Over the years, the field of medicine has undergone several changes for the improvement and effectiveness of its services. The technology field is one new development which has impacted medicine, and it has impacted medicine in mostly positive ways. Telemedicine is a field that deals with treatment and diagnosis of medical problems via telecommunication technology. Telemedicine involves offering care of services when distance is an issue. Remote healthcare services can be offered efficiently through tele-care across remote regions. Telepharmacy, video telemedicine, internet, fax, e-mails, computers and radios are example of tools that are used for telemedicine.
Telepharmacy involves the use of the Internet in prescribing and issuing drugs to patients. Although the use of telepharmacy has been adopted in many hospitals, it is important to encourage extensive use of this tool in every health institution. Telepharmacy also involves the use of video-conferencing for education, management and training purposes. The use of online drugstores by pharmacists has been extensively used over the years and has attracted many other healthcare professionals to use this system (Angaran, 1999). This use has improved pharmaceutical care in various hospitals and has made possible the provision of services to any patient regardless of the distance.
The telephone is used as a tool for offering healthcare services to people in remote areas, having changed from its former mode of access and use as a dialing and talking instrument. It plays a key role in multimedia access and in the provision of quality health services through its use in monitoring patients, conducting therapies, and providing counseling services and healthcare authorizations. Medical a...
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Abstract: Telesurgery, or remote access surgery, is "the provision of surgical care over a distance with direct, real-time visualization of the operative field with the help of telepresence technology and force feedback" [Nair, 1]. This paper outlines the potential impact of telesurgery on medicine and analyzes the technical obstacles that hinder the pervasive use of this technology.
[20]Charles BL. (2000) Telemedicine can lower costs and improve access. Healthcare Financial Management. 54(4): 66.
Telepsychiatry has been used for many years and is highly regarded as an area where the use of telemedicine has been successful. It has been defined as “The delivery of healthcare and the exchange of healthcare information for purposes of providing psychiatric services across distances” (Woo...
Norbert, B., Bennett, L., Carnahan, L., Decker, V. B., Grady, B., & Holden, D. (2011). Evidenced-base Practice for Telemental Health. Telemedicine and e-health, 17(2), 131. doi:10.1089/tmj.2010.0158
Among the main aims of health care reform and improvement is expanding healthcare access to different populations, which have been subjects to underserving for a long period. These include the poor, the previously uncovered, rural societies, and the minorities, to mention just a few. Great challenges definitely lie ahead, since several individuals start seeking access to the primary healthcare clinicians (Arnaert & Delesie, 2001). Telenursing assures to be a crucial tool to meet such needs. It refers to making use of the telehealth technology in conducting nursing practice and delivering nursing care. Because of the quick telemedicine technology adoption within the healthcare institutions, telenursing emerges as a fresh tool that provokes discussions
Telehealth allows a lower-level healthcare practitioner to communicate with a physician or specialist when necessary. Remote rural areas use a Physician Assistant or a Nurse Practitioner on location in remote areas. When procedures call for a physician, an internet or satellite link provides a teleconference with a physician who can prescribe appropriate treatment (Gangon, Duplantie, Fortin & Landry 2006). This could be implemented in lower income urban areas, allowing free clinics to lower costs, and require fewer physicians. Programs that increase the level of healthcare available to school children could be increased.
...ward understanding the cost benefit of telemedicine applications. Hospital Topics: Research and Perspectives on Healthcare
Kansas is considered a rural state in the United States. Merriam-Webster (2012) defines rural theoretically as “open land” or “relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture”. The U.S. Census Bureau considers rural to be “open country and settlements with fewer than 2,500 residents” (Cromartie, 2007). Nearly 17% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, which is about 80% of all U.S. territory (Cromartie, 2009). What this means that there is more land mass compared to the people inhabiting the land; rural communities have fewer people living in larger, more remote areas. Individuals living in rural communities have different cultures and experiences than those living in urban communities, which can become problematic in regards to healthcare.
Telemedicine hold a great promise in health information technology, it not only promises to improve health care delivery but it also aids in serving the most vulnerable of patients.
The healthcare service such as inpatient services, outpatient services, emergency department, and intensive care units are located in different locations. The clinicians need to be able to communicate and collaborate with various department and people.1 The use of cell phones enables clinicians to communicate via text message, voice call, video conference and or e-mail. The communication and collaboration among the healthcare providers keep healthcare team on the same page regarding a
Telenursing is defined as the delivery, management, and coordination of care and services provided via telecommunications technology within the domain of nursing (American Association of Ambulatory Care Nursing, 2004). The terms “telehealth nursing,” and “telenursing,” are used interchangeably. To illustrate telehealth nursing the terms “home telehealth nursing” and “telehomecare nursing” are expressions having the same meaning. Both of these terms describe using technology and advancements in health care in the home care setting, in order to deliver nursing care remotely by a qualified health care provider.
One form of the internet based communication is videoconferences that are commonly used by doctors in...
From state and federal levels, the healthcare industry has come a very long way, experiencing changes along the way. The development of advanced technology that has enhanced the quality of healthcare delivery systems will help all patients to be able to benefit. Doctors are able to access patient records at a faster rate and respond to their patients in a much more timely fashion. E-mail, electronic transfer of records and telemedicine will give all patients and physicians the tools needed to be more efficient, deliver quality care and deliver quality telecommunication at a faster pace than before.
Telehealth nurses use the nursing process to provide care for individual patients or defined patient populations over a telecommunication device” (Stokowski, 2008). Computer technology allows for nurses to facilitate care at a distance and although still in its transitioning phases, telehealth and telenursing will hopefully rectify the problem of the nation’s nursing shortage. The term ‘telenursing’ is not completely new. What was once the more popular ‘advice nurse’ or phone ‘triage nurse’, is now the new and improved telenurse. Telenursing allows for a nurse have real-time 2-way interaction with the patient.
...alth care providers. Health care providers need to constantly upgrade their knowledge and skills. The use of multimedia technology and network could be improved for this application. Third application of telemedicine is teleconsultation. It serves to connect health care providers by means of sharing and support together. Connections to improve work processes. Factors critical success, including a large number of users, to provide fast, low cost and the level of access to the individual. Final application is Lifetime Health Plan the most complex and most comprehensive of the four applications. It's sure to focus and continuous patient care depends on lifelong health record. It also helps to integrate the information in lifelong health records to develop a personal health plan for life for every individual who requires the cooperation and acceptance of many consumers.