehealth during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is still widely used. Learn more about telehealth.
What exactly is telehealth?
Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technologies to access and manage health care services remotely. Computers and mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are examples of technologies. This could be technology you use at home. In rural areas, a nurse or other health care professional may provide telehealth from a medical office or mobile van. Telehealth can also mean that your health care provider uses technology to improve or add to the care they give you.
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Telehealth, also known as e-health or m-health (mobile health), has the following objectives:
Make health care more accessible to people who live in rural or remote communities.
If you have an infectious disease like COVID-19, keep yourself and others safe.
provide primary care for a wide range of conditions.
Make services more accessible or convenient for people with limited mobility, time, or transportation.
Make medical specialists available.
Improvement in communication and care coordination between members of the health care team and the person receiving care.
They provide guidance on self-management of health care.
Many people found telehealth to be beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to use it. Telehealth is becoming more popular.
Here are several examples of telehealth services that could be beneficial to your health care.
Visits via the internet
Telemedicine may be used by some clinics to provide remote care. Clinics, for example, may provide virtual visits. You can use these to communicate with a health care provider, a mental health counselor, or a nurse via online video or phone chat.
Virtual visits can help with migraines, skin conditions, diabetes, depression, anxiety, colds, coughs, and COVID-19. These visits allow you to receive care from a provider when an in-person visit is not required or is not possible.
Your health care team may send you information or forms to fill out online and return to them prior to your visit. They may also ensure that you have the necessary technology. They will also check to see if any software or apps need to be updated or installed. They can also show you how to log in and join the video chat for your visit. The health care team can also show you how to use the microphone, camera, and text chat. If you need to, you can ask a family member to help you set up the technology you need.
Other possibilities
Some people may seek medical care or advice through web-based or phone-based services. Many questions are asked when you log into a web-based service or call a service that provides primary or urgent care. Drugs can be prescribed by the provider or a nurse practitioner. They may also advise on home care or additional medical care.
While these services are convenient, they have some drawbacks:
Treatment may not be coordinated with your primary care physician.
Important information from your medical history may be overlooked.
If you have a complicated medical history, the computer-driven model used to make decisions may not be appropriate for you.
The service does not make it easy for you to make treatment decisions with your provider.
Remote surveillance
Many technologies enable your provider or health care team to remotely monitor your health. Among these technologies are:
Upload data to your provider or health care team using web-based or mobile apps. For example, if you have diabetes, you can upload food logs, blood sugar levels, and medications for a nurse to review.
devices that measure and transmit data wirelessly, such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and oxygen levels.
Wearable data collection and transmission devices. The devices may, for example, record data such as heart rate, blood sugar, walking style, posture, tremors, physical activity, or sleep.
Home monitoring devices for the elderly or those suffering from dementia that detect changes in daily activities such as falls are increasingly popular.
devices that send you notifications to remind you to exercise or take medications.
Conversations between providers
Providers can also use technology to provide better care to their patients. When primary care providers have questions about your diagnosis or treatment, they can use a virtual consultation to seek advice from specialists in other locations.
Exam notes, history, test results, X-rays, or other images are sent to the specialist for review by the primary care provider. The specialist may respond via email. Alternatively, they may conduct a virtual visit with you at your provider’s office. They might also request a face-to-face meeting.
In some cases, a nurse or other health care professional may use technology to provide care in a rural area from a medical office, clinic, or mobile van. They could set up a remote consultation with a doctor or specialist at a clinic.
These virtual consultations may eliminate the need for in-person referrals to specialists. They may also shorten the time it takes for you to see a specialist. They may also eliminate the need for you to visit a specialist.
Patients’ access portal
Perhaps your primary care clinic has an online patient portal. Instead of email, these portals provide a more secure way to contact your provider. A portal is a secure online tool that allows you to do the following:
Send a message to your provider or a nurse.
Request prescription refills.
Examine test results and visit summaries from previous visits.
Schedule preventive care visits or request appointment reminders.
If your provider is part of a large health care system, the portal may also serve as a single point of contact for any specialists you may consult.
Apps for personal health
Many apps have been developed to assist people in better organizing their medical information in one secure location. These digital tools may be useful to you:
Keep personal health information safe.
Taking vital signs
Calories should be calculated and tracked.
Reminders to take medications should be scheduled.
Keep track of your physical activity, such as your daily step count.
Personal medical records
A personal health record system (PHR system) is a collection of health information that you control and maintain. You can access the PHR app from any web-enabled device, such as your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, at any time. A PHR also allows you to view your lab results, X-rays, and provider notes. With your permission, your provider may share this with other providers.
In an emergency, a personal health record can quickly provide vital information to emergency personnel. It can show things like your current medical conditions, medications, drug allergies, and your provider’s contact information.
Telehealth’s Potential
Technology has the potential to improve health-care quality. In addition, technology could make it easier for more people to get health care.
Telehealth has the potential to make health care more efficient, coordinated, and accessible. A virtual visit can be made from any location, such as your home or car. A virtual visit does not require you to travel.
Telehealth can help you stay at home if you’re sick or find it difficult to travel. You can also use telehealth if you live a long distance away from a medical facility. And, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were able to keep their distance from others at home while still receiving care. Furthermore, COVID-19 can be diagnosed and treated remotely.
Virtual visits can also give you the option of meeting with specialists who do not live in your area.
Telehealth’s Limitations
Telehealth has the potential to improve care coordination. However, there is a risk of care gaps, overuse of medical care, inappropriate drug use, or unnecessary care. Physical exams cannot be performed in-person by providers, which can affect diagnosis.
Other factors, such as cost, may limit the potential benefits of telehealth services. In the United States, insurance reimbursement for telehealth varies by state and type of insurance. However, insurance coverage for telehealth services in the United States continues to grow. Moreover, insurance restrictions changed for a time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Check with your insurance provider to see which providers offer virtual visits.
Furthermore, some people who require improved access to care may be hampered by a lack of internet access or a mobile device. People without internet access may be able to access telehealth services by using public-access wireless internet. For example, libraries or community centers may provide wireless internet access for virtual visits in private rooms.
Sometimes technology fails to function properly. It is critical to have a plan with your provider to call them if there is a problem with the virtual visit.
QUESTION
Discussion Question:
Telehealth technology has extended the arms of traditional health care delivery into homes, clinics, and other environments outside the bricks and mortar of hospitals. Will the increased use of these telehealth technology tools be viewed as “de-humanizing” patient care or will they be viewed as a means to promote more contact with healthcare providers and new ways for people to “stay connected” (as online disease support groups), thereby creating better long-term disease management and patient satisfaction?